Need advise on food plot.

   / Need advise on food plot.
  • Thread Starter
#12  
super55, I'm planning on planting them as a blend, but because it is a blend I was thinking you backed off the seeding rate a little. That's why I was asking how much to plant per acre. Thinking the oats will attract deer this fall and winter and the clover will come up in the spring. They say if you keep it mowed and sprayed the clover patch will last a few years. Your B.O.B. comment was why I was asking about the Whitetail Institutes products. I'm sure they sell good seed, but maybe I don't need the absolute best. I'm a happy go lucky, play in the dirt kind of a guy. Put a doe in the freezer is good enough for me. I enjoy wildlife and putting out some food to help them get through the winter in good shape is fine by me. I kind of like watching them. Thanks to all for your opinions and advise. RRM
 
   / Need advise on food plot. #13  
Ok I'm following. What I would do is go with about 50# acre of oats or oats/buckwheat blend and then 10-15# of clover of your choice. I would stay away from winter wheat and cereal rye. Reason being both of those will overwinter and you will have to control it in the spring with clethodim. Oats and buckwheat will usually die out after first frost. Buck forage oats supposed will last a little longer but won't overwinter.

If you are broadcast seeding. Spread the oats first then drag to get a little soil over them, then broadcast the clover on top of the dragged area and culitpack. Biggest failure for clover seeding is often from planting the seed too deep.
 
   / Need advise on food plot. #14  
I just finished planting dutch clover. It cost $45 deliver for 10 lbs from Outsidepride.com. It comes inoculated. Some I used in bare areas and most went onto my food plots. 10 lbs is enough for an acre. My food plots are small and nestled in the woods.

This is my first attempt, so cannot offer much advice. The owner of the deer camp next to me has numerous food plots (7-8 acres planted) on his 260 acres. He spends $2000/yr on seed, lime and fertilizer. That is not for me. My cost for about an acre of has been $45 for the seed and $120 Plot-Start and Plot-Boost from these guys:
DeerGro | Deer Food Plots Sprays Growing Bigger Deer

Applying the Plot-Start was very simple and much easier than using lime as well as about 1/2 the cost.

Doing it the "right way", like my neighbor, costs $250-300 per acre. He plants different crops spring and fall. My cost was $165/acre for this year and will be much less moving forward. I do not plan on rotating crops and will just use clover year round. May need to over-seed next year and then every second year; and apply lime or Plot-Start once a year if needed.

But the big saving is in equipment. I was able to use the landscape rake I already have to prepare the soil. The seeds are so tiny I was leery of using my broadcast spreader so used a little hand held unit. Got a bit of walking exercise...LOL. Spraying was easy with my pull behind on my lawn tractor. I do not need to invest in a tiller or cultipacker. And I will not need to kill off crops to plant the next crop.

I realize I will not be feeding the deer optimally for their seasonal needs but it is better than doing nothing. If it does not work, I have very little invested so not a huge risk.

Fortunately, I am an "honorary member" at the deer camp next to me. I help out a bit and they let me hunt the second week of rifle season after they leave. I am not allowed to shoot a buck unless it is 8pt or better but they will let me harvest as many does as I wish as our ratio is something like 10:1. I am thankful for my status there and decided I would not shoot a buck anyway. Some of the guys might be a bit ticked off if I harvested a 10 pointer on their property. Thus my desire to have something on my land as well.

Good luck with your plots. There is a lot of stuff on what to plant and how. I got overwhelmed and decided to KISS.
 
   / Need advise on food plot. #15  
1 3/4 acres-around 15 pounds of clover and 150 pounds of oats. Good advice about the planting the oats deeper and just covering the clover. Not sure I'd worry about fertilizing now. I'd hit the clover with 200lbs of a low nitrogen blend early next spring-something like 0-20-20 (I use 2-10-40 with Boron.)
 
   / Need advise on food plot. #16  
Whitetail institute sells smaller bags that do half acre. i have planted lots of different clovers over the yrs . but theres seems to draw deer better , My clover plots stay green and edibleup until november, and i will get pictures even in January of deer still eating it. It does take time to get established but will last a long time with maintanance. Oats and winter rye lightly overseeded with brassicas works great for me.Planted 4 plots of about 5 acres two weeks ago and no rain so far. hoping to get some tomorrow. I would put down at least 400 lbs of lime if your not sure of your ph. Otherwise you could be wasting your money. I learned that the hard way for a few yrs.
 
   / Need advise on food plot.
  • Thread Starter
#17  
Thanks again for all of your suggestions. The plot is planted and with the rain we got last week the clover is showing and the oats are three inches high. I did put down some fertilizer, I used 6-24-24 so maybe hit it again next spring with some triple 12. Any other advise or suggestions on maintaining the plot is also welcomed. Oh, almost forgot. Whitetail Institute says to spray your clover with Slay and Arrest to kill the weeds. That sounds good, but once again it looks pretty expensive. Is there a generic weed killer that would do just as good a job as these that would be much cheaper? Thanks. RRM
 
 
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