For context: We've always used the conventional method (discing, spraying, planting, spraying and fertilizing) for planting our 14 acre food plot in milo and oats. Its getting quite expensive to do all of that just for a food plot. I recently started reading and watching videos from Grant Woods, about using no till drills and a crimper on food plots and how well they work, but I'm skeptical.

I'm wanting to know if any of y'all have thoughts or opinions on using no till drills, or have any experience with the process.


Reference: Here is a link to one of Grant Woods' videos in East Texas, if anyone wants to learn more about the process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNHKZk4Zroo&t=1s&ab_channel=GrowingDeer.tv

I’ll let others try to advise you but I’ll say “welcome to our forum”.
And, do you have a pic of what inspired your screen name?

Thank you, I appreciate that! Hopefully this upload works for the guy i call "crabs".

I haven’t planted one in 4 years. Why? Due to 4 year drought, no sub soil moisture. My stock tanks, ponds, etc are holding at about 30% capacity. Most fish have died off but the old growth oaks are still ok. Got a decent acorn crop which surprised me. Deer look good and hogs are corn fed. Antler growth looks like less than normal.

We had our plots no till drilled one year in west Texas but it failed due to the drought. I was unfamiliar with this process and didn't think much of it until I saw this video.

My experience with no till is not positive. In my experience, a well prepared seed bed, takes better advantage of moisture, fertilizer and destroys most weeds. For just a wildlife food plot, and limited pressure, no till could be a time saver, but I can almost guarantee a less quality plot.

What you are doing works. For deer, and not harvesting, preparing the seed bed, planting wheat for the deer in October, doing nothing else works. No spray, no fertilizer

From what I understand, there are two types of no till. One really is only meant for ground that has been previously worked and is not truly ‘no-till’ as the machine is not very stout. The other is a very stout machine that you can run over pure pasture. IMO that’s truly no-till.

I think with either one you won’t get near the production as with full tillage. Whatever you plant will be fighting with existing plants for water and nutrients. The question is whether or not that’s good enough for a deer plot. IMO it likely is, especially if you’re only using the plot as an attractant. If you’re trying to actually feed a lot of deer this isn’t your option.

My IPad hung up at 18 minutes. I’d like to be open minded but have always believed in tilling the soil. What did I miss during the remaining minutes?

Is he saying, just toss the seeds and hope for rain?

Not a fan of the no till drill.

I can see the advantage of a no till drill. We tried the conventional way of food plots with the broken ground, the turkey on the place I hunt will scratch and consume the majority of the seed.

I think this is a good explanation. ^^^

I hand planted some beardless wheat after ripping the ground with a 4 prong ripper that flips to cover up or smooth out what was just ripped. I planted it over existing grass. The wheat came up pretty good and the grass made it harder for the birds to find the seeds, even though I am sure some of it was eaten by birds. The thicker the stuff I ripped and planted in, the thicker the wheat was when it came up.

I hand planted some beardless wheat after ripping the ground with a 4 prong ripper that flips to cover up or smooth out what was just ripped. I planted it over existing grass. The wheat came up pretty good and the grass made it harder for the birds to find the seeds, even though I am sure some of it was eaten by birds. The thicker the stuff I ripped and planted in, the thicker the wheat was when it came up. Sorry, I don't know the terms in farm language. A farmer I am not.

Wish I could afford one. Does anybody rent them in North DFW area?

I have a genesis3, a true no till drill that can be pulled by a Kawasaki Mule, and it works great. The machine is stout, its heavy, but it isn't a very wide machine so doing a 2 acre plot is about an 90+ minute job. I use a mixture from Justin Seed for fall plots that is the deer mix plus clover, and I have great take on all the seed including clover, even planting it in about 1 inch deep.

My history with food plotting went from using a rented small tractor with a tiller and then broadcast seeding and then running over with a drag to slightly cover seed for a few years. This was sporadic and I got a lot of bare spots where I had run off (and then super thick spots that would choke out some where the run off went) when rain finally hit and where birds or small animals picked out the seed. Decent plots but left me wanting more. So I started looking into the all in one type products with a light cultipacker, and that led me to the no till Genesis. I am so glad I went that way.

What I have found is the no-till gets better every year (probably partly due to the clover binding some nitrogen) but I have been using the genesis3 for about 4 seasons now, and as long as there is adequate rain, I get nice plots and the deer love them. I wish we had enough spring and summer moisture EVERY year to warrant spring/summer plots, but I have done those 2 years and gotten great sprouts that burn up quickly in the late spring heat when there isn't regular rain. This past year I decided not to plant in the spring and it prob would have been great due to timely rains. If I could get good summer plots, I would do the whole crimping or no-tilling into the summer plot with fall seed, but I typically have just native grasses left by end of summer so I have found mowing (not necessary for the Genesis but makes maintenance on the Mule easier as the grass seed gets stuck in the radiator) and then drilling the seed is the best approach for me. I will get sprouts showing within a week of rain.

