South Texas Food Plots
We recently got a 5-6 acre oat field at our lease. It was planted this last week and I was wondering what we could do with it. Do any of yall have plots, and if so what do you put in for drought tolerent ect.. I thought maybe chicory? Any thoughts.
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What county? We planted our oats the last week of Sept in Dimmit Co. They are up about 4", but will need a good rain soon.
If you're in eastern S TX, you must have a 4x4 tractor to plant. Right Mary?
Either way, oats are an easy and affordable winter attractant in S TX. It hurts to plant an expensive seed mix and not get any rain all fall, if it's oats, it doesn't hurt as bad. Bottom line, unless you have irrigation in S TX, you can't count on anything to grow except the brush! -
Peyton, we are in Atascosa County about 10 miles southeast of Charlotte. The field that was just cleared was thick in Mesquite, after the guy dozed it he root plowed, then root raked, then disced with a larger disc, broadcasted the oats and then with a smaller disc, (smaller diameter, alot more of them, you can tell I am a farmer right) he disced the oats into the ground. I got on down and found some of the seeds, some were right under the soil and other were 4-5 inches deep. But the soil looked very rich. Do you think if we just tried say 4lbs of chicory and put it in one location just to see and raked the seed right under the surface, that would give us a good indicator for the future? Yea, I know, we also have to pray for rain but thats a given.Comment
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You can try anything JP! Just fence in a 36" dia spot with wire and see how it grows without eating pressure. I've always wanted to try Plotsaver on a 200' square area, just never stepped out and bought any. If your oats are still in hard seed form, then they won't start growing until your next rain. Get your test spots in the dirt before then. Please, please post your results and/or pm me.
For this reason, I've been "looking" at a 12' grain drill for 2yrs. Spread, cover, and hope hasn't been working so well.Comment
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When I was was planting west of Freer, I just always used oats and the cheap kind not the "seed oats". I was told the cheap feed oates had a 70% germination rate and seed oats 90%, but the cost difference made it worth it to just but a little more of the cheap stuff. Every time I planted other expensive stuff (Austrian paes. lab lab etc) the deer would always graze it down before it took hold. In short, minus some type of barrier fence to keep them off it I don't see the benefit in planting expensive stuff.
P.S. Peyton, the foodplot saver I used was only good for about 8 days before they started getting in. 4 days after the second application.Comment
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It aint' worth going the extra mile as a farmer, when you can buy better sh^1 in a bag for less. Ie..protien pellets rock
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John Paul,
When we have planted, it is only oats, but the deer cannot stay away from it
come mid-november. Good luck, and give me a call. I'll be in Pleasanton after
this mornings hunt (10/28). (210)912-7414
ToddComment
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