Atv options for implements.

[Prelude8626]

I currently have a atv and a utv. Are there reliable implements out there for food plots. I’ve read numerous mixed reviews and YouTube videos. Not sure when we can swing a tractor. Largest plot is about an acre. I’ve looked at the firminator but not sure how it works and if it’s worth putting that kind of money into.

 

[Catscratch]

I know it doesn't answer your question but have you considered throw-n-mow? The only thing you need is a sprayer and a mower