Something to throw on the ground

[tallone]

Our food plots have suffered due to no rain and the turkeys scratched up most of our seed. We are starting to get some rain now and I was wondering what i could throw on the ground that would grow without burying it? The lease is in southern Mississippi I was thinking about rye grass? Any suggestions?

[dogdoc]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

i'd stay away from rye grass and broadcast a mixture of dwarf essex rape and wheat. If you do it just prior to a rain the rain will help bury the seed. The amount of growth you get will be determined by your soil temperatures and future temps.

good luck

todd

[bowhtr1]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

I feel your pain, I just went and got some oats and wheat and overseeded all my plots. We just got some rain also. Again dont mess with rye grass. I was late planted mine the first week of October because of the hurricanes and then no rain until last week. I will see what it looks like this week.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

I agree with the oats and wheat, but why are you guys suggesting staying away from the rye grass? Have had pretty good results with pennington's wintergrazer rye grass here, but not ever planted this late.

[bowhtr1]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

wtnhunt,

Deer dont like Rye grass very much. It can be a pain to get rid of. But if this is all they have they will eat it. In the QDM magazine they had an article and said the same thing dont use it. I have hunted some spots with wheat and rye grass fields and the deer made a trail across the rye grass to get to the wheat. This was a real eye opener for me.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

[ QUOTE ]

Deer dont like Rye grass very much. It can be a pain to get rid of. But if this is all they have they will eat it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not from what I have seen here. In a hayfield full of pasture grass (mixed bermuda, clovers, fescue, and others) the deer really hammered the wintergrazer rye here when I planted it 3 seasons ago in a 1/4 acre strip, it came up well before the clovers in the clover and rye supreme mix from pennington. As soon as the rye started to come up we had an incredible jump in deer activity in that plot when the rye was green and lush, and I had at one point 15 deer in or coming into that 1/4 acre plot and was seeing deer in that plot every afternoon I hunted it. Not too bad for an area estimated by wildlife people to hold less than 15 deer per sq. I planted it again this year, and have seen considerably more activity in the plots I planted and overseeded in the rye, wheat, and a winter blend from pennington than in our existing clover and trefoil grower plots. With a lack of rain after planting the rye and a little of the wheat is about all there really is in those plots that really has shot up very well yet.

The deer here are weird I guess, but they seem to have a preference for rye over some of the other food sources from what I have seen.

Wintergrazer rye is an annual and is no problem to get rid of, and it is easy to get to grow. Actually where I have overseeded rye into my clover plots in the past where they were thin it dies out in the heat of the summer and you dont see it anymore after the first couple of cuttings.

I am pretty sure I have read quite the opposite about deer not liking rye. I know seedland has some information on rye. If I am not mistaken there is a difference in annual ryes, decorative lawn rye grasses, perenial ryes, and rye grain. I know I read somewhere that deer do love the tender annual grazer types of rye intended for winter overseeding of pastures for livestock.

[bowhtr1]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

wtnhunt

You are right rye grain and rye grass are two diferent things. I am talking about the rye grass. Im not sure what wintergrazer is. Rye grain is good for deer and they do like it. Sorry if my statments were confusing. They will eat rye grass also if there is nothing else. My cousin planted rye grass last year because he could not get in to till his plot and he wanted something green to hunt over. It came up fast and the deer hit it but when our other plots came up the deer abandoned his plot completely. You were lucky to see a set of track walk across it. And when you did see tracks they were in a strait line passing through. The rye grass seeds out in the spring and gets very tall and thick. When you try and plant over it to make spring plots it is a pain to work the soil. He did have the prettiest plot on the lease because nothing was eating it.

I recently went to a seminar on wildlife plots and managment. The expert from LSU came and talked. He said the same thing about rye grass, the QDM magazine had the same info and the two local agents from my area said the same. I think we were talking about two different products. Rye grass and rye grain (Rye)

[dogdoc]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

William--I'm pretty sure the Pennington Wintergrazer rye is actually rye grain and not ryegrass.

todd

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

[ QUOTE ]

William--I'm pretty sure the Pennington Wintergrazer rye is actually rye grain and not ryegrass.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Todd, will take a look at the bag this morning after I get back in from hunting. Bought a 50 lb. bag for the fall plantings and still have a little left over. Thought it was a rye grass, but now to be perfectly honest am not absolutley certain whether it is a grain or a grass, but the deer will and do in fact hit the wintergrazer rye with other sources available though.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

Well Todd, only thing I found on the tag was wintergrazer rye, grown somewhere in Oklahoma. Did not say grain or grass anywhere. Could I tell by looking at the plants if it was a grass or grain? They both get seedheads that look like grain if the animals would ever let it get high enough right?

[dogdoc]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

copied from Pennington's web site:

[ QUOTE ]

Consider using Wintergrazer 70, a grain rye that provides grazing approximately 60 days after fall emergence. Wintergrazer 70 also grows at much lower temperatures than other small grains so it will provide forage into the winter months

[/ QUOTE ]

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

Thanks Todd, was going to check their site, just hadnt gotten around to it yet.

[LETMGROW]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

Wow. This should wake everybody up. Great responses! Goes to show you somebody is thinking. I have expressed on some other sites the importance of knowing what you are planting. Simply going to a farm feed store and buying seed ain't going to work, unless the salesman has some knowledge in deer feed and nutrition. He may still steer you in the wrong direction because he doese'nt have what you really need.

There are many wildlife food seed companies that make no till type seed which could be the answer to your problem. E-Mail or call a couple well known companies and ask them before you go out and spend your money. Digest the info then decide.

When you do, let us know the results. Saves all of us a headache. GOOD LUCK!

[wtnhunt]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

I had used this product before in a commercial blend by pennington mixed with some clovers and knew the deer ate it, and that they really liked it. I admit I was not certain if it was a rye grain or grass. Knowing a product works and the deer eat it well, and that it is supplying good forage is enough for me. Did not ever really think of researching any farther than that. Pennington puts out some very good seed, very fast germinating and have had very good results.

[bowhtr1]

Re: Something to throw on the ground

Next fall you may try the Pennington seed mix called Mississippi Complete. This is a great little mix that the deer love. I will be using some of this again if they still make it. I looked on there web site a few months ago and did not find it. I think it is a local mix that they make for different states. I forgot what the mix had in it. I know it had crimson clover and forage oats. I think it was wheat and another clover mixed in.