Discussion on deer food plots

[Trent M]

I had some time this evening, so I mowed where I am gonna put the 2 new food plots. I used the Minnie Mo M670 Super that was my grandpa's. Hey, I took the Woods42 off the '55 LoBoy, otherwise I probably would have used it again this year for the brush hogging. I will get the oats and turnip seeds this week and I'll be thinking about plowing soon. I'll be using Cubs to do the rest and will try to remember to get pics.

[Trent M]

I've got the seeds. After going to the local seed guys and striking out at Tractor Supply and Rural King (did I happen to mention NOBODY grows oats around here!), I found my seed at Wal-Mart of all places. They have a deer food plot seed line and I found "Buck'n Oats." $14 for a 1/4-acre bag. Even has a little chickory(?), deer are supposed to like it? I got 2 bags. I also got 1/2-pound of turnip seeds local, cost was $2.50 (that's alot of turnip seeds!). Last year I did a 3/4-acre clover patch in a couple days, so I figure a little over 1/2 acre should be do-able.

[BigBill]

I have a deer feeder going 24/7 all winter. I live on the edge of a water shed with plenty of deer going thru my land into the bottoms across the street. There is no hunting(rifle here) because i don't have enough land but i heard i could bow hunt if i want to. I did plant plenty of white clover but they prefer my corn. I plant extra for them too. I will try winter rye soon too. I planted 4 apple trees and nut trees for them too. I got a 200lb+ 10 or 12pt buck roaming around here its backstraps on the hoof. We may poke him in the fall.

[Trent M]

I've been working on the food plots and this time I've got proof ... I took pictures!

Partners in plotting ... 1949 and 1974 Cubs



Me and my friend, Jimmy Joe, plowed the two 1/4-ac plots for the oats and turnips last week. We plowed in the morning and then hit them both with the disks in the afternoon. I didn't have the camera that day, but I do have compelling evidence that we both plowed. Check out the reflections you can see in those plows! Both now safely covered in oil, awaiting the trip home and a coat of grease.



Here is a pic of one of the plots:



And here is the '49 posing in the other one:



I need to disk it some more, but it is too dry. They were calling for rain last night and today, but it never happened. And after all the rain we had this spring and summer!! The extended forcast calls for rain next weekend, so I'll try to use that to get it worked up and the seed planted quickly to use that moisture to germinate. I hope so anyway, its time to plant.

[Ron Luebke]

wle got our plots planted last weekend, and getting rain this weekend. we planted penninton's rackmaster with turnips and yellow clover. the red clover from last year still growing and will come back after plowing. the cub it perfect for deer plots. we also put out mineral blocks instead of just plain salt blocks.

[Trent M]

Its finally raining!! Won't be long now, as long as it dries enough so I can get back out there. It'll mostly get soaked up.

[daddydip]

i've heard there are some mighty big deer out there in illionois , from a few different sources.

[Trent M]

There are big deer killed in IL every year. Mostly from 3 counties over on the Mississippi known as the "golden triangle." In my county, pop. ~9,000, county seat pop. ~2700, you don't hear much about the big deer down here. In many years of looking, I have seen 2 deer that I would call monster bucks, but never while hunting. I have mounted a 140-class buck and a 150-in 8-pointer. He's a dandy, to my standards.

The largest buck ever killed by a woman was in my home county.

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/hunting/article/barb_brewers_24-pointer/

[daddydip]

trent i was traveling down ,i believe I-64 at about 100-110 miles an hour and a fellow marine slowed me down and explained to me how many folks hit large deer going down toward the mississippi river there. oh by the way the fellow marine was a state trooper and it was about 1am on the forth of july. i wanted to get to the barbecue early. motorcycles drive real nice that time of the morning ,i guess it's the cool weather

[Trent M]

Got one of the plots in and some more much-needed rain. Yup, a good rain finally came. This morning, I broadcast the fertilizer and lightly disked it in on both of the plots. I pulled a drag over the lower plot, seeded it, and dragged it again. Just as I was finishing the final drag, the rain started ... slowly. I walked around in the sprinkles dropping turnip seeds around the edges, with a few small handfuls thrown into the middle. By the time I was done, the sprinkles had turned into rain. So I packed it up. Didn't get the other one in yet, but the rain was most welcome. It was a nice and steady soaking rain, dropping a little over a half-inch over the course of a few hours. Couldn't have asked for anything better for the plot that got planted. This should also help the other one if the rains hold off just long enough for me to get the other one planted, hopefully tomorrow.

[Yogie]

We always use the Labor day weekend to plant our food plots, I'd like to do them a little earlier since I only bow hunt anymore but it always seems to work out well anyway. I rushed around Saturday after work picking up my rebored engine block and by the time I made it to the farm dad had already prepaired the ground for planting so the cub never got to take part this year.
Winter Wheat seems to do well around here and it sure is pretty when it comes through plus it's not to pricey. This year my brother picked up some turnips and some other type of clover to mix in.
All together this weekend we boys at the shop put out over 2,700 pound of seed in food plots.
Kind of crazy but the kids sure have fun..
I'll post you some deer pictures soon.

[Trent M]

Sandwiched between grading some gravel and mowing lots of grass, I got a chance to get the second plot in today. That rain really was what it needed. Look at how good the seedbed is here, last pass with the disk, and before final dragging. Planted the seeds and dragged it again. Now its just 'wait and see'.

[Trent M]

I went out and checked on the food plots today, ~1 week after planting. Man, those oats come on quick! Food plot #1, 8 days after planting (this is the one that was planted before the rain) has a nice stand of oats 2-3 inches tall. Plot #2, 6 days after planting in the after-rain soil has alot of 1-in tall oats. There are hundres of small turnips coming up as well. We need more rain, there is a decent chance in the middle of the week. It will soon be time to throw a little nitrogen on it. That should really kick it into gear!

Saw 1 doe while we were out there. Also saw several sets of tracks in both plots. One set was from a nice sized buck. He walked through both plots. I hope to get a look at him this year.

[Eugene]

Seeded about 1/2 to 3/4 acre to white clover, red clover, rye, and alfalfa this spring with the intention of baling the hay for calves and then using it as a deer food plot. Mowed once to keep down weeds in July.

Mowed the plot couple days ago. Lightly disk this afternoon. Then son sowed wheat and again disk again.

Big problem in immediate area is that there is a lot of milo and hay fields for the deer. May be the wheat, something differet, will help attract a few deer.

[Trent M]

Raining, raining, its finally raining!! We're getting a much needed rain tonight. Hopefully plenty of it. This should get those plants finally growing well. After this rain, I'll be looking to get my fertilizer out before the next rain. I'll try to remember to take a pic.

For those reading this topic, I posted a question about fertilizer over on the Gardening forum. Here it is: http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=45325