Clover in the WI Snow Belt

[Maddog66]

This coming summer, my plan is to plant 4 clover plots on my land in far N Wisconsin. Each approximately 1 acre that for the last 12 years has been clover hay for heifers.

Soil test it done (twice). It was burned down last fall by a pro sprayer and is sitting dead over the winter. It’ll be chisel plowed this spring by the farmer who rents my land when he tills the rest of my open ground for corn.

Over the spring and mid summer I’m going to work on soil amendments and weed control. I’m going to fertilize per my soil test and hit it with 1 ton per acre of AG lime (even though it doesn’t call for it in the soil test). I’ll probably disc each clover plot once or twice and likely hit it with Gly one more time before planting in mid July-ish. I’ll be planting with my new Firminator G3 at about 10#/ acre clover.

I want try try a few different clover varieties to learn what works best in my ground and I’m also trying to decide what to mix into the clover that would be a good cover crop plus be a draw during bow season.

Any thoughts on clover varieties to try and how I could spike them for hunting season with different annuals to “test” a few of those also?

Of course I’m always interested in good articles or previous threads.

 

[tlzkaasen]

Maddog66, I'm in the Minoqua/Rhinelander area. We created 1 large (1 acre) and 2 small (1/8-1/4 acre ) plots in 2021. 3,000 lbs lime late summer (more to follow below). Fall we seeded rye, oats, raddish, + multiple clover blends from northwoods whitetail and used Crimson Red to spike plots in the fall. The deer hammered the clover - absolutely hammered it to the point I'm not sure what to expect this spring, but I do look forward it it. The snow came heavy as you know, so, I doubt they have any opportunity to truly forage and dig up in the plots. Randy Vanderveen set the plan for my property and recommended the food blends-did a fantastic job for my needs.

Lime and Soil tests thoughts - FYI
I did initial soil tests through a complicated extension and I needed a PHD to read the damn thing. I added liquid lime as recommended (i feel it was a total waste of time, money, & seed). First Failure for a new food plotter as myself - FUTURE RECOMMENDATION - AVOID THE QUICK FIX SOLUTIONS HYPED BY THE ONLINE YOUTUBE EXPERTS. A buddy recommended I try whitetail institute soil tests, which i did. Received a soil test for dummies kind of results. I put the recommended lime, fertilizer, etc down and my August-September-October plots far exceeded my expectations, but still couldn't hold up the browse. 2022 I plan to increase the plot size and continue to frost seed with clover.

 

[ruskbucks]

I have 80 acres in NW WI( Rusk county). I have been doing plots up there for about 20 years. I honesty think clover is the most over rated seed I have planted up there. I have had a beautiful 1/4 acre clover plot from whitetail Institute and biologic. Neither one was used much at all. I had to mow them twice a year. I'm in a area with above average deer numbers. Just about every other seed I plant gets destroyed, beans,radish,brassicas,rye,oats,chicory. From what I've seen I wouldn't tie that much land up in clover. I would diversify with cereal grains and some brassicas to feed them under the snow.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Alice white clover and oasis chicory is a fantastic blend. You could add marathon red to it but most reds are pretty short lived.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have 80 acres in NW WI( Rusk county). I have been doing plots up there for about 20 years. I honesty think clover is the most over rated seed I have planted up there. I have had a beautiful 1/4 acre clover plot from whitetail Institute and biologic. Neither one was used much at all. I had to mow them twice a year. I'm in a area with above average deer numbers. Just about every other seed I plant gets destroyed, beans,radish,brassicas,rye,oats,chicory. From what I've seen I wouldn't tie that much land up in clover. I would diversify with cereal grains and some brassicas to feed them under the snow.

This is my experience as well. I have 2 plots that have year around clover in them. I rarely see the clover eaten from the plots. I still plant clover, and winter rye every fall, just so there is something growing late fall, and early spring. I also use it for the N. I then usually plant a radish/turnip, sugar beat type plot in mid summer as well. I aim for a year around food source. The clover is rarely touched though. But it is cheap, and I usually only replant about every 3-5 years when it get really grassy.

 

[Maddog66]

Our place is in the Butternut area so much the same as Minocqua. Im pretty lucky on this new place. The farmer who’s leased it for crops the last 20 years really took great care of the soil in my fields. My soil test has me adding quite a bit of P (285#) and a little bit of N (50#). No lime……but im throwing out 1ton/acre of slow acting lime for the future. My Organic matter is nice at 5.5%.

Do you happen to know any of the planting rates for the plots you did above? Particularly the things other than clover?

 

[Maddog66]

Edit: my long term plan isn’t 100% clover. I’m and absentee landowner for the next couple of years and I’m looking to install some low maintenance tonnage until we move there.

