What my fall plot looks like now....

[DocHolladay]

I planted this field back in late September and we, like everyone else in the South, didn't get any rain until the first week or so of December. I had planned on planting it in early September, but adulting got in the way with a few rain days mixed in. It sat as bare soil, with a few plants that managed to grab what was left of soil moisture, until the rain came. I was worried that the temps would drop and nothing would grow properly or at all. I planted 1/2 the field in a AWP, WW, oats blend and the other 1/2 in a brassica mix(it was AWP, WW, oats the prior year). The brassicas didn't fare to well. Approx. 1/3 managed to grow and then the bulbs ranged in size from 50 cent to golfball with short tops on them. We did have a decently warm winter and those warm days helped out the grain side. Here are pictures I took one week ago while I was out pulling trail cam cards. The AWP, WW, oats are waist high at the moment and the deer have been eating it and using it as bedding based on all the spots I can see flattened as I walk around it.

 

[shawn cox]

I planted this field back in late September and we, like everyone else in the South, didn't get any rain until the first week or so of December. I had planned on planting it in early September, but adulating got in the way with a few rain days mixed in. It sat as bare soil, with a few plants that managed to grab what was left of soil moisture, until the rain came. I was worried that the temps would drop and nothing would grow properly or at all. I planted 1/2 the field in a AWP, WW, oats blend and the other 1/2 in a brassica mix(it was AWP, WW, oats the prior year). The brassicas didn't fare to well. Approx. 1/3 managed to grow and then the bulbs ranged in size from 50 cent to golfball with short tops on them. We did have a decently warm winter and those warm days helped out the grain side. Here are pictures I took one week ago while I was out pulling trail cam cards. The AWP, WW, oats are waist high at the moment and the deer have been eating it and using it as bedding based on all the spots I can see flattened as I walk around it.

Looks pretty good considering the drought. Like you my seed sat for about 90 days with no rain until the end of December but most of it did come up pretty good.


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[lakngolf]

Proves mother nature is patient and could care less about hunting seasons!

 

[shawn cox]

Proves mother nature is patient and could care less about hunting seasons!

Absolutely


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[Jason Broom]

Imagine if you could lay around all day right IN your food!

 

[DocHolladay]

Imagine if you could lay around all day right IN your food!

I would walk around smelling like hamburgers, bacon, and donuts.

 

[DocHolladay]

Went to the local feed and seed and bought 2 bags of Hudson soybeans and stopped by wally world and bought a cheap bag of bird seed(milo, millet, soybeans, wheat) to plant. Hopefully I will get out there this coming Sunday to plant. The Hudson soybean is considered a hay bean that can be cut before pod production to make high protein hay. We used them at the lease last year with good results. The only problem we had at the lease was that the deer discovered them about the time pods were forming. The only thing left was stalks.

 

[Goldentriangle]

So that is what Austrian winter peas look like! I have seriously never seen any over 3" in my plots.. They get hammered as soon as they emerge. I am actually considering leaving them out of my fall plots do to the cost since they never make it. Deer must walk the plots plucking every pea plant as soon as they break dirt.


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[DocHolladay]

So that is what Austrian winter peas look like! I have seriously never seen any over 3" in my plots.. They get hammered as soon as they emerge. I am actually considering leaving them out of my fall plots do to the cost since they never make it. Deer must walk the plots plucking every pea plant as soon as they break dirt.


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Ive watched deer walk through and eat just the AWP's from one end of the field to the other. I can't remember the exact mix %, but it is basically 33% of every seed. AWP, WW, Oats. They just came out with a new fall plot mix that I will try this year. The good thing is, it has brassicas, grain and clover. I can plant the whole plot instead of splitting it up like I have been and then have clover in the spring. I'll get the exact mix the next time I go.

 

[DocHolladay]

Didn't plant today as planned. Had a soggy field from yesterdays rain. Wheat and oats are starting to brown and peas have pods with some browning. I think the heat is getting to them. It will make a nice mulch once I plant and offer the turkeys and quail some seeds to eat.

 

[THE LLC]

Imagine if you could lay around all day right IN your food!

Be awesome if it was prime rib, crab legs, and cheese. LOL

 

[bigbluetruck]

If it was, youd see me on one of those TLC shows where Im too fat to move lol

 

[THE LLC]

Yeah, me too.

 

[DocHolladay]

I failed to get pictures, but I made it out to the plot Sunday. I seeded a mixture of soybeans, milo, millet and sunflower. The fall plot was so thick, I had to cut it twice. The WW was brown, the oats were on their way there and most of the AWP had pods with some starting to turn brown. I found a turkey nest buried in it and just about tripped over her. I cut around her and the nest(I hope it doesn't draw predators) and left a little island for her to hide in. I bet I could have gotten 3-4 round bales out of it, it was so thick. I didn't have time to spray and probably won't before everything germinates, so I hope I get a good stand of food for the deer and turkeys. While I was out there, the quail were singing their song in hopes of finding a mate if they haven't already. It was a nice day to be on the tractor.

 

[DocHolladay]

I did a one week check and pulled trail cam pics while there. The turkey nest didn't make it, which I expected, but had high hopes it would. I did spook another hen that was nesting, on the drive in. You can see the difference where I planted brassicas and they failed compared to the oats, WW and AWP. I have soybeans that were 3" or so tall and possibly sunflowers too. I didn't see any milo or millet, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. I wish I would have had time to spray the whole plot to kill what is there, but the deer will eat the native plants, so it isn't a total loss.

(On a side note, photo bucket has been sucking the last several times I have tried to upload and edit pictures. It is to the point that I hate using it.)

Food plot looking W/E

Beans coming through the thatch.

Wider shot of the thatch. You can see some native plants trying to break through, but they will hopefully die or be suppressed enough for the beans to take over.

 

[DocHolladay]

Made a trip today to borrow a mower to cut my yard. After I got back, I checked the plot and pulled cards. From here on out, I will be checking it monthly instead of every 2 weeks like I normally try to do. The deer have found the beans and all the new growth and are taking advantage of it. Hopefully it will get some height to it. I need to mow the green side one more time to knock back the "weeds" and let the plot come on. I have a buck that is starting to become regular that I will probably shoot this year if I get a chance. I don't know why his antlers are growing that way, but they are. I haven't seen an injury. Here is a picture of him on 5-14-17 and also 6-10-17. Antler growth always amazes me....

5-14

6-10

 

[THE LLC]

That's going to be a weird looking buck right there.

 

[DocHolladay]

That's going to be a weird looking buck right there.

I have been trying to find a picture of him from last year and can't. I thought that I had one, but undoubtedly it was a different deer or I accidentally deleted it.

 

[David]

Proves mother nature is patient and could care less about hunting seasons!

do they sell patience at the feed and seed?

very neat to watch.

 

[shawn cox]

Made a trip today to borrow a mower to cut my yard. After I got back, I checked the plot and pulled cards. From here on out, I will be checking it monthly instead of every 2 weeks like I normally try to do. The deer have found the beans and all the new growth and are taking advantage of it. Hopefully it will get some height to it. I need to mow the green side one more time to knock back the "weeds" and let the plot come on. I have a buck that is starting to become regular that I will probably shoot this year if I get a chance. I don't know why his anglers are growing that way, but they are. I haven't seen an injury. Here is a picture of him on 5-14-17 and also 6-10-17. Antler growth always amazes me....

5-14

6-10

probably has a bad pedicle, it certainly looks that way. I have several like that.