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Food Plot Suggestions
#7675376
11/29/19 08:08 AM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107
PoppaG22
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107 |
We have a new lease that’s 800 acres around Bonham in Fannin County north Texas. I’ve never planted plots before but would love to get into it. We have a decent amount of bedding area and some field area that isn’t utilized. There is a lot of ag fields in the surround area so I’m wondering if it’s worth it.
So 1 is it worth it 2 if yes, what’s a good beginning thing to plant that doesn’t require heavy duty equipment 3 what percent of acreage makes a difference in deer numbers
I love lamp
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7675388
11/29/19 12:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 44,045
Stub
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Yes it is worth it, if you don't they will go to other food plots. I always did a fall planting combo of winter wheat, Oats and Legumes (Austrian peas). If you have cows on the property it will probably not do you any good unless you plant a huge food plot.
“I never forget a face—but in your case, I’ll be glad to make an exception.” —Groucho Marx
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7675539
11/29/19 04:31 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,306
DLALLDER
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2005
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Unless you live in an area that has early freezes skip the wheat and go all oats & Austrian Winter peas. Studies have shown that Wt will walk around everything else to get to fertilized oats. Mild freezes will turn them yellow but a couple of days of sun and warmer temps will bring them back. Remember there is a big difference in a food plot and a kill plot. A food plot planted as early as you can in your area will do wonders for your deer. Lots of choices that will produce from spring to frost. Peas of several kinds, Iron & Clay are very drought tolerant but all varieties will be a BIG help for the bucks growing new racks, does with fawns or fetus. Plant as thick as your wallet can stand cause the deer will try to eat them up. For the bucks more and smaller plots are better than huge plots, they seem to like the security of smaller plots. 2 to 6% of your total lease is a good start, here again depends on the pocket book. Even 1% will help. Lots of other things you can do, plant trees, pear. apple or whatever will produce mast in your area. Berry vines like Dew berries, Blackberry even grape. You might want to contact your Biologist for your county they normally are very helpful. Best of luck.
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7675595
11/29/19 05:40 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 18,806
Roll-Tide
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: Stub]
#7675615
11/29/19 06:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,846
Greg Z
Pro Tracker
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Yes it is worth it, if you don't they will go to other food plots. I always did a fall planting combo of winter wheat, Oats and Legumes (Austrian peas). If you have cows on the property it will probably not do you any good unless you plant a huge food plot. I would add crimson clover to this. We just did throw and grow plots and it worked great. no tilling, just cut the weeds or grass on the fence lines.
Greg Ziemer Sewell Lexus 214-597-6006 Life's short... Enjoy the ride!
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: DLALLDER]
#7675634
11/29/19 06:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 44,045
Stub
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Joined: Apr 2005
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Unless you live in an area that has early freezes skip the wheat and go all oats & Austrian Winter peas. Studies have shown that Wt will walk around everything else to get to fertilized oats. Mild freezes will turn them yellow but a couple of days of sun and warmer temps will bring them back. Remember there is a big difference in a food plot and a kill plot. A food plot planted as early as you can in your area will do wonders for your deer. Lots of choices that will produce from spring to frost. Peas of several kinds, Iron & Clay are very drought tolerant but all varieties will be a BIG help for the bucks growing new racks, does with fawns or fetus. Plant as thick as your wallet can stand cause the deer will try to eat them up. For the bucks more and smaller plots are better than huge plots, they seem to like the security of smaller plots. 2 to 6% of your total lease is a good start, here again depends on the pocket book. Even 1% will help. Lots of other things you can do, plant trees, pear. apple or whatever will produce mast in your area. Berry vines like Dew berries, Blackberry even grape. You might want to contact your Biologist for your county they normally are very helpful. Best of luck. I always heard winter wheat was more cold hardy than winter oats
“I never forget a face—but in your case, I’ll be glad to make an exception.” —Groucho Marx
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: Stub]
#7675646
11/29/19 07:17 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12,373
ntxtrapper
THF Celebrity
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Unless you live in an area that has early freezes skip the wheat and go all oats & Austrian Winter peas. Studies have shown that Wt will walk around everything else to get to fertilized oats. Mild freezes will turn them yellow but a couple of days of sun and warmer temps will bring them back. Remember there is a big difference in a food plot and a kill plot. A food plot planted as early as you can in your area will do wonders for your deer. Lots of choices that will produce from spring to frost. Peas of several kinds, Iron & Clay are very drought tolerant but all varieties will be a BIG help for the bucks growing new racks, does with fawns or fetus. Plant as thick as your wallet can stand cause the deer will try to eat them up. For the bucks more and smaller plots are better than huge plots, they seem to like the security of smaller plots. 2 to 6% of your total lease is a good start, here again depends on the pocket book. Even 1% will help. Lots of other things you can do, plant trees, pear. apple or whatever will produce mast in your area. Berry vines like Dew berries, Blackberry even grape. You might want to contact your Biologist for your county they normally are very helpful. Best of luck. I always heard winter wheat was more cold hardy than winter oats I'm pretty sure that's what he said too. I mix them together and the deer hit the oats early and then the wheat after the cold gets the oats.
