hoytguy08 Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 i have a 1/4 acre area that i want to plant an annual and i didn't know what would be best to use, i was thinking shot plot looked good but i want to get some more opinions, i'm already planting a couple of areas in secret spot so i would like something diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? Why are you so sold on annuals when you could do the same thing with a perennial and not have to worry about it for a number of years? Annuals for me that work--corn, soybeans, and I know guys that plant some sort of oats or wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2Hunt Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? I love Shot Plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8ptbuckpa Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? I planted tecomate ultra forage last weekend and my 1/4 acre plot is almost all green and since the plot is outback we know the deer are using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? I kind of like tecomates lablab plus for an annual in the spring/summer planting. Will most likely be trying some brassicas from hamann farms this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSU_Seminole Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? [ QUOTE ] I planted tecomate ultra forage last weekend and my 1/4 acre plot is almost all green and since the plot is outback we know the deer are using it [/ QUOTE ] Ultra Forage is some good stuff. I planted it last year in a 1/4 plot to test what would happen. Thankfully I planted it next to a bigger plot. The deer mowed the Ultra Forage down by December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSU_Seminole Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? [ QUOTE ] i have a 1/4 acre area that i want to plant an annual and i didn't know what would be best to use, i was thinking shot plot looked good but i want to get some more opinions, i'm already planting a couple of areas in secret spot so i would like something diff. [/ QUOTE ] If you want this 1/4 acre plot as a hunting plot I'd plant ultra forage or buck forage oats. Both products attract deer where I hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Re: best annual? hoyt---as far as sping annuals your kind of out of luck for just a 1/4 acre plot. The more common warm season annuals such as peas and beans are fantastic (cowpeas are my favorite) but the problem is they don't stand up to heavy browsing well. At my place a 1/4 acre plot of peas/beans would get eaten in about a week and never get a chance to establish. Shot plot is a great product but not really a good spring/summer food. The deer (at least on my 2 properties) will not eat the brassicas during the spring and summer--they only eat it after a good freeze. And even in the winter a 1/4 acre is pretty small for brassicas. My recommendation would be to make this a nice little hunting plot and I would strongly recommend planting it in winter wheat. The winter wheat will pop up really quick and stands up to heavy browsing really well. It will also stay green all winter--even thru heavy freezes and snow. good luck todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WI2506 Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Re: best annual? winter wheat is a good idea since we used everything else...they are still grazing on the wheat this spring.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MCDillinois Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Re: best annual? Ok, annuals are right up my alley. Docdog makes a great point, Your biggest issue is the size factor. A quarter acre in an annual like Pea Patch or Lablab Plus is going to get murdered! But of course, that is what is intended, right? We want the deer to eat the plot because that is why we plant them in the first place. However, I think a quarter acre is far to small to consider that approach....even if the deer do eat it down. I will explain: On the majority of my hunting grounds I use warm season annuals such as Lablab, Lablab Plus and Pea Patch. THere are no other products on the market that will provide my deer with as much digestable protein than these products. However, my plots are significantly larger than one quarter acre each. The purpose of the warm season annuals is to provide this protein during lactation and antler growth. Once August comes and antlers are matured, mowing down most of the plot and then planting a cool season, high energy cereal grain based product is the way to go. This is an awesome one-two punch and this "Double Cropping" strategy is being used by all the serious land managers across the country, particularly the midwest. So, you might be better off planting a perennial product since you only have a quarter acre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Re: best annual? Both of our lablab plus plots we planted last summer were mini plots about 1/4 acre or so. For a late spring/summer plot here the peas and beans in the lablab plus with the sorghums fast rate of growth do get a fair, but not great chance to grow even in the small plots. I agree with Todd, the beans and peas do get hit pretty hard, fortunately in our situation our clover plots are also nearby, so the deer had other good sources available,and that might have kept the deer from overbrowsing the beans/peas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoytguy08 Posted April 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Re: best annual? well, i guess i should explain that we also have 2 whitetail institute clover plots on the property for protein during the spring and summer and i just want to plant an annual for a good hunting plot for late fall and winter ...............i probably should have explained the situation better earlier, sorry for any misunderstandings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MCDillinois Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Re: best annual? Wi does have some great products so good luck with them. Again, the anuals that I mentioned are going to give you the highest amount of protein that anything on the market can offer your deer. Good Luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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