Game plan help

Sportsman94

A good 3 year old buck
Guys, I need some help formulating a plan for the year. I’m in central Ga and know I am handicapping myself by trying to do too much. With that out of the way, I have a 2.5 acre plot I use as a mini dove field, but then convert to a deer plot after the September dove season. Last year, I did a throw and mow with millet and wasn’t very impressed with the outcome. I had good germination, but the millet only grew about 8” and allowed a lot of sunlight to hit the ground. As a result, when I went to mow for dove season, I had 5-6’ weeds I had to mow and had very few doves using the field. This is in comparison to conventional tillage the year before when I had 4’ tall millet and almost not a single weed. I did not add any fertilizer this year, but hoped I would get some nitrogen fixing benefits from the clover. Thinking forward to this season, I am planning on throwing and mowing in April or May. I’m hoping getting something I want growing earlier will maybe help me shade out some early weeds then maybe I can throw and mow some more millet In mid June if the sunflowers do get decimated. My plan was to mix sunflowers, sorghum, some buckwheat, and millet for the April/May planting. I’m sure the sunflowers and potentially the buckwheat will be decimated by deer. Is there anything I could/should add to the mix to make sure I have enough foliage to get a successful second throw and mow out of or do you think the sorghum would be enough?


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@Nightvision is in your area, he would be a good help here.

Any thatch producing plants for TnM tend to be nitrogen users like cereal grains, sorghums, etc and would tie up the nitrogen for your summer millet planting. You might use a clover (like berseem) for early spring nitrogen fixation. Then come back and plant millet, sunflowers, buckwheat, etc in the warm season to reach your September dove hunting goals. I'd probably disc at that point but that's just me, I'd rather get rid of the competition to get the best stand.

You could add oats to your berseem planting to aid in better weed suppression but you'll need to keep the oats mowed so they don't go to seed. If you go this route, you'll also need to add nitrogen fertilizer the minute you drop millet, sunflower seed on the ground to get them started. Otherwise they'll be slow to take off, much like corn after cereal rye.

I've never seen so many doves on our farm (MO) as when I had white milo and japanese millet this past year. My japanese millet got 6'+ tall but I used conventional tillage and about 80# N / ac.

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Guys, I need some help formulating a plan for the year. I’m in central Ga and know I am handicapping myself by trying to do too much. With that out of the way, I have a 2.5 acre plot I use as a mini dove field, but then convert to a deer plot after the September dove season. Last year, I did a throw and mow with millet and wasn’t very impressed with the outcome. I had good germination, but the millet only grew about 8” and allowed a lot of sunlight to hit the ground. As a result, when I went to mow for dove season, I had 5-6’ weeds I had to mow and had very few doves using the field. This is in comparison to conventional tillage the year before when I had 4’ tall millet and almost not a single weed. I did not add any fertilizer this year, but hoped I would get some nitrogen fixing benefits from the clover. Thinking forward to this season, I am planning on throwing and mowing in April or May. I’m hoping getting something I want growing earlier will maybe help me shade out some early weeds then maybe I can throw and mow some more millet In mid June if the sunflowers do get decimated. My plan was to mix sunflowers, sorghum, some buckwheat, and millet for the April/May planting. I’m sure the sunflowers and potentially the buckwheat will be decimated by deer. Is there anything I could/should add to the mix to make sure I have enough foliage to get a successful second throw and mow out of or do you think the sorghum would be enough?


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I think you might be missing something with the T&M approach. T&M is a technique that is part of a soil health centric approach. Some larger seeds like sunflowers don't T&M well, at least not for me. While species are considered when choosing crops, it is more important to consider soil health. That means using a balance of C & N. Grasses like sorghum can provide your Carbon component, but you mix lacks an N component. It takes time to build good OM, especially after years of soil abuse with traditional tillage. Some soils do better with min-till than T&M. For this, you use a light disk set non-aggressively and make a single pass. You are just trying to scratch the top inch or less of soil using herbicides for a burn down. Some soil, like clay, will glaze and need min-till until OM can build up over years.

I would consider choosing a grass aimed at doves like millet or sorghum. If you use both, cut the seeding rate of each in half. Most legumes are not great dove attractors, but are the other important component of the mix. You may consider selecting a legume that benefits and attracts deer. Dealing with summer weeds is always an issue in the south. Fortunately, both doves and deer benefit from many weeds. I have become very weed tolerant. Buckwheat is one crop that competes well with weeds. It germinates and grows quickly. It germinates best in warm soils. 80 degree soil temp is optimal. It is only a 60 to 90 day crop for deer. Turkey love the seed. I'm not sure if doves use it as much as some other crops.

Doves love bare soil. Another thing to consider is mowing strips through your plot just before dove season and planting a deer crop in the strips rather than replanting the whole thing in the fall. Winter Rye/CC/PTT is a mix I like for this. Min-till will expose sufficient soil for doves. Cultipacking when using T&M has really helped with my clay soils.

Thanks,

Jack
 
I think you might be missing something with the T&M approach. T&M is a technique that is part of a soil health centric approach. Some larger seeds like sunflowers don't T&M well, at least not for me. While species are considered when choosing crops, it is more important to consider soil health. That means using a balance of C & N. Grasses like sorghum can provide your Carbon component, but you mix lacks an N component. It takes time to build good OM, especially after years of soil abuse with traditional tillage. Some soils do better with min-till than T&M. For this, you use a light disk set non-aggressively and make a single pass. You are just trying to scratch the top inch or less of soil using herbicides for a burn down. Some soil, like clay, will glaze and need min-till until OM can build up over years.

