Game Bird Seed Mix?

deer patch

Well-Known Member
With my turkey population dwindling, I’m wanting to plant something to attract and hold more turkeys. I have plenty of clover and cereal grains but was looking for a warm season planting. What does everyone plant strictly for turkey, quail and pheasants? Do you mix your own or do you buy something already premixed?
 
I don't care much for turkeys but my best quail plot to date was a mix of soybeans and ragweed that I e-fenced from the deer. Quail used it most all winter. I've planted sorghums and millet quite a few times and didn't get as good of quail usage as with the above plot.

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Guys talk about planting chufa for turkeys but I've never tried it. We plant early spring oats and our young turkeys stuff themselves on that grain in July and August. The oats fit well into our planting program and I feel like this midsummer boost in high quality food gives our young turkeys a better chance of surviving the next winter. If someone wants to improve their turkey population eliminating some predators can make a big difference.
 
I don't care much for turkeys but my best quail plot to date was a mix of soybeans and ragweed that I e-fenced from the deer. Quail used it most all winter. I've planted sorghums and millet quite a few times and didn't get as good of quail usage as with the above plot.

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That’s interesting about the millet because I’ve read the label on several mixes that sold in a bag and millet is added to most of them.
 
Guys talk about planting chufa for turkeys but I've never tried it. We plant early spring oats and our young turkeys stuff themselves on that grain in July and August. The oats fit well into our planting program and I feel like this midsummer boost in high quality food gives our young turkeys a better chance of surviving the next winter. If someone wants to improve their turkey population eliminating some predators can make a big difference.

I trap every year for nesting predators and clean them out but the only problem is trapping season closes before nesting season starts and by that time some move back in. I plant wheat and oats every fall and they both produce seed in the summer so I got that covered. I’m just looking for something else to plant.
 
I trap every year for nesting predators and clean them out but the only problem is trapping season closes before nesting season starts and by that time some move back in. I plant wheat and oats every fall and they both produce seed in the summer so I got that covered. I’m just looking for something else to plant.
I'm convinced that trapping makes a big difference even if the season is in the winter. I know that some might move back in, but coons and possums don't change territory nearly as much as coyotes.
I take it that your fall oats don't winterkill?
 
That’s interesting about the millet because I’ve read the label on several mixes that sold in a bag and millet is added to most of them.
Not saying millet is bad (in fact I do have plans of planting more this yr) and birds do eat it, but given a choice... beans and ragweed were far above it. With that said I don't give bagged mixes much credit. Lots of overpriced fillers designed to make a profit in a lot of them. I just priced a fall deer mix in a bag that came out to $112/acre before shipping. It is 90% wheat, rye, and oats. Pretty sure I can plant the same thing for less than $40/acre with COOP seed.

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I'm convinced that trapping makes a big difference even if the season is in the winter. I know that some might move back in, but coons and possums don't change territory nearly as much as coyotes.
I take it that your fall oats don't winterkill?

I have a few coons that have moved in per game cameras but so far that’s it. I just wish trapping was legal through April.

Your correct my oats doesn’t winterkill which is good but the turkeys seem to like the wheat seed head better. Actually I haven’t seen turkeys eat the oat seed but have witnessed them eating the wheat seed.
 
Not saying millet is bad (in fact I do have plans of planting more this yr) and birds do eat it, but given a choice... beans and ragweed were far above it. With that said I don't give bagged mixes much credit. Lots of overpriced fillers designed to make a profit in a lot of them. I just priced a fall deer mix in a bag that came out to $112/acre before shipping. It is 90% wheat, rye, and oats. Pretty sure I can plant the same thing for less than $40/acre with COOP seed.

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I will definitely be mixing my own seed for sure. What I’m leaning towards now is grain sorghum, sunflower and buckwheat so far. I like buckwheat for the insects and all the bees it attracts. I’m just interested if I need to add anything else? I was thinking of adding proso millet but not sure I will. I’d love to try corn but I would only need around 10 pds for a trial start but I have no source for that small of amount.

My deer population is to high for soybeans to make pods. I’ve tried it twice and will not do it again.
 
I have a few coons that have moved in per game cameras but so far that’s it. I just wish trapping was legal through April.

Your correct my oats doesn’t winterkill which is good but the turkeys seem to like the wheat seed head better. Actually I haven’t seen turkeys eat the oat seed but have witnessed them eating the wheat seed.
The rye vs oats vs wheat thread topic turned to a triticale, discussion, which I heard the grain is great for turkeys...
I've messed around with a similar mix to the one that you describe, and the growth got too thick and tall for the turkeys or even deer to penetrate for food. The turkeys avoided going into it totally.
 
The rye vs oats vs wheat thread topic turned to a triticale, discussion, which I heard the grain is great for turkeys...
I've messed around with a similar mix to the one that you describe, and the growth got too thick and tall for the turkeys or even deer to penetrate for food. The turkeys avoided going into it totally.

Do you remember your seeding rates for the mix you used?
 
You also may not have a problem w food plot attraction w turkeys. Keep n mind as we thicken the woods understory for deer, we creates less desirable for some animals such as turkey. They love to graze thru more open woods.
In addition Insect population in plots are more attraction than the feed in my mind. So good flowering plants make a good attraction as does good soil OM which harbors a multitude of critters.
Also weatherespecially wet springs inhibit good turkey broods causing swings in population.
I only plant 50# grain/ac regardless how I mix. Plenty thick. Good luck.


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I trap every year for nesting predators and clean them out but the only problem is trapping season closes before nesting season starts and by that time some move back in. I plant wheat and oats every fall and they both produce seed in the summer so I got that covered. I’m just looking for something else to plant.

Arkansas now has a free predator control permit that allows the bearer to trap year round on private land and dispose of the carcasses as desired. Millet works great for turkeys - especially browntop and dove proso. Browntop usually will reseed and deer and hogs arent too bad to eat it. Also provides great bugging ground for the poults
 
Arkansas now has a free predator control permit that allows the bearer to trap year round on private land and dispose of the carcasses as desired. Millet works great for turkeys - especially browntop and dove proso. Browntop usually will reseed and deer and hogs arent too bad to eat it. Also provides great bugging ground for the poults

Are you planting your millet in a mix or by itself? First I’ve heard of the year round trapping permit. I’ll have to check on it. Thanks for the info.
 
Dogghr...My woods haven’t changed from when I had turkeys and not having as many. I know fluctuate so it’s just that curve at the bottom that gets to me. I just trying to do everything I can to attract them. I have good nesting, roosting, water and plots but just like everyone I want to do as much as I can for them.
 
Are you planting your millet in a mix or by itself? First I’ve heard of the year round trapping permit. I’ll have to check on it. Thanks for the info.
First year - I planted a mix of dove proso and brown top. The brown top came back the following year - in fact, two years, so I have not planted proso again. I don't think it matters to the turkeys
 
First year - I planted a mix of dove proso and brown top. The brown top came back the following year - in fact, two years, so I have not planted proso again. I don't think it matters to the turkeys

I’ll see what I can come up with for millet. I already have the sunflower and grain sorghum so I could always add millet and plant my buckwheat at another location or two.
 
I’ll see what I can come up with for millet. I already have the sunflower and grain sorghum so I could always add millet and plant my buckwheat at another location or two.

deer eat my sunflowers when they are six inches tall. The good thing about millet is it has a quick maturity - plant May 1 and turkeys eating it by first of July. Most of the other stuff doesnt mature until much later in summer.
 
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