 

[PoorSand]

Due to the drought last summer in some seed growing areas of the country, I had to check which seed varieties will actually be available and plan accordingly. My primary supplier is already sold out of some varieties of seed for the 2022 growing season.

 

[Maddog66]

I didn’t hear that about seed, thx. N fertilizer shortage this spring too?

 

[Telemark]

what to mix into the clover that would be a good cover crop plus be a draw during bow season

Brassicas and rye.

 

[Maddog66]

Brassicas and rye…….are we talking 2# per acre brassica seed plus my 9-10# per acre of clover seed…..all mixed together in the seed hopper?

Can I plant rye and clover seed at the same time…..or would that be 2 steps to get the righ depth? Maybe 50# per acre of rye plus my 10# clover seed?

At the end of the day, my most important goal is to come out of the following summer with 4 nice clover plots. From there I’m going to start cutting out strips or chunks for my fall plots and rotate in the future.

 

[tlzkaasen]

I have 80 acres in NW WI( Rusk county). I have been doing plots up there for about 20 years. I honesty think clover is the most over rated seed I have planted up there. I have had a beautiful 1/4 acre clover plot from whitetail Institute and biologic. Neither one was used much at all. I had to mow them twice a year. I'm in a area with above average deer numbers. Just about every other seed I plant gets destroyed, beans,radish,brassicas,rye,oats,chicory. From what I've seen I wouldn't tie that much land up in clover. I would diversify with cereal grains and some brassicas to feed them under the snow.

Ruskbucks, how many acres of

Our place is in the Butternut area so much the same as Minocqua. Im pretty lucky on this new place. The farmer who’s leased it for crops the last 20 years really took great care of the soil in my fields. My soil test has me adding quite a bit of P (285#) and a little bit of N (50#). No lime……but im throwing out 1ton/acre of slow acting lime for the future. My Organic matter is nice at 5.5%.

Do you happen to know any of the planting rates for the plots you did above? Particularly the things other than clover?

August 1st
Winter Rye Grain 40lbs/acre; Haywire Oats 40lbs/acre; Winter or Forage Peas 40lbs/acre into the
standing cover crop. Then on the 2nd pass apply Groundhog Forage Radish 5lbs/acre and Crimson Clover 10lbs/acre together.

September 1 - 100lb winter Rye/acre over the top of ALL PLOTS
I think I put another 50lb down end of Septmber or early october. We had great weather and good rain.

Small kill plots received 5lbs per 1/2 acre of clover in august w/ 100lbs of winter rye split between the two plots. Probably over kill, but it worked fantastic. NOt sure what to expect this spring, but Randy mentioned the Clover and Rye should green up early - let it go for fawn cover and terminate late summer/fall for brasicas or year two of Rye/oats/peas/radish mix.

Maybe this could be improved upon, but it held a ton of does and small bucks year 1. Year 2 will bring larger plots everywhere plus a new snakey food plot 150 yards long. Also, 3 crab apple orchards will be starting this year. 19 crabs on order that drop from september - winter.

 

[Maddog66]

Thanks all. Great info.

I’m in the process right now of picking 4 clovers/mixes. 4 test variables of one acre each.

1. One of them is going to be a local coop 4-mix clover that my brother has had great success with in W Wi. I’ll use this as a base in one plot and add in a few different brassicas at around .5 pound per acre each. Is that reasonable?

2. I’ve researched Frigid Forage clover /cover blend and you can sue me….I think I’m going to buy it.

3. Mainly clover (unknown type) but use rye as the lone cover crop.

4. Again Clover (unknown), but possibly try to incorporate some bigger seeds like peas, or beans, or whatever.

I need to learn how to use my Firminator plus learn as much as possible about what annuals like to grow on my land this coming fall, but have 4 acres of nice clover in the spring of ‘23.

Does anyone recommend any additional clover “brands” for me to try out as a test against the 2 I’ve already decided on?

 

[Maddog66]

Good luck with your apple plantings! I have about 70 trees on my property. Most of them wild but about 30 associated with food plots. Mostly crabs and late droppers. When the apples are ripe Friggin bears will break your heart in a million pieces, then eat it, and crap it out on your walk trail.

I had two 10 plus year old great producing trees tore down to stumps this fall. The were Great producers. Gone in one night. Early October.

 

[ruskbucks]

Ruskbucks, how many acres of


August 1st
Winter Rye Grain 40lbs/acre; Haywire Oats 40lbs/acre; Winter or Forage Peas 40lbs/acre into the
standing cover crop. Then on the 2nd pass apply Groundhog Forage Radish 5lbs/acre and Crimson Clover 10lbs/acre together.

