Its getting close to figuring out what to put out again, same old same old? Or try something new

Priority 1. is to attract the deer (selfish I know) 2nd keep them fat & happy through the winter months, 3rd hopefully provide nutrition back to the soil. Usually I just plant 1/2 Austrian winter peas & 1/2 Oats. Thinking about including a little brassica into the mix. Also put out 150 lbs of fertilizer per acre.
Last year feed store talked me into buying a mix they had oats, peas, rye, wheat, not doing that again.

So what do you find that works best? Also anybody use Whitetail Institutes or Tecomate seeds if so what kind of results (worth the $$)?
Appreciate the feed back

6parts oats, 3parts rye, 1part vetch inoculated

then always come back with what fertilizer needed or triple depending on the weather later

Iv used race horse oats for years. This store pushes a bunch of it so never old bags.

Had to look Vetch up, sounded like a bad rash or voodoo spell Nav or anyone, what is the advantage of Vetch versus Austrian winter peas

Hairy vetch is a high quality legume appropriate in the South. It is used extensively as a winter cover crop that fixes N and can be followed in the spring (especially with a no-till drill) by corn, grain sorghum, millet, or any summer grass crop. It produces a beautiful purple bloom in mid-spring and produces hard seed by late spring. It would do well at 5-10 lbs./acre mixed with Crimson clover, Arrowleaf clover, oats, wheat, or rye. Disking in late summer will ensure the reseeding of both clovers and the vetch.

Texas A&M is having a seminar on Deer food plots August 11th in Brownwood

http://www.brownwoodnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21465:wheatoatsdeer-plot-program-set-for-august-11th&catid=64:brown-county-agri-life&Itemid=87

I like it because it works well in different types of the year if it don't get ate up.. I had a field on the trinity that would get 4bale an acre thick after winter was done and first spring cut came for hay

Anyone planted yet, if so what

Depending on rain amount this weekend, I will try to get in my plots by early next week, I have already shredded and disked to break the surface a little a few weeks ago. I will likely just go with wheat and oats, I have arrowhead clover that has been re=seeding well that comes up in a few areas. I may try to find a bit more AC seed, but doubt I'll have time by then.

I have grown vetch when I had decent bottom land with great results, like it over the peas personally. Have even thought of planting it in the garden as it makes a great cover and soil builder over winter I have heard.

Ditto on what Nav said about "race horse" oats.

I don't care for the seed mixes personally either, with large and small seed that require different depths for best germination. I will plant my large seed first, then lightly disc, then small seed on top and just pressed in with the drag.

I'll be doing oats.

From what I've read and heard from those who have used it these are supposed to be good...

http://www.buckforage.com/

Do you guys plant turnips in there? I planted some in my vegetable garden this morning.

Doc, I planted those for around 3 years, they grew good as expected, but I didn't see the difference with regular oats personally( as far as deer draw) Supposed to stay palatable longer, but I will shred mine if it gets high anyway. It is good stuff, I just could rationalize the added cost vs "bob" or plain oats.


Best thing I have ever had to draw deer was plating a dryland alfalfa, you would be hard pressed to run the deer out at night. I planted a cultivar A&M came up with (Ladak I think it was) tolerates our dry weather better. Over 4 years, I was actually able to bail enough to pay for the plot.

Bill I have planted turnips as a mix with other seeds Oats, peas etc. But the call it Brassica?

I'm way behind on getting my plot going. I mowed it as low as I could get it last Saturday. Hoping for some rain this week so I can start disking. I'm going with buck forage oats, rye and winter peas. Would like to try turnips but I don't have any experience planting them

I planted yesterday in hopes of the rain this week. Bob oats, 2 bags with a little bit of everything, 1# clover, 1# turnips.

After you disc your plot plant all your other bigger seed. Just walk out there after with a hand spreader or just by hand and throw the turnips on top of the dirt. The rain will get them as deep as they need to go

planted last Friday and the rain never came Saturday, hoping this weekend is nice and wet. we went with oats, clover, turnips.

yeeyee

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot.

not sure when I am going to get to planting. I shredded mid July but with the rains in Aug., I need to shred again before I plow/plant unless I can get it done this Friday but it's supposed to rain.

I normally go with a blend of oats, wheat, rye, hairy vetch, couple different species of clover, turnips and peas. The local feed store makes up this blend for Central TX area and I add about 4-5x of feed oats to the mix to get a good coverage.

Army Worms have been really bad in lot of areas of Texas already this year. I have had good rains, had my plots plowed and soaking up the rain. I have a chance of rain for the next week so I took a chance today and drilled my seed in early. I just have to check them daily when the oats/cowpeas come up to see if the Army Worms find the plots. If they do then I can spray them. I planted 100# oats and 50# Iron and Clay Cowpeas per acre. I am wanting the cowpeas to draw the deer back to the food plots. When I had cowpeas this spring/summer the deer were hitting them really hard. If I can get the cowpeas to grow till frost or the deer eat them up during archery season, then the oats will continue to draw them in during the general season. I am also hoping that if it stays hot the cowpeas will shade the oats some. If it keeps raining I will have a lot grazing in the plots.

How long are army worms active? I have them at my place after the big rains a few weeks ago. I plan on shredding 10 acres this weekend and next weekend discing and broadcasting seed on 5 acres.
Will be using Pogue seeds Buck Buffet Cereal Blend from Lyssy and Eckel.

I wait for Pitchfork Predator to tell me when the dove hunt is then I plant wheat a day or two before we are supposed to go to the Pitchfork because it is guaranteed to rain then

them chances been dwindling all week man...really hoping 60% is string enough...

Captain Jack asked/texted me this am what I was going to plant this year for the deer.

I replied; For the Bucks I am going to plant doe ho come and get it.
For the does I was planting Big Bucks long tine tubers.
I asked what about you?

He replied; that sounds like a lot of trouble! I probably will plant straight wheat, no ghey wheat