Whitetail imperial Clover

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:59 pm

Going to put in a food plot and would like to know if I should use WIC or will any clover seed be just as good?

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:45 pm

We have played around with several brands of clover with varying degrees of success and failure.

We came to the conclusion that we liked the Imperial Whitetail the best.

Our largest clover field is somewhere around seventy-five acres and due to all the rain we have been having it is absolutely lush.

Weed control is going to be you largest problem with clover. Spraying is one option but we found that mowing seems to be the most effective way to control the weeds and the clover seems to like it as well. The only downside to the mowing is you cannot due it during any period where you have the chance to go without rain for any length of time.

Hope this helps.

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:53 pm

Thank you Mike, It sure does.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:07 pm

the trick to cover is getting in it before a frost so when it comes out in the spring it shades out the weeds. Planting clover in the summer is a hard task since it needs rain and as Mike said, the weeds will grow like wildfire!

to me that eat plain red clover just as well.. they definitly love grazing our hayfields. I do believe the imperial clover is supposed to taste better. But I cant talk to the deer to see which they like better

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:30 pm

crazyfarmer,we had a frost last week. So I am in a rush to get the plot in now. It rains every other day so I don't think that will be a problem. Living in the Adriondack mountains makes short summers.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:32 pm

crazyfarmer wrote:I do believe the imperial clover is supposed to taste better. But I cant talk to the deer to see which they like better

This may sound crazy but we did taste tests with all the different clovers we tried. Now thats not to say that our taste buds are the same as the whitetails but the varieties of red clover tasted bitter to us when compared to the imperial.

CF, pick up some and chew on it. You will see what I mean.

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:44 pm

Hey Mike you can graze on my food plot anytime. All in fun,

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:46 pm

SPITFIRE wrote:Hey Mike you can graze on my food plot anytime.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard that!

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:22 pm

Mike P wrote:
crazyfarmer wrote:I do believe the imperial clover is supposed to taste better. But I cant talk to the deer to see which they like better
This may sound crazy but we did taste tests with all the different clovers we tried. Now thats not to say that our taste buds are the same as the whitetails but the varieties of red clover tasted bitter to us when compared to the imperial.

CF, pick up some and chew on it. You will see what I mean.

might have to try that;) i assume they were all at the same growth stage when tested?

ohiobonecollector · Post by **ohiobonecollector** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:32 pm

Had great success with Chickory Plus which is a combination of clover and chickory that WTI have. The deer are really mowing it down now. They also sell a weed spray that you can spray on your plot after your seed comes up. It is called Arrest.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:07 am

Welcome ohiobonecollector!

Seems like you are from my neck of the woods.

Our clover fields are rather large. We toyed with mixtures of clover and other attractant plants but found them difficult to maintain versus clover alone. In addition, the clover had a tendency to choke out the other plants the second and third years.

We are now putting in small "shooting plots" and are experimenting with just about everything commercially offered. It will be fun seeing what the deer prefer.

Arrest can get pretty pricey when you have to treat very large fields.

Mowing has still proved to be our best option.

Again, welcome to the forum!

CF, yep the taste tests were at the same stage of development. And the Tool Cat is "hell on wheels" with the 3 pt. attachment and has made putting the shooting plots in some hard to get at spots just a dream. We used to groan and complain when we drew the short straw and had to use the tractors to work the small plots. Now everyone wants to jump in the Cat as it is a riot to play with. They are really expensive and pretty much a luxury item but if you get a chance stop at a bobcat dealer and play with one. I bet your reaction is the same as ours.

When you climb out of the cab you just can't wipe the smile off your face.

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:07 am

Welcome to the forum ohiobonecollector. Will have to try the chickory plus next year. I will be using Imperial Whitetail Clover this year.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:54 pm

welcome to the forum ohiobonecollecter

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:47 pm

Welcome

peter p · Post by **peter p** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:23 pm

Mike P wrote:
crazyfarmer wrote:I do believe the imperial clover is supposed to taste better. But I cant talk to the deer to see which they like better
This may sound crazy but we did taste tests with all the different clovers we tried. Now thats not to say that our taste buds are the same as the whitetails but the varieties of red clover tasted bitter to us when compared to the imperial.

CF, pick up some and chew on it. You will see what I mean.

Deer don't mind bitter tasting grasses.
I plant an Italian lettuce in my food plot which is very bitter and the deer devour it.
They eat that more than the clover.
I find that the red clover and white clovers planted by farmers for live stock works just as good as any other clover and is a lot cheaper too.