biologic or whitetail institute ??
Whitetail Deer
anyone planting food plots?? what type of food plot did you plant??
how has it worked for you??
I have been using the Whitetail institute sine 1991.I really like there clover product.I planted some biolgic once a few years ago and the deer never touched the stuff.But they have probably improved it since then.
I started out using Biologic Clover plus in my clover/chickory plots. Then thru the years I've mixed in Imperial and Tecomate brands as I reseed and frost seed in the early spring. The Rape and Tunip mixture I use is from Biologic (Maximum) and from Evolved Habits (Shot Plot). The Rape/Turnip plots are about 1/2 acre each and were wiped out this summer by the deer. There was no regrowth because of the extreme drought we have in this area and it just wasnt recovering from the heavy browsing. I just replanted and reworked those areas and put seed in the ground on Aug. 2nd and the Rape/Turnip is now about 2in. high now thanks to some much needed rain...Jeff
Neither, go to an ag supply and buy ladino clover seed for 1/3 of the cost of the name brands and have the same thing.
I tried the Whitetail Institute foodplot offer several years ago and still get their magazine, I don't spend much time reading it................
I'm with Trebarker.
I get generic seed from the nearby Ag store. You can make up just about any mixture you want. For alot less.
I here some guys recomending clover from feedstores or co-ops and it is not the same as the specialized clovers from Biologic and Imperial, etc. The over the counter stuff is real stemmy(sp) and is not really designed for deer use. The named brands are designed to have more leaves and lusher growth. The over the counter designs are for cattle and bailing by farmers. There is a difference..Jeff
I planted No-Plow and Secret Spot on the side of a hill on Aug. 1 after spraying and raking out the weeds. Four days later and I could see growth, it's about 5in. high now. We'll see how the deer like it on Oct. 1.
My favorite fall food plot per acre-one sack wheat ($8) 3 lbs ladino ($10) 2 lbs orchard grass ($6)
Depends on your soil type. I use red clover in our acidic/rocky soil. Had great luck with Durana white clover www.seedland.com. I agree with the above statements that you will be spending lots more on the name brands mentioned. i have tried the above as well as Imperial clover. There is no difference that I can tell, other than cost
JTV, what you are refering to is Hay forage type clovers with long stems (not done much since alfalfa), and pasture forage type clovers.
Most red clovers are designed for short term, fast growth and hay cutting/bailing ability. White clovers in general are more cold hardy, longer lasting, more palatable, and grazeing tolerant.
I wonder where these special deer plants come from. It would take a lot of acreage to produce the amount of seed they sale. Do they have their own land and growers? I've been on a couple where they had test plots, but did not have fields of the stuff. Why would a cattleman not want the same quality that deer producers want? A picture on a bag makes a big difference in price. Wal-mart has sold deer corn. Now tell me what's the difference? Their corn is ready to feed and not to plant. I buy my seed at the Farmers Co-op, without the deer pictures. Spend the difference in fertilize and lime.
I purchased the mossy oak clover plus I will be planting it in the spring time.
The reason I went for the clover plus is there are a variety of plants in the crop ...red clover, white clover, and chicory. Throughout the year the deer will be attracted to a certain plant which the clover plus provides.
I am no expert on plants and food plots but I did do my homework on each product before making my decision. The weather conditions play a vital role in each crop and considering I am from an area where the climate changes every few months this blend was the best choice.
The only thing I could do now is plant it and see what happens. I know of a few crops in this Province that have this same blend and the deer are loving every minute of it !!!
I've had really good results with Whitetail Institutes AlfaRack. That's mostly what I've planted and the deer love it. I did plant one plot in an off brand ladino clover that I bought at a turkey banquet. The deer hit it hard in the spring when it was first growing, but now they are focusing on the Alfarack much more so. I think there might be something to be said for their product have smaller stems and being more tender and green throughtout the summer.
The foodplot seed they sent me JTV was common weedseed that most yard enthusiasts spend money to eradicate from their lawns, "four leaf clover" ladino.
I took a soil sample into the local Extension agent and had it tested. I amended the soil with lime and fertilizer as needed, planted the seed packs they sent me and anxiously awaited the growth to see what it would do. I couldn't have planted it any better, it rained the day after planting, nice easy drizzle for the entire day. When the seeds began growing, I was very disappointed to see it was nothing more than ladino clover. I extended the foodplot and planted sweetcorn, oats, wheat, and milo to see what was the preferred taste of the deer and turkey in the area. The clover died in August, before reaching maturity and did not come back the following year. The corn was eaten by coons, the birds hit the wheat, oats and milo. The deer changed their routine and route to bedding AWAY from the foodplot. The only deer I saw in the plot was a traveling basket head 6 pointer, he liked the oats and ignored the rest.