September 1 - 100lb winter Rye/acre over the top of ALL PLOTS
I think I put another 50lb down end of Septmber or early october. We had great weather and good rain.

Small kill plots received 5lbs per 1/2 acre of clover in august w/ 100lbs of winter rye split between the two plots. Probably over kill, but it worked fantastic. NOt sure what to expect this spring, but Randy mentioned the Clover and Rye should green up early - let it go for fawn cover and terminate late summer/fall for brasicas or year two of Rye/oats/peas/radish mix.

Maybe this could be improved upon, but it held a ton of does and small bucks year 1. Year 2 will bring larger plots everywhere plus a new snakey food plot 150 yards long. Also, 3 crab apple orchards will be starting this year. 19 crabs on order that drop from september - winter.

I have a 3 acre plot, and two 1/4 acre plots. I plant similar to you. I started planting some rye in early July along with a separate brassica plot. I mixed in annual mammoth red clover in one year. It grew well. I now have a white clover in my fields that is so thick in areas it won't allow my brassicas to grow. It is gly resistant and I only do a light discing almost tnm but that won't knock it back either. Your rye/ clover should look great come spring. They keep mine mowed to about a inch and it comes back great. If you have turkeys they will love being in there. Some deer use also.

 

[b116757]

I grew up in Northern Wisconsin we had very good luck believe it or not with small sweet pie pumpkins deer love them in the fall/winter. I would also probably go with a winter rye or winter wheat. There tends to be so much clover and trefoil up there that it’s not near the draw it can be in other areas of the country. I never tried turnips while I lived up there, they maybe worth a try. I do believe it takes a couple three years for the deer to learn to eat turnips if they have never seen them before. I like clover even if the use isn’t as high as I’d always like it to be do to not needing to replant so often as grains.

 

[tlzkaasen]

Good luck with your apple plantings! I have about 70 trees on my property. Most of them wild but about 30 associated with food plots. Mostly crabs and late droppers. When the apples are ripe Friggin bears will break your heart in a million pieces, then eat it, and crap it out on your walk trail.

I had two 10 plus year old great producing trees tore down to stumps this fall. The were Great producers. Gone in one night. Early October.

The good news is I haven't seen any bears/sign in the year I've been here. I'm sure we have them somewhere, but I'm thinking of solar electric fences to run to each cage. Doubt they like to be shocked? If not, other suggestions to keep bears away?

 

[ruskbucks]

I grew up in Northern Wisconsin we had very good luck believe it or not with small sweet pie pumpkins deer love them in the fall/winter. I would also probably go with a winter rye or winter wheat. There tends to be so much clover and trefoil up there that it’s not near the draw it can be in other areas of the country. I never tried turnips while I lived up there, they maybe worth a try. I do believe it takes a couple three years for the deer to learn to eat turnips if they have never seen them before. I like clover even if the use isn’t as high as I’d always like it to be do to not needing to replant so often as grains.

I always wanted to try pumpkins. How big did yours get? Same with the clover by me, it grows wild in my yard, paths, ditches, logging road. I haven't noticed any trefoil yet. At home the state planted it all along the slopes of the roads. I haven't had any problem with the deer not hitting any brassicas right away. Turnips are on the bottom of the brassicas as far as the leaves, but the absolutely love the bulbs.

 

[ruskbucks]

The good news is I haven't seen any bears/sign in the year I've been here. I'm sure we have them somewhere, but I'm thinking of solar electric fences to run to each cage. Doubt they like to be shocked? If not, other suggestions to keep bears away?
[/QUOTE

The good news is I haven't seen any bears/sign in the year I've been here. I'm sure we have them somewhere, but I'm thinking of solar electric fences to run to each cage. Doubt they like to be shocked? If not, other suggestions to keep bears away?

That is good news. They have been bad by me. Keep getting in my dolgos and breaking a bunch of limbs off. I've been picking of the apples last few years. They climb right over my cage. I can't believe the size of the wild black cheery limbs the rip down. I don't think I have a cherry tree they didn't hit. I would think electric will work. The guy down the road has it around his bee hives. Have you ever seen the boards with nails in them that they use in front of cabin doors in Alaska? I wonder if they would work around trees.

 

[rocksnstumps]

When the apples are ripe Friggin bears will break your heart in a million pieces, then eat it, and crap it out on your walk trail.

Wow that could be a line from a country and western song. Know your pain and add young oaks to the list. At this point hesitant to use hybrids or other trees with claims of fast mast or fruit production. Better to have tree get bigger before bearing.

On the clover topic agree with someone above that use clover for spring turkey huntn feeding and strutting spots. If the deer like it ok too. Gotta confess turkey and bird huntn with a dog way higher on my list than deer. I do the deer thing for friends and family.