Food plot and a little work today

[viper3853]

During the last summer I held about 11 or 12 bucks that would visit one of my corn feeders just about everyday....so I'm hopeful. During the summer their range seems to shrink considerably.

My immediate neighbors don't hunt much if at all. They have corn feeders going during the fall and that's it...so no they don't have the same goals. None of them have food plots either. I'm a one man show around there.

I remember something Tuthdoc said about protein feeding. He said that it takes years and years to have any effect on a larger herd....but he had seen many times that a single buck became a protein hog and blew up the next year. If I can increase body weight and increase antler mass then I'll be happy. I've got alot of skinny horned 2 and 3 year old bucks.

sounds like me and you are in the same boat, im just a couple years behind you in plots. lol

[birddoggin]

Unclefish, I am somewhat new to the GS but have read this thread. pretty awesome. thanks for sharing. I planted a premade mix last spring, that did okay. wanted to do mix of my own and was thinking sorghum, I/C cowpeas, and some Laredo soybeans. I see that the first two years, you did cowpeas I believe. I wanted to order I/C cowpeas from the feed store, but the gentleman politely said, wrong season for the peas, they need to be planted in the fall. Am I way off on this? And if so, what would be a good recommendation then for a spring plot. I have a 5 acre plot, that's fenced off from the hogs and cattle and wanna split between summer and fall.

Any advice would be appreciated. sorry so winded with this message

[birddoggin]

by the way, our land is down in Wilson County. Did the soil testing and did the lime last spring. mostly a sandy loam area with pH around 6.8-7

thanks again

[Boomerang]

Cowpeas ARE a SUMMER/SPRING crop. They will freeze. What was he thinking of telling you it was a FALL crop??? Plant them after the last freeze. Probably looking at late March or early April and more than likely the soil in Wilson/Atascosa is sandy (the peas will do excellent in that soil). There are different varieties so if you have sandy soil or a heavier black soil, figure out where you are going to plant.

Mixing yourself is much better as you can buy 50 lbs much cheaper than a bag that has a photo of a deer on it and let someone else mix it. Crops do much better in mono settings vs mixing, just plant side by side in different strips.

[birddoggin]

Boomerang, thanks a bunch. have been trying to do my research with lots of reads and then trying my hand at it. was shooting for mid to late march after I nuke it, and then disk and get good seed bed. parts are definitely sandy, up on the ridges, where my granddad used to plant peanuts, but this lower spot should be a good mix with the soil. didn't think about the mono settings, planting side by side in strips. good idea. thanks

[unclefish]

Boomerang nailed it with Cowpeas. The feed store was talking about Austrian Winter Peas.

Soybeans and Cow Peas along with Sorghum would be a great choice. The beans will climb up the sorghum stalks. Soybeans need around 60 degree temp or to germinate, cowpeas need about 65 degrees. So check your soil temps. Be sure and inoculate the peas and beans and get free nitrogen for the next crop you plant there. Feed store should have it or you can get it online.

That's a crazy good pH level....I'm jealous. I've put 2 tons of lime on my plot (by hand!!) over 3 years and it still needs some more.

[birddoggin]

I was fortunate. the plot is right between some real black soil, at the front of the property, and the high ridge, where the sandy soil is. Good water collection but also good runoff. Granddad did well.

By hand, thats crazy. I am impressed with you deer #'s. thats awesome that youve pulled from neighboring properties and given a year round food source.

So the feed store can innoculate them in house? or they just seel it to me and I do it myself?

[unclefish]

I was fortunate. the plot is right between some real black soil, at the front of the property, and the high ridge, where the sandy soil is. Good water collection but also good runoff. Granddad did well.

By hand, thats crazy. I am impressed with you deer #'s. thats awesome that youve pulled from neighboring properties and given a year round food source.

So the feed store can innoculate them in house? or they just seel it to me and I do it myself?

No they won't do it. It comes in a package and you need to coat the seeds immediately before planting.

http://www.hancockseed.com/other-products-242/seed-inoculants-570/s-type-inoculant-soybean-15-oz-bag-575.html

[birddoggin]

thanks for the website. I will keep you all informed as to how the FP is coming

[unclefish]

Well my wife wanted this thing out of the garage so I headed North to do some work.



I'm a one man show but this was very easy to setup.




I picked up some 20% protein pellets from Producers Coop in Bryan. They mill them on site. It's 11.40 /50lb bag which is the cheapest I've found within 100 miles.

Here is the tag.... I'm not sure how it compares to a record rack or antler max.


I broadcast some Switch Grass seed today in some strategic locations to screen off my food plot better ...hoping we get several more frosts so it will frost seed. Man that seed is tiny....


Good trip....got a little work done and my new Covert camera is working great. It's setup over the new protein feeder.

[unclefish]

Went out to repair my protein feed pen. Neighbors cattle got in and destroyed some panels. I doubled the T-posts and made everything bigger. Hopefully cow proof now.

Also did some hinge cutting to make the deer go on a certain trail where they won't wind me next season. Sometimes some does would come in to my south and bust me. Hinge cutting should highly discourage them from going that route.

[SFAbowhunter]

Man I can wait to see what you get going this spring and see your updates!

[unclefish]

Went to fill protein feeder feeders and pull a card from the back plot.

Clover/rye/oats mowed short


Chicory


Rye with what's left of the kale. Very impressed with the kale!

[unclefish]

Major league trail.....




Pigs in the plot.


The deer have been in the plot everyday eating.

[jshouse]

what are your spring plot plans?

i think i am just gonna go heavy with soybeans and peas with some clover and corn mixed in.