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: ntxtrapper]
#7675649
11/29/19 07:24 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 44,045
Stub
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 44,045 |
Unless you live in an area that has early freezes skip the wheat and go all oats & Austrian Winter peas. Studies have shown that Wt will walk around everything else to get to fertilized oats. Mild freezes will turn them yellow but a couple of days of sun and warmer temps will bring them back. Remember there is a big difference in a food plot and a kill plot. A food plot planted as early as you can in your area will do wonders for your deer. Lots of choices that will produce from spring to frost. Peas of several kinds, Iron & Clay are very drought tolerant but all varieties will be a BIG help for the bucks growing new racks, does with fawns or fetus. Plant as thick as your wallet can stand cause the deer will try to eat them up. For the bucks more and smaller plots are better than huge plots, they seem to like the security of smaller plots. 2 to 6% of your total lease is a good start, here again depends on the pocket book. Even 1% will help. Lots of other things you can do, plant trees, pear. apple or whatever will produce mast in your area. Berry vines like Dew berries, Blackberry even grape. You might want to contact your Biologist for your county they normally are very helpful. Best of luck. I always heard winter wheat was more cold hardy than winter oats I'm pretty sure that's what he said too. I mix them together and the deer hit the oats early and then the wheat after the cold gets the oats.
“I never forget a face—but in your case, I’ll be glad to make an exception.” —Groucho Marx
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7675788
11/30/19 12:02 AM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107
PoppaG22
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107 |
There about 10 cows on the place but it’s 800 acres. 200 acres of wheat is already planted but it’s far from the bedding areas so I would assume they’re only headed there close to dark. It’s a new lease for next year so we haven’t done any scouting.
Does throw and grow truly work without any tilling?
What will a true food plot cost? Per acre
I love lamp
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7676128
11/30/19 03:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,045
David Maas
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,045 |
Snow peas, time them right and you'll understand
NRA Endowed Patriot Life Benefactor GOA Life Member TSRA Life Member NSCA Life Member
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7676157
11/30/19 04:18 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,744
psycho0819
THF Trophy Hunter
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Start with oats, they'll grow pretty much anywhere with minimal effort. We plant on labor day weekend.
Having food plots will change the way the deer in the area move. We have a smaller piece of land in east Texas (130acres), and even our neighbors noticed a big difference in deer movement when we began planting a total of about 20acres of oats in 3 plots on our place. I won't claim the herd grew because of it, as much as we see more of the herd on our place because of it.
Tolerance is the virtue of a man without conviction.
The end of the world began the day it was created, and life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7676436
11/30/19 11:26 PM
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 227
wsjaxIV
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 227 |
Food plots are a no brainer for me. Deer are lazy and if you give them a reason to not wander off in search of food they will stick around. Food plots also give deer a more nutritious alternative when you plant stuff high in protein. On the down side, cows will eat in your food plot and so will hogs. There are products that work with the "throw and grow" method but I like discing the ground better. As stated above, oats are good and clover is too. I would plant multiple types to see what grows best in your location. You can probably reach out to your county extension office to see about a soil analysis. This will tell you ahead of time what should grow best and doesn't cost much money. The more effort you put into your food plots, the greater results you will see. Good luck!
"The world is littered with the bodies of people that tried to stick it to ole J.R."
J.R. Ewing, 1981
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7677226
12/02/19 01:18 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 272
FishmanDan
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 272 |
I have a place in Fannin County and agree with everything said above. One thing though -- disk in a 15-15-15 fertilizer before you spread the seed. I've had good results with wheat, oats, clover and peas. But the fertilizer makes all of the difference!
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7677521
12/02/19 01:51 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,233
JCO
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,233 |
Try the County agent for some tips. I’ve found that local feed stores will supply a seed mix for you and may have recommendations for the area. Good luck.
NRA Life Member (Master of Poor Decisions)
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: JCO]
#7678004
12/02/19 09:10 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107
PoppaG22
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 107 |
Try the County agent for some tips. I’ve found that local feed stores will supply a seed mix for you and may have recommendations for the area. Good luck. Where would I find the county agent contact info?
I love lamp
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7678526
12/03/19 01:40 PM
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 227
wsjaxIV
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 227 |
You can go to your county's website or trying googling the name of the county in which you hunt along with the words "ag extension office". That should give you some options. Good luck!
"The world is littered with the bodies of people that tried to stick it to ole J.R."
J.R. Ewing, 1981
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Re: Food Plot Suggestions
[Re: PoppaG22]
#7679380
12/04/19 12:31 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,364
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,364 |
Wheat mixed with Turnips. Of course, if you have hogs, they will get every one.
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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