There is no need to disc, till, or turn the soil with a no till seeder, thats the benefit. It keeps the soil more moist, and allows for a more normal soil structure to develop. It works, but does take a little bit of time to get things just right so assume a small learning curve.

First pic is one of my plot that shows the manner in which a no till drill will create paths of sprouts (close to the feeder) and this area is some tough ground well worn from traffic. As the density of traffic lessens the plot thickens nicely and grows well.

Second pic is another plot that shows the difference between good sun and light sun. The trees cut off the plot closer in the pic to just a couple hours a day. I am sure I could find something to grow better in there but not concerned as it is enough and the plot behind is great.

No till drills have their place in the world, but a well prepared seed bed definitely boosts the probability of a favorable outcome.

no tills work best when you are going from one seasonal crop to to another, Where the bed has been cultivated that year. Example I no-till wheat/barely over corn stubble to save moisture some years.

On fall plots I like to rip or disc in March and then come back in Sept/oct and use a brillion drop seeder for wheat/oats etc.

Brillion is inbetween a drill and not till.

I throw oats and wheat seed where the hogs have rooted the ground for me. I don’t have to till anything.

I will come back to this thread after we use the genesis 8 (3 point mounted) we have, will be planting milo in the flats of our duck lakes in aug. some time.

also have the crimper/roller.

Noticed reference to "small plots". Has anyone had experiece using the drag harrow approach to planting small food plots? Had a friend tell me that after having poor luck with planting food plots that the seed company that he had bought his fall seed from told him that most people plant the seed too deep. He advised him that it just needs to be 1/4" in the ground and covered for better results. He advised him to use a drag harrow behind his UTV.

Drag harrow is ment to break clots up from disc’ing or chisel. It’s basically last step of pre plant- Will it open up the ground some? yes depending on moisture. You will need to toss some weight on it. It’s better than just broadcasting over undisturbed dirt.

Thanks Bobo, I may try it this year on a few small hunting plots where I have planted crimson clover this summer. Deer have taken to the clover and since they are familiar with the area already it is worth trying. Will probably try oats or wheat. Supposedly, you can turn the drag harrow over after broadcasting seed to help cover the seed.

Will advise if this works!

Some of the best food plots I have done disk it up well then spread seed before a rain.

No experirnce myself with drill but have seen ot work. Landowner of one lease, no till on pasture in the fall broadcast seed and fertlize then go back over it with shredder covering a lot of the seed with the clippings. If they got good rain then it would grow pretty good providing some Winter grazing.

Antler King No Sweat and Game Changer No Till Plot Mix

What I've done for 4 years or so that has worked. Not completely no till but close.

1. Mow/mulch the field down low
2. Scratch up the surface with a tine type plow, not deep at all, just scraping the top of the ground
3. Plant wheat and oats using an old John Deere grain drill
4. Drag the field with a homemade pipe and chain drag

It's always produced good results. Sometimes I'll throw some clover or turnips into the mix.

Thursday June 27th I mowed my previous year food plot down to the ground with John Deere riding mower, to get a much lower cut than bush hog on tractor, There’s was dried up oats mainly when I cut it. Friday 28th I disced the plot with tractor and waited till Saturday to broadcast seed before a rain that night brought 1 1/2” It was perfect timing. This Saturday will be 3 weeks since I planted and it’s looking good so far. Antler King Radish, Booner Buffet, and Slam Dunk Food Plot Mix

Antler King I planted has taken off. This Saturday will be 6 weeks since planted on June 29th. I’d suggest breaking/discing the ground if possible when applying seed. Like I mentioned Antler King has a no till plot seed Game Changer and No Sweat. All about timing need a rain soon after placing fertilizer and seed most importantly

Will this mix not burn up? I typically plant straight oats, but usually don't plant until ~Oct 1 to avoid heat and army worms.

No it will not, will grow and thrive in any soil condition. Hot to cold! Seeds are soil, ph, shade and weather tolerant. Ph can range from 5.4-7.0. Germinates 3-5 days after planting and full maturity 60-90 days. My plot is bout 1 1/2 acres long rectangle plot..I put 300 pounds of Triple 13 and dragged it one pass. Then broadcast seed by handheld seeder and one last drag to complete. Need to plant seed August-Early October. I would plant it around Labor Day weekend in Texas, we usually get some rain around dove season opening in Texas.