No till food plot

[CWS]

Is there any experience with this method? With no access to large garden equipment, im think this may be the way to go but kind of nervous of the results.

 

[KDM]

Even "No Til" isn't really no tillage. The producer I work for is all no til, but even he has to bust up the corn stalks and other residue from the previous season in order to get the new seasons seed in the ground. He uses vertical tillage which doesn't flip the soil, it just cuts the crop residue and cuts into the top inch or so of soil which loosens it enough to get his air seeder through. Regardless of how you do it, you will need to somehow get your seed into the ground and not laying on top of thatch or other plants. If it was me and I was dealing with previously unbroken ground, I'd mow the area, burn the residue and thatch with a handheld "Bertha Torch" so I could control the fire, and then drag the soil surface to break up just the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soil. Then seed whatever you want. You might need to do that every year though unless you plant alfalfa, which isn't a bad option in itself. Good Luck!!

 

[SDMF]

You could run in turnips/radishes on previously unbroken ground, let them do some of the work for you then just a shallow scratch and pack for a few years then do it all over again.

 

[remm]

If you don't have 110% chance of rain for a week straight this year I'd save my time and money and just bait the bastards with a corn pile. Food plots look like hell this year along with most other things.

 

[Allen]

I am the king of failed roundup, seed and scratch food plots. You simply need a bit of luck when it comes to getting timely rains.

But I do know others who have had great luck with them. Roundup ready alfalfa is another option, but I believe the seed is pricey.

 

[bucksnbears]

Been doing foodplots in different flavors for 20 years.
Without proper equipment, it will be subpar.
Anything can grow but the proper depth is important.
Fertilizer is very important also and works WAY better worked in instead of just broadcasting.

 

[fireone]

A couple years ago I bought one of the milo mixes from PF. Sprayed out the vegitation with roundup and mowed and burned it, then seeded with a Haybuster drill. It worked good that year but the rain was perfect too.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Depends some on the area but if you want to experiment with a few different ideas to see what works and what doesn't I'd plant a few different things including sunflowers . I've only grown sunflowers in the garden with decent soil prep but our granddaughter wanted to help plant garden so I cut her loose with a bag of bird seed sunflowers, The cheap ones from Walmart, I am surprised of the outcome so far because she dropped and spilled sunflowers while she was planting and some of those came up too . They have a deep tap root that helps open up the soil a bit.

 

[eyeguy]

I have a couple of questions for those of you that have grown food plots. How big should I make it and how far away from my blind should it be?? I will be rifle/muzzle loader hunting.
Thanku

 

[NDSportsman]

Depends some on the area but if you want to experiment with a few different ideas to see what works and what doesn't I'd plant a few different things including sunflowers . I've only grown sunflowers in the garden with decent soil prep but our granddaughter wanted to help plant garden so I cut her loose with a bag of bird seed sunflowers, The cheap ones from Walmart, I am surprised of the outcome so far because she dropped and spilled sunflowers while she was planting and some of those came up too . They have a deep tap root that helps open up the soil a bit.

Yep I stick some black oil seeds in every year. They seem to do well with lesser moisture then other crops. Cheapest seed you can get and germinates well as you said. Only problem is weeds but if you prep and plant right not too bad and wildlife don't mind weeds. Definitely an under appreciated plot crop. Deer love em as much as birds!

 

[Traxion]

I have done several minimum till plots with varied (usually low) success. We have a creek bottom that we really can't get machinery into so it's the best option. We usually spray in the fall and then again in the spring. The overwinter period helps to get rid of a lot of residue. Then drag with an ATV. Broadcast, drag again, and then YOU MUST USE A ROLLER! Soil to seed contact is the huge thing here. Broadcast at a high rate too. Best success has been turnips and radishes in terms of growing, but the deer didn't take to them for whatever reason. Cereal rye also worked, but the deer won't eat the heads once they mature. But the deer loved it before it headed out. There are awnless versions but I could never get the seed. Next try will be winter peas/oats mix, but they will require an ATV disk to incorporate the seeds further into the soil. Good luck!

 

[db-2]

In 95 i quit chasing deer and started plots with the ideal of having deer come to me by providing food, water and habitat. A whole different world of hunting and i do miss some of those chase however much more successful with the plots and a lot more rewarding.

No till, i would go back to chasing before working with that again. But if one has a few hundred deer running around like it was about 9 or so years ago anything will work.
I think i have try ever program and feed/crop offer plus some of my own ideals (building scrapes works better than no till). Nothing like 20 below, 3 feet of snow and a pile of corn, however i have come to believe in plots. Now plant soybeans and latter plant canola so it is in bloom by fall (they love flowers) and ever kind of brassicas. As stated, turnips and radishes are good for the soil and maybe moose but not whitetail. Peas and oats work good as does rye and winter wheat planted late summer. Just give them a variety to eat on. Sun flowers, the birds ate the seeds long before the deer.

My elk came, and found my electric wire. db

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eye guy:

Build it as big as you can and within range of your rifle. For me i bow hunt, so my stand is in the plot. db