Plots

[Ridger]

Hi folks

Must be the longer evenings that have me thinking about next season already!

Anyone have experience with bedding/screening crops using no till methods? I tried my first plot last year using Jeff Sturgis's method, and it turned out awesome.

Going to try something different with thinner food plots and breaking up with screening/bedding crops in between. I don't have access to heavy equipment and my local guy says sudangrass is a waste unless it's drilled.

Anyone have experience with a no till bedding/screening plot? Something like switch grass, sudangrass, etc is what I was thinking.

Thanks!

[OhioXBowhunter]

I tried Domain Incognito last year it didn’t work very well going to try something different this year I personally have not had any luck with any of Domains products going to try some other stuff this year. Good luck

[AJ01]

I don't know if you guys watch any of these videos, but ya might want to give them a look.
It's a pretty insightful series...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ro3pK926fc

[flinthead]

I hate no till planting… on the land I can look, no till equals no arrowheads…

[Boo]

I’ve grown a Hybred of sudangrass. It grows to 7’ and is excellent screening while it stands. The problem I had was that a good snow fall flattens it. I cultivated, spread the seeds and cultipacked the seeds in and that’s all. I only use screening plants to stop deer in my food plot from being seen from the road. Because the sudangrass flattened with snow, I now plant corn. I plant beans, oats, forage radishes and forage kale which all gets eaten down. This year I’ll be adding canola.

[AJ01]

I hate no till planting… on the land I can look, no till equals no arrowheads…

You're just busy looking for "points"!!

[AJ01]

I’ve grown a Hybred of sudangrass. It grows to 7’ and is excellent screening while it stands. The problem I had was that a good snow fall flattens it. I cultivated, spread the seeds and cultipacked the seeds in and that’s all. I only use screening plants to stop deer in my food plot from being seen from the road. Because the sudangrass flattened with snow, I now plant corn. I plant beans, oats, forage radishes and forage kale which all gets eaten down. This year I’ll be adding canola.

Boo, it sounds like you have it "going on" as they would say!!
I admire your dedication to the cause!!

[Ridger]

Great feedback, thanks all!

I talked to my local seed supplier and he recommended going with a forage pea/oat mix, which will grow to be approx. 5 ft tall and will provide a food source at the same time.

After talking with a few buddies, they agreed that food sources will likely draw better than any bedding material, and hopefully the thick field will hold them.

Best part is the no till... just seed, roll, spray whatever is out there and the fast growing legumes should punch through anything.

I did it with brassicas into buckwheat last year and it was amazing how much they took off.

[Ridger]

IThe problem I had was that a good snow fall flattens it.

This unfortunately is the case with most crops. The only grasses that supposedly hold up to snow is the switchgrass and sorghum sudangrass.

My supplier said straight peas will fold over as well from even a driving rain, but when mixed with the oats they hold up fine.

Only one way to find out!

[Hillcountry]

I tried some of that “throw n grow” stuff from tractor supply. I even “roughed up” the ground with the tooth bar on my little Kubota…all I could see that grew was some brassica plants (literally 3 of them) but the deer hammered those down to ground level, stalks and all.
I may try some brassica seed only.

[Boo]

Radishes and kale both are eaten by my deer and both germinate easily. After loosening the soil I culitpack the seeds in because they need good contact with soil. I try to time my planting prior to a day or 2 of good rain. I used to buy prepackaged seeds but it's cheaper to buy them at a co-op as an individual seed type.

[Deaf jeff]

Hi folks

Must be the longer evenings that have me thinking about next season already!

Anyone have experience with bedding/screening crops using no till methods? I tried my first plot last year using Jeff Sturgis's method, and it turned out awesome.

Going to try something different with thinner food plots and breaking up with screening/bedding crops in between. I don't have access to heavy equipment and my local guy says sudangrass is a waste unless it's drilled.

Anyone have experience with a no till bedding/screening plot? Something like switch grass, sudangrass, etc is what I was thinking.

Thanks!

switch(cave in roc)k is supposed to be excellent. its frost seeded. i dont know all the technicals on growing it but takes a couple of years to get a good crop going from what i have read. wish i had more open ground to give it a try on my 80

[Deaf jeff]

Great feedback, thanks all!


After talking with a few buddies, they agreed that food sources will likely draw better than any bedding material,

that all depends on what is available to them in your area. the deer need to feel secure to use plots. in my area plots are not enough and now i am moving to improving security cover so what few deer are left are more apt to stick around rather than just showing up after dark to chow down

[Deaf jeff]

I’ve grown a Hybred of sudangrass. It grows to 7’ and is excellent screening while it stands. The problem I had was that a good snow fall flattens it. I cultivated, spread the seeds and cultipacked the seeds in and that’s all. I only use screening plants to stop deer in my food plot from being seen from the road. Because the sudangrass flattened with snow, I now plant corn. I plant beans, oats, forage radishes and forage kale which all gets eaten down. This year I’ll be adding canola.

don,
egyptian wheat is a great annual screen

[Boo]

I’ve grown a Hybred of sudangrass. It grows to 7’ and is excellent screening while it stands. The problem I had was that a good snow fall flattens it. I cultivated, spread the seeds and cultipacked the seeds in and that’s all. I only use screening plants to stop deer in my food plot from being seen from the road. Because the sudangrass flattened with snow, I now plant corn. I plant beans, oats, forage radishes and forage kale which all gets eaten down. This year I’ll be adding canola.

don,
egyptian wheat is a great annual screen

Does it stand up in the snow? Corn is not cheap so an alternative that doesn't flatten after a snow would be great to find.