I would consider choosing a grass aimed at doves like millet or sorghum. If you use both, cut the seeding rate of each in half. Most legumes are not great dove attractors, but are the other important component of the mix. You may consider selecting a legume that benefits and attracts deer. Dealing with summer weeds is always an issue in the south. Fortunately, both doves and deer benefit from many weeds. I have become very weed tolerant. Buckwheat is one crop that competes well with weeds. It germinates and grows quickly. It germinates best in warm soils. 80 degree soil temp is optimal. It is only a 60 to 90 day crop for deer. Turkey love the seed. I'm not sure if doves use it as much as some other crops.

Doves love bare soil. Another thing to consider is mowing strips through your plot just before dove season and planting a deer crop in the strips rather than replanting the whole thing in the fall. Winter Rye/CC/PTT is a mix I like for this. Min-till will expose sufficient soil for doves. Cultipacking when using T&M has really helped with my clay soils.

Thanks,

Jack

I did forget to add that Alyce clover and iron clay peas would likely be in the mix. The iron clay peas will more than likely be wiped out immediately though. I know I’m in a unique situation because I want to do too much with one area. Improve soil health, provide forage for deer, and provide grain for doves. Of those, if I had to choose, summer deer forage would be the lowest priority. I know doves use and prefer bare ground. I would disk small strips to bare ground, but wasn’t planning on doing large areas. I did consider using sun hemp as the N component, but didn’t know if there were any others that would be more beneficial. Lastly, this soil does not seem to have much clay thank goodness. I appreciate y’all’s input!


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Deer will destroy a 2 acre sunflower field.

I also have a dove field but it’s about 5.5 acres. In the past, I have planted sunflowers and corn. Both are expensive to grow and with corn, we have to pray for decent rain which is very hit or miss in middle Georgia in the summer.

About 10 years ago, I planted the field in wheat. I let it stand all through the summer. We were covered up in doves but pigweed took over the field in the last month and the doves left. It was before I knew how to control pigweed.

This year, I planted the field in wheat again. My plan is to let it grow and keep the weeds at bay with chemicals. I will not be able to apply them until the wheat is mature but that will be the end of may first of June timeframe.

My plan is to spray Cadre and roundup in the middle of June. The Cadre should keep the pigweed at bay until September. It has a 4 month plant back on wheat so if it works, I should be able to plant around thanksgiving with no issue. After that, I will mow a few strips then a week before the season I will drop a match. The field should be nothing but dirt and wheat seed.
 
My throw and mow attempts for white proso millet did very poorly for whatever reason whereas the ones with conventional tillage did brilliantly.

Conversely last year I did a throw and grow with japanese millet in a lower area and it was a beautiful stand. Also has a slightly shorter growing period.


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Just remember, as Jack mentioned, doves want a clean field. You can have tons of food but a dove is not likely to land if it’s very weedy and overgrown. Too many things want to eat them including me.
 
Just remember, as Jack mentioned, doves want a clean field. You can have tons of food but a dove is not likely to land if it’s very weedy and overgrown. Too many things want to eat them including me.

NV, glad you replied since I think we’re probably spitting distance from each other. Do you see deer eating the wheat heads while waiting for the fall? I considered just leaving wheat standing, but figured the deer would end up eating it all before we made it to dove season. I would also hate to have a spray regimen that included something like cadre that prevented me from planting again until that late in the season (once again, trying to do too much with one spot). Two years ago when I did conventional tillage and millet the millet matured and fell over making a mat of debris and the birds seemed to like to land on top and eat. It also prevented most weeds from growing up. I did get lucky with minimal rain after the plants fell over. This past year I definitely had the weedy and overgrown problem and just didn’t have many birds as a result. Lastly, when you burn your wheat how do you get around the burn bans that we have at the start of season?


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I’m in Perry. Where are you?

I’m sure the deer eat some of the heads but they can’t get them all. There’s also clover and alfalfa so more tasty options.

And if they get a bunch, you could always “spill” some extra seed out there. If you do, and then drop a match, the wheat will not germinate.
 
You can also spray roundup and 2-4d to keep the weeds at bay. As long as you do it when the pigweed is very small, the 2-4d should kill it.

Do you have a cab on your tractor? If so, you can do a burn down with Paraquat but that stuff is nasty. Wouldn’t do it on an open cab.
 
I’m in Perry. Where are you?

I’m sure the deer eat some of the heads but they can’t get them all. There’s also clover and alfalfa so more tasty options.

And if they get a bunch, you could always “spill” some extra seed out there. If you do, and then drop a match, the wheat will not germinate.

I’m just south of you in Haynesville. Lived in Perry until this past summer. I may have to give that a shot. Would sure be a lot easier. Just have to get my hands on a sprayer. Do you think having crimson and arrowleaf clover mixed in would hurt anything as far as doves/weeds/etc the following season?


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I’m just south of you in Haynesville. Lived in Perry until this past summer. I may have to give that a shot. Would sure be a lot easier. Just have to get my hands on a sprayer. Do you think having crimson and arrowleaf clover mixed in would hurt anything as far as doves/weeds/etc the following season?


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Doves like bare dirt and food. The cleaner the better so I would guess that it would hurt the doves. As far as weeds, it may help if the clover was thick enough that it shaded out the ground.
 
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