Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Food Plots-E. TX

Mostly we plant oats. They seem to work fairly well here, lasting until late winter-although the deer seem to like them only when young.
Just wondering about alternatives. Anybody tried the commercial offerings from Biologic/Tecomate, etc?

Gulf rye
Barley
Millet
Turnips
Field peas
Austrian winter peas

You want a year round food plot or just through the season?

There are the clovers, arrow leaf is a good one but clovers take a lot of work.

The commercial seed mixes are fine, expensive and no better than you can do on your own IMO.

An oat patch overseeded with rye grass is hard to beat just for a season food plot.

BCR

I'd like to try a year round plot, along with a seasonal "attractant". Can you expound a bit on the clover? I've never tried that...

I used Tecomate Monster mix last fall, but it was so dry here I didn't get a good stand. I planted some in my garden plot at home, though, with water and good fertilizer, and it lasted thru the winter and I had a hard time getting rid of it for this spring's garden veggies... Go figure.

For year round plots, clovers are a good base. If planting in a dry soil go with Crimson Clover, but if the area gets a little moisture go with LS-1 White clover. It will take awhile to get established but once going it will really put out, just have to mow over the top of it. Planting Oats every fall is really tough on your soil. Try rotating crops every year and mix in some good legumes. Also get your soil tested and LIME and LIME and LIME and fertilize. Also take this with a grain of salt, everyone has thier own opinion and half of the fun is seeing what will work and what will not. Good luck!

Huntsman gave you a pretty good rundown already. I'd just add arrow leaf to the clovers mentioned. All east Texas soil needs lime. If you are going with clovers you can lighten up on the nitrogen in your fertilizer but use as much fertilizer as your pocket book can stand.

Clovers need to be planted on clean ground and dont forget your inocculant.

Clovers are for early spring and will come up through your winter greens once they are established. IME though overtime clovers will just go away. Quicker if grazed heavily.

For summer into fall plain old field peas are hard to beat. Deer love them, ask any home gardener.

Go down to your county agent's office and get a selection of phamplets about clovers. They are free as your tax dollars paid for them and will give you all the info you need.

BCR