OK need some help....

[growalot]

Best laid plans......So I ordered WTI forage oats on July 24th...had gander points..when I called I was very specific about making sure they had them....no back orders ect...ship in 5 days no problem...YA right!...called and wasn't happy...they sent me an E-mail a couple of hours later...now they won't even ship until the 6th...

Now that was to be for the long winding trail in the woods and the annual plot back there and the trail to bring deer into our woods before hitting the corn fields that just tasseled out this week....I wanted it in early because it needed to get height before the leaf fall...which happens here in Oct...keeping in mind grazing and rain..

Well this was all planned for rain this week...for none to be seen all next week....plus all this was suppose to get over seeded with clover in one area and turnips/rape seed in another...

Back up....I purchased 50#'s of rye grain...which was only $11.00 so even if I don't use it all I can mix it in with the chicken feed and still be ahead...Should I just go ahead with the rye grain now and when the Forage oats arrive do a light discing of the army worm eaten clover in main plot and seed the oats in there? Or weigh down my harrow drag with a beech log ...drag the clover plot and top seed the oats before a good rain..if one comes...hurry please I need to get out and plant...rain in the air

[Lawdwaz]

Really? I think your thinking way too hard on this stuff.

Put out a salt block like the oldtimers did!

How'd all this stuff work out for you last year?

[phade]

I think you are overthinking it, too.

I'd personally opt to place oats in places close to where you plan to hunt...oats draw pretty well within 30 days. I'm not saying a stand over top of it, but you get the picture. I'd also stagger plant them...some one weekend, a then a week later. That way you have oats at slightly varying stages - you don't hear about that much, but it is pretty effective. I think you are OK time-wise, but it's getting to the "do now or never phase" that is on the horizon. I think this plan is even better considering the Oct 1 opener.

All this assuming a normal first hard frost timeframe...early hard frost obviously wrecks plans.

Edited August 3, 2012 by phade

[growalot]

Not over thinking ...just don't want to waste the oat seed...I just planted the GH radish plot and rye grain...it started to rain the second I stopped typing the above post....and oats are a tad more touchy about PH....so I needed it to go where the ph is optimum...I don't worry about stand site...I have 30 some odd stands scattered around the place plus all the ground blinds....

Lawdwaz ...I hunt legal and this is how it turned out for me last year...

[growalot]

PS...forgot to say thanks for the insite...and Law...the buck and 2 of the does and the turkey last spring and this were not taken any where near any of the plots...but the food did keep them on the property......Got to run work to do....Laundry

[landtracdeerhunter]

Run over to local feed mill, buy some feed oats, get'em planted. Once u plant oats in the fall, u create a deer magnet. Their's no difference in buck forage oats to regular oats, harvested local. Long as they aren't dried.

Edited August 3, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Hard work pays off nice deer.

[growalot]

Thanks landtrac...that's why I ran over and got the rye grain yesterday....they did not have WW nor oats in stock yet

HuntOrbe...thanks...wish I could have added a 12pt to that gallery ...but my mind betrayed my body...killed a few of Maples that day though..

Well I called WTI...and I'm going with the oats in the big clover field....they said a light discing of the clover and spreading the oats in and rolling in...which for me is driving the small tractor or 4 wheeler over the plot before a good rain...So laundry done...headed out to put in the woodland plots....

[landtracdeerhunter]

II get seed oats from a local grower, plants a few acres every year. Gearing up to have some seed for sale next. Found a combine to harvest. Fanning mill to clean. Getting sick of looking for seed. Buckwheat, oats, wheat, rye, hay seeds others. Grain and straw, some mad $.

Edited August 3, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[growalot]

Oh dang...got hot out....little shaky...sweat out more than I have in...time for hydration break.... but rye down.... now for fertilizer and dragging..

Dang if I didn't stop to get the mail and a doe with her two fawns were in the HGradish plot I just finished this morning...I yelled at them....I put down a lot of fertilizer and a bag of humistart...which is 20% calcuim....give those buck and the doe the needed boost they'll need after growing racks and raising fawn...beside...it also helps with the PH...this ground hasn't been worked on 30 years and is along side a pine planting...Any how I don't want them eating something that will make them ill....So that plot should work out well...lol

[Lawdwaz]

PS...forgot to say thanks for the insite...and Law...the buck and 2 of the does and the turkey last spring and this were not taken any where near any of the plots...but the food did keep them on the property......Got to run work to do....Laundry

How many acres do you own?

What's with the notes on the game?

Tide or Cheer? <grin>

[Gthphtm]

Years ago when we hunted state land for awhile,we met some fellows from NJ,that were parked next to us.We were talking about this one big buck that saw and the saw it to nobody could get a clear shot at it.They showed us some pictures of a group of bucks in this one area in NJ,they all had huge and massive antlers.They said you only see them in this one area.Not others.To cut it short,they pinpointed it to being the water in the local stream (had it tested and it was loaded with Calcium) Good planing Growalot.

[growalot]

73 acres....I was in a hunting "contest" in another forum I'm in....they team you up with another member from across the country ...lottery style...and when you get a kill to have it count.... you have to have the print out...our team came in 2nd or third country wide...first had I not fell apart on that 12pt...lol..no prizes just a way to get members to know one another...I had a good partner in the mid west.....Tide or Cheer??....I don't watch TV..don't get it........OHhhh...duhhh....Big lots ...SUN ...scent free...hahaha OK need to stay out of the heat....lol...going back to the slow bus thank you......YaYa..political no no....no disrespect intended to any one...

[growalot]

Thanks...been using humistart a few years now...I have been seeing the difference...hard to find...Mr. B. picks it up in the southernteir for me...not very expensive

[SplitG2]

I think its too soon to plant oats or wr. Deer prefer the new tender growth. If it gets too tall it will rank out.

[growalot]

I use to think that ..but years ago when I started using trictical ...which is a cross of WW and rye....I wanted to plant in spring but not have it head out...so I mowed it...I mowed it high all summer long ...and got grain the following spring....because grains are annuals...if kept fertilized and not mowed too short..... all they want to do is reach their growth cycle....which is to produce seed....Now I don't know if it only works on a cross or I lucked out with the fertilizing but........ as I like to experiment...and live in the higher elevations so winter..... sometimes.....comes early.....I'll be mowing the tops if it grows faster than expected or the Bonnar I've over seed them with doesn't grow as well.....Why I love inexpensive seed...I can experiment with it and not feel like my pocket books on fire....

The deer don't seem to mind the new growth it puts on and just the smell of the cutting...brings them in...rye is rather cheap ...and the oats won't be coming in until the 6th of August....not in a huge hurry for them now...because the clover I'm discing them into...is and open field....no leaf drop competition

[landtracdeerhunter]

Agree Splitg2. Like to get oats in here last week August, wheat always goes in 1st week September, catch those late summer rains, maybe. With grows shady areas, might slow growth down a lot though. Don't know if these will do well in shady areas. And to update, new batch of army worm in the birdfoot, clover, timothy mix here. Got field of crows cleaning up. Just can't win, lol.

Edited August 3, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter