That's a new one for me, planting bird seed from WalMart to get a food plot mix. Do you usually have good results with that? It's just amazing what innovative ideas you can learn if you just take a moment and listen to other people who have been there done that.
First time I have tried it. We feed the birds here and some of the seeds spout and grow under and around the feeder. I tend to mow them down because they get to tall and interfere with the feeder. My boss buys black oil sunflower seed bird feed and plants its for his dove hunts and it grows great. It is also cheaper than buying seed to plant from a supply house and seems to be in a good mix ratio for what I am doing.. I purchased a 40b bag for $12 and made several passes on 2 acres to use all of it.
The one advantage with planting straight beans is the option for weed control. But at two acres they'd probably eat them all anyway. I don't see that my deer graze the millet much but have the same issue with soybeans, the deer hold them at 6".Pulled the trail cam pics today. It has been right at 3 weeks. I can't tell the difference in them, but the milo/millet is knee high or a little taller now. The soybeans are all staying in the 6" range with the tops nipped out of them. This is a 2 acre plot and the deer are doing a great job of eating the beans. I have several species of weeds growing that they are eating to, so I am happy about that. Im not happy that I have just as many weeds as I do millet/milo and soybeans. I still haven't seen any fawns on my trail cam, but I am getting pics of all the doe and about 4 bucks. This includes the funky buck. Here is his latest pic.
These are not RR beans. I saved some dollars because I was doing the mix. I didn't plant the millet to feed the deer, I planted it to feed the turkey and quail that live on the property. The only disadvantage is, they won't get to use it until fall/winter once the seed heads harden.
Does this mix outgrow weeds or how did you keep the plot clean?
The past 2 years I planted sunflower birdseed like you had mentioned (mixed with soybeans and buckwheat) and it grows great. The first year the deer ate it to the ground, but the second year the deer weren't in it very much.
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Kinda wish I could find a bucket full of them. Other than being as hard as a brick bat, it tasted good. I would like to have some more to boil, smash and add a little butter too. It makes like mashed potatoes, but with turnips.
