A year in the life of a farm

[elgato]

The small grains..wheat, oats, rye, and triticale all are highly preferred nutritious crops. Protein content varies depending on soils and fertility but are quite valuable to deer in fall and winter. They are great for helping bucks recover from the rut.

Some folks confuse cereal rye with rye grass. The nutritional profile of rye grass isn't as good as the grains and not as preferred by whitetails. Also in our country it's nearly impossible to get rid of being a vigorous reseeder and very invasive. Shows up in fertilizer carts and seed bags. I've been fighting rye grass for years unsuccessfully.

[elgato]

The small grains..wheat, oats, rye, and triticale all are highly preferred nutritious crops. Protein content varies depending on soils and fertility but are quite valuable to deer in fall and winter. They are great for helping bucks recover from the rut.

Some folks confuse cereal rye with rye grass. The nutritional profile of rye grass isn't as good as the grains and not as preferred by whitetails. Also in our country it's nearly impossible to get rid of being a vigorous reseeder and very invasive. Shows up in fertilizer carts and seed bags. I've been fighting rye grass for years unsuccessfully.

I haven't used rape or the brassicas very much here. I'm sure they are good but other crops do better for me.

[elgato]

UGH totally screwed up on the above and double posted. Apologies. To compensate here is a picture of Rolling Stone and his running buddy out of velvet. Most of the bucks have shed now.

[elgato]

Since I'm on the computer here is my target for this season a buck I call gorgeous. Note the time on the photos . He is showing up at my bow blind...I bought a crossbow....both morning and evening in the last few possible minutes of shooting light. I'm setting up a pop up and will give him a whirl till rifle season. All sounds good but he was never seen in hard antler by me last season. So much for canned high fence hunts!

[BillyloMexico]

Sweet!! It's almost time! Can't wait to see the Big 12.

[deer farmer]

8:02 and 8:5 PM pictures look to be taken with a flash. And you say he is coming in to your stand at the last of daylight. HaHa, looks like you might be an E Texas hunter who will be using a 1,000,000 watt sealed beam light attached to your new crossbow for the late evening hunt I hear it is the way its done in E Texas All kidding aside, good luck, I know you have worked hard and put in a lot of sweat time and equity into your place to get this type of deer on your property

[jkelbe]

Holly smokes batman.

When does Archery open in your part of Louisiana?

[BillyloMexico]

8:02 and 8:5 PM pictures look to be taken with a flash. And you say he is coming in to your stand at the last of daylight. HaHa, looks like you might be an E Texas hunter who will be using a 1,000,000 watt sealed beam light attached to your new crossbow for the late evening hunt I hear it is the way its done in E Texas All kidding aside, good luck, I know you have worked hard and put in a lot of sweat time and equity into your place to get this type of deer on your property

Hey we don't always hunt that way!

[BolilloLoco]

Since I'm on the computer here is my target for this season a buck I call gorgeous. Note the time on the photos . He is showing up at my bow blind...I bought a crossbow....both morning and evening in the last few possible minutes of shooting light. I'm setting up a pop up and will give him a whirl till rifle season. All sounds good but he was never seen in hard antler by me last season. So much for canned high fence hunts!

Stud of a 5 year old!!! He's gonna look GOOD on the wall.

[elgato]

Seed has arrived, all 6 pallet loads. Wheat, rye, red clover, arrow leaf clover, radishes, rape, lupines, and chicory. I will also get about 1000 lbs of soybeans next week a guy is giving me. I'll plant the beans first then after spraying everything start planting all the rest. I'm putting the soybeans in the same fields as the rest of the stuff knowing they will die first freeze.

I've come to believe the fall plots with clovers etc. have more to do with the following seasons antler growth than anything else. It feeds them all winter and well in to the spring. Helps the bucks recover from the rut and gets the does off to a healthy pregnancy. With the right combination of clovers quality cultivars are growing well into the summer or all summer with a wet summer like this yr.

I've found the fall plantings to be the best value for the dollar also, much better than pellets and summer crops.

[JeffK]

Any reason you are not planting Durana Clover....prefer the other clovers or just already have a good stand of Durana?

[elgato]

I have lots of Durana scattered all over the farm . Think it's fantastic and does very well here. Just don't need anymore. Like the red clover a lot also. Still figuring out how many years it lasts. Plant some of the red in the existing Durana fields and they seem compatible.

[deer farmer]

I am just about through with my planting and spent everyday last week doing food plots, it was a lot of long hrs on the tractor. I hope u have some sons or daughters to help u because u have way more acreage to plant tan I do. I would say have fun but darn it's a lot of work

[elgato]

planting soybeans today. As mentioned had a buddy give me 1300 lbs. so I'm planting them first around my best hunting areas as an attractant. They indicate a 85% germ. rate and I'm only planting 30 lbs /acre so not concerned with them crowding out small grains and clovers when I plant them. Also first freeze and they are gone.

Once finished with the beans I'll recalibrate drill and start 'official' fall planting of small grains, clovers, radishes etc.Game on for the fall planting and as I've mentioned before there is no question in my mind that planting appropriate fall crops have more to do with the following seasons antler growth and deer health than anything else.

Off to the ranch for a spell of dove hunting and check cameras down there. What a fine time of year!

[BillyloMexico]

Have fun man! Watch out for gatos!