Radish Planting - Late

[LET EM GROW]

1 hour ago, phade said:

They seemed to hit our actual food plots early in season and almost entirely post season. Not alot of hunting pressure on those plots in November's bow season, either. Such a weird set of observations.

Sitting in a stand where I could see two food plots - one one acre, and the other almost 2...I watched during multiple regular season evening hunts deer come out of the bedding, walk through the plots, and hit the destination food source (this late planted cover crop). Midday, deer would come out and nibble on the plot and back to bed. We ended up hunting the field edges and encounter rates went up dramatically. Broke almost every cardinal rule to pressure...

Get to January time, and they hammered the plots - still plenty of food in the cover crop fields though. 

That is weird, wonder if they used a different type of radish. I do love late season post rut hunts and food sources.. they sure can be action packed. Unless they ere going after the diversity of plant species? I like hearing this stuff, braking the typical stereotypes of seed species and the seasons they are preferred in.. Especially pressured and out in the wide open putting the feed bag on. The power of good food when most needed   

[LET EM GROW]

4 hours ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

I have a fair amount of hay acreage that will start shutting down after the first killing frost. Deer will  eat the legumes off, some grasses and weeds,  then seek other sources for protien and carbs. Sittting on several hundred acres of corn and beans,   I needed to find a formula thats simple to implement and works with other crops established in the area.

My radish plantings along with an occasional oat planting, and wheat in the Fall do this. This combination works .It's simple to establish, cost effective, and rewarding.  It covers early bow right into firearm season for big game. The wheat along with a fresh frost seeding of Red Clover supplies wildlife right into the following Spring - Summer.  

I follow you completely .. This year we tried some new annual seed blends that 95% of guys dont typically plant or never even heard of in food plots.  There's research behind it, its tried and proven.. and extremely cold tolerant, I'm really excited to see how these plots turn out.. especially sitting along side bulb and cold tolerant big leaf plantings.. 

[stubborn1VT]

5 hours ago, phade said:

With the brassica, starches converting to sugar being the trigger for the increased draw, I actually think the location of the food source has as much to do with it, too. Snowpack too as LEG noted.

I guess what I learned is that even a late planted plot can really be effective, beyond most of what we commonly believe. It is really challenging us this year to not do everything as early as we have.

Location makes sense.  I do think that a smaller, more tender plant makes some difference.  Nature is funny though and it's cool to see new things.  Sounds like you guys adjusted and took advantage. 

[land 1]

one thing I found muzzel loader  use to be tough mostly deer drives, last few years since doing plots see ton of deer on brassica plots as long as its cold and snow late season....

[landtracdeerhunter]

12 hours ago, land 1 said:

one thing I found muzzel loader  use to be tough mostly deer drives, last few years since doing plots see ton of deer on brassica plots as long as its cold and snow late season....

Uplifting to see deer during Muzzle. It like a whole new start to the season. Food sources are proven to work.

[LET EM GROW]

12 hours ago, land 1 said:

one thing I found muzzel loader  use to be tough mostly deer drives, last few years since doing plots see ton of deer on brassica plots as long as its cold and snow late season....

If you can keep from pressuring your deer herd the last week or 2 of shotgun season, have a readily available late season food source with some security or cover close by.. You will see tremendous amounts of deer especially buck activity.. Bucks wont bed far and will frequent the plot at all times of the day. I try to hunt til thanksgiving weekend and keep pressure off and fingers crossed, go back in and hunt around bulb or bean plots for ML season, you will reap the rewards.. and hang a few cams per food plot. It is great. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

16 hours ago, LET EM GROW said:

I follow you completely .. This year we tried some new annual seed blends that 95% of guys dont typically plant or never even heard of in food plots.  There's research behind it, its tried and proven.. and extremely cold tolerant, I'm really excited to see how these plots turn out.. especially sitting along side bulb and cold tolerant big leaf plantings.. 

I find a lot of blends that are full of filler seed the deer don't care for, so I'm a " blend your own guy." Hope these are different.  Let us know how they made out.

[LET EM GROW]

2 hours ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

I find a lot of blends that are full of filler seed the deer don't care for, so I'm a " blend your own guy." Hope these are different.  Let us know how they made out.

totally agree. most blends are garbage. abd It drives me nuts when companies advertise for them to do certain things that only utilizes certain seeds and the others are wasted or wont germinate..  there is only a couple seed companies that make good blends for soil and wildlife in mind.. other wise i mix my own when i can.. depending on which season Im planting for. Im pretty anal about seeds I purchase. I gave my local co op a try this year has a few bulk seeds available.. and i think he failed me.. spring plantings were a joke..   Have to find another place for bulk seeds on my daily commute 

[land 1]

i like when theres large and small seed in same blend they have to be planted differently yet thats impossible when in same blend....

[landtracdeerhunter]

21 hours ago, land 1 said:

i like when theres large and small seed in same blend they have to be planted differently yet thats impossible when in same blend....

 I'll mix red clover with other grass seeds which are slightly smaller, when frost seeeding early Spring. The combination works well and I get a nice even mixture throughout the field. I'd like to add a three acre field, of wheat in a few weeks, frost seeding  red clover mixture in the Spring.

[LET EM GROW]

On 8/14/2020 at 12:02 PM, land 1 said:

i like when theres large and small seed in same blend they have to be planted differently yet thats impossible when in same blend....

Exactly, and the only company i've ever seen separate seed slike should be done is a member here. Goes to show most have  hidden agenda as well lol. 

On 8/15/2020 at 9:35 AM, landtracdeerhunter said:

 I'll mix red clover with other grass seeds which are slightly smaller, when frost seeeding early Spring. The combination works well and I get a nice even mixture throughout the field. I'd like to add a three acre field, of wheat in a few weeks, frost seeding  red clover mixture in the Spring.

You have decent luck frost seeding cereal grains? I heard Rye will take to frost seeding?