I a "disc or plow" topic I mentioned that I was considering and then ended up purchasing the Dirt Dog APP-85-9 chisel plow. I was interested in a "ripper" because, by the end of a food plot's season, the ground is quite compacted from the for to five months of hoof action. I have a moldboard plow but don't like using it on a regular basis because of the soil motion it starts. It is a super tool for killing grass cover for new plots. I also have a heavy disc, but can end up discing myself silly it seems. I want to get my ground "pre-busted" for the fine work.
I bought the APP direct from Dirt Dog via phone after visiting their
website. With a check or wire transfer, they would knock $75 off the price. My Farmer's Co-Op allows us to use their loading dock as a shipping address which saved me another $250 on shipping. Price for the "Dog" was $1350 delivered. I've bought some other new implements as of late and like a lot of things nowadays, it seems you must always put something together, but the Dirt Dog was fully assembled and strapped to a pallet. It slid lengthwise into the bed of my Dodge 2500, and I unloaded it with pallet forks on my front end loader at the ranch. This is the largest chisel plow they sell; it weighs 500 lbs.
The plots had been planted with Whitetail Institute's Pure Attraction, and they had been exceptional this year. As the various plants started to stem with flowers, I noticed that the deer called it quits. The plants were to the base the frame of the tractor, so I mowed them with my shredder about 8" off the ground. This soil is very heavy with clay; it is a reclaimed well site from 13 years ago which had no topsoil and is now one of my best plots despite the heavy clay content. It is tough to break, but after the dog dug, it looks great! Will run my no-til seeder across it without any further work.
From my entrance up on the highway to my home, I have 13 acres along my driveway that is old growth bahia. It took me a couple years of IPT spraying to eliminate all the huisache so I started working with it last fall to get it planted with short, evergreen, native grasses. Douglas King Seed in SA is providing the assistance and will be my seed source. Last fall they had me kill the grass, turn it with a moldboard, and then prep it for oats that would hold the bare soil through spring. I used the TAMO 410 at 50 lbs/acre with a bit of turnip seed added to the small seed box for fun and the stand was incredible. I'm mowing it now, but stopped long enough to dirt dog it to see what would be required next. Same as the food plots, it is ready for the no-till seeder.
It is has also been approved by my real "dirt dogs" as it uncovered a couple of gophers that were easy pick'ns!
The only question that remains with planting the plots or the natives is if the packer on the seeder will provide enough contact to mat the stubble into the soil to hold moisture as the heat comes on. If not, I will run my Brillion Pulverizer over it as that is what it is designed to do.