Chris- The reason they are hitting the alfarack now is that is in a active growth period. Fresh foliage is always more palatable. Clover will not take off on a serious growth spurt until the weather cools off. You said yourself that deer used the clover when it was in a growth period See which plot they are using in October..
Trebarker-The ladino you described as a lawn weed is universally recognized as a palatable deer forage that tolerates grazing well. Dont give up on it.
Ask any professional wildlife biologist from any state or fed agency on his favorite food plot mix and I can guarantee it will not come in a bag from Cabelas or Walmarts...
Top Pin: Try this site, lots of great info: www.penningtonseed.com
What you get with those comercial varieties is a blend that's hard to duplicate. What I've noticed is that the blends are predominantly white clovers that can be purchased for much less through ag stores.
You also get a pretty bag, some colorful pamphlets and a much higher price. I hunt in an area where food sources are plentiful. For that reason, I'd rather experiment with the generic seed.
Most farmers know that if you want a good stand of clover it is best to plant wheat with your clover it give it a good cover crop. Deer love spring wheat and will grow longer in the fall than clover. The wheat will die the following spring and you will have a great clover field. I plant a lot of fields for deer and find that buying feed wheat in hundred pound bags and planting 150 to 200# to the ac. gives me a thick carpet of wheat that will stand heavy deer feeding and will protect the clover. I plant the wheat after discing and add fert. and disc back in, then I top seed with clover. Do not bury clover seed. 150# wheat 1300$ Fert. 200# 19-19-19 16.00$ and 25# clover 2.00$# 50.00$ 70.00$ total. I have found that in W.Va that clover is great food for in the spring when new growth starts and again in the fall when after it starts cooling down and growing again. Great for early bow season , but not good during gun season and cold weather. The clover will no longer grow after it gets below freezing. The wheat not only is great all fall, but is will give the deer food during the winter.
Yes I know that Paddle in2. I was letting the people know who are spending alot of money on "specialized seed" that they are paying big money for packaging and advertising for something that is available and very common in most areas.
I can buy Sonya White Clover at our co-op ag store much cheaper than the commercial food plot brands. They'll even mix my seed for me.
I planted my first food plots this year. A 5 acre and a smaller 3 acre field with biologics premium perennial(mixture of chicory, clover and brassicas). The brassicas is up to my waist...the cover is fantastic. Deer are supposed to eat the brassicas after the first frost, my deer have been eating it since I planted. I also I planted biologics "biomass" it is a mixture of all kinds of weird looking plants....the deer are ripping this 2 acre food apart. I also have tecomates "upland gamebird mix" a combination of sunflower, sorghum and millet. You would not believe how much deer love sunflower. I have no farming experience and if you saw my plots you would think I am a green thumb king. I recommend you read the book by neil and craig dougherty called " Grow'em Right. I have 9 diferrent bucks feeding on my plots regularly...their antler size has significantly increased. And there are 4 does who had twins this year. Also, turkeys and doves are all over the place and if it only random... woodcock have been nesting on my property that never have in the past.
I have some Ladino plots and it is great. I planted it last August and deer were in it just about every day from October on. I mowed it twice this summer and it is beautiful right now and the deer are using it pretty regularly. I also plant some wheat and it is a standby that I have been using for many years. Next week I will plant some biologic as I do every fall and it normally does pretty well. I keep the ground limed and fertilized and it makes a big difference. The rape isn't used too much until there is a couple of heavy frosts and then they feer flock to it in my neck of the woods. The stuff that comes up next spring looks better than the original crop.
This is Biologic that I picked up at WalMart for super cheap. It is a perrenial that contains clover, brassica and chickory. It came up good and the deer are hitting it. I also bought clover from Albert Lea seed dealer. Very good prices and the clover I planted a couple weeks ago is sprouting and doing very well.
I have always had very good success with penningtons spring and fall mixtures. Even in drought conditions and too wet conditions.
I've talked with both companies and anyone should do the same. The Whitetal Institute guys we're much more willing to answer my questions so I went with their Chicory Plus and WIntergreen prodcut. Both had my neighbors complaining that I had to be baiting because they didn't have the deer they normally had and I had more than normal.
Couple visits from the warden and he went back and told my neighbor he found no bait.
There has to be some difference because until this past year I had used chicory, white clover and brassicas from my coop and the only thing different this year was the new seed blends.
They've got me convinced there is a difference and it costs me about $9 acre more to plant what Whitetail sold me. Peanuts when I add up a years hunting expenses. Worth it, damn right it was. Ask my neighbor.
Are you in KS? Why would the warden be able to check your land for bait???
O crap... thought I was still in the KS forum... MY BAD!
I've used the Whitetail Inst Chicory Plus for 2 years. It is durable and stands up to heavy browsing. I like it much better than the local feed store seed.
