The Massey

[Mennoniteman]

Well, I guess I should have taken some pics, but I didn’t, so you’ll have to take my word for it. The deer LOVE the 10 acre alfalfa field. Every night the past 3 weeks, I’ve ventured to the barn, there have been a minimum of 20 deer on it; and that’s just what I’m seeing in daylight. There is also lots of wheat on neighbors and the fallow field that hasn’t been planted in over 1.5 years is drawing a ton of deer from the hills across the blacktop too. Should be a fun shed season! The neighbor to the south shot 8 does during rifle season, and we’re planning to shoot at least 3 or 4 more during the bonus season. Still, the alfalfa might turn into more of a food plot than a cash crop.

Those are interesting observations on alfalfa. My friend who was really getting into Roundup ready alfalfa in his food plots and had over 10 acres out just told me that he's pretty much done with his experiment, and he said they're moving away from it.
His reasoning was that alfalfa didn't seem to do anything for them that clover doesn't, and alfalfa doesn't take our Pennsylvania summer heat nearly as well as clover.
I was really surprised by his statement, as I thought the Roundup ready part might make alfalfa the wave of the future for deer plots, but after going all in at first, he now doesn't think it's the answer.

 

[KSQ2]

Those are interesting observations on alfalfa. My friend who was really getting into Roundup ready alfalfa in his food plots and had over 10 acres out just told me that he's pretty much done with his experiment, and he said they're moving away from it.
His reasoning was that alfalfa didn't seem to do anything for them that clover doesn't, and alfalfa doesn't take our Pennsylvania summer heat nearly as well as clover.
I was really surprised by his statement, as I thought the Roundup ready part might make alfalfa the wave of the future for deer plots, but after going all in at first, he now doesn't think it's the answer.

Interesting, there is nothing more drought tolerant than alfalfa. And for several weeks now I’ve watched deer literally walk through our 1.5 acres of clover blend without taking a bite, on their way to the alfalfa. From what I’ve heard, clover is MUCH easier in a plot context, and that might play a role in what influenced your friend.

 

[KSQ2]

Here’s a few of the fellas that I know have made it through the season, and barring any unfortunate circumstances, should be roaming locally next fall with hopefully new and improved headgear.

 

[KSQ2]

I took the first walk in a while through the alfalfa a couple days ago. It looks to have established well, there is still some cool season grass (cheat, as my fil calls it) growing in a good portion of the field; so there will be more roundup coming when warmup begins. That stuff is ridiculously persistent. The deer continue to hit the alfalfa daily, or nightly might be a better way of putting it. We plan to shoot 3 or 4 more does in the next couple of weeks. That’s gonna be a little tricky with bucks dropping antlers already.

 

[dogghr]

Good stuff. And my experience w alfalfa and deer is great. Mine was a mix of non roundup alfalfa and WC and chicory. Resistant of heat and cold and drought to large extent. When clover was burned in heat and drought of Aug it still persisted. I didn’t bale but would mow at about 1’. It stayed browse so heavy I would swear it was gone but exclusion cage would prove otherwise. And it lasts forever. I haven’t maintained for 4 years yet cage still shows residual alfalfa.
Only complaint it resists overseeding in fall w WR.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KSQ2]

Good stuff. And my experience w alfalfa and deer is great. Mine was a mix of non roundup alfalfa and WC and chicory. Resistant of heat and cold and drought to large extent. When clover was burned in heat and drought of Aug it still persisted. I didn’t bale but would mow at about 1’. It stayed browse so heavy I would swear it was gone but exclusion cage would prove otherwise. And it lasts forever. I haven’t maintained for 4 years yet cage still shows residual alfalfa.
Only complaint it resists overseeding in fall w WR.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds great! Just hope the deer allow us to bale some of it. Lol
Took care of at least a couple mouths next summer this evening.

 

[catscratch]

You have some nice ones that made it through season! And you have me considering an alfalfa plot. I put it in my clover mixes but never a large amount in a monoculture.

 

[KSQ2]

You have some nice ones that made it through season! And you have me considering an alfalfa plot. I put it in my clover mixes but never a large amount in a monoculture.

The deer love it for sure, but I’m guessing maintenance is going to be a chore. We put ours into ag ground, but our ground is a long way from the farmer’s base of operations, so our fields have been on the low end of the totem pole for a long time, and unfortunately it shows. The plus side is the alfalfa is in the best of the farm ground by far.

 

[cutman]

My tenant in Montana counted 90 deer in the 53 acre alfalfa fields on the farm.

 

[KSQ2]

My tenant in Montana counted 90 deer in the 53 acre alfalfa fields on the farm.

Does he still get a decent hay crop?

 

[KSQ2]

“Antler trap” 2026 is set…

 

[catscratch]

“Antler trap” 2026 is set…
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Explain?

 

[KSQ2]

Explain?

Just some alfalfa in front of a trail cam. Hopefully a buck or two will drop some sheds. I’ve yet to find a shed in an alfalfa pile, but the bucks love them and it can’t hurt.

 

[catscratch]

Got it! I've seen where people put wires up around corn piles hoping to snag a loose antler and get it to shed right there. They call them antler traps. Was wondering if there was something I didn't see in your pic.

Do you have good luck with deer eating bales of alfalfa? I've never put any out.

 

[KSQ2]

Got it! I've seen where people put wires up around corn piles hoping to snag a loose antler and get it to shed right there. They call them antler traps. Was wondering if there was something I didn't see in your pic.

Do you have good luck with deer eating bales of alfalfa? I've never put any out.

Yeah, that's why I put it in quotes -- not really a trap, I'm not a fan of those personally.

 

[KSQ2]

 

[catscratch]

I may need to find a couple of alfalfa bales!

 

[Mennoniteman]

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Alfalfa is obviously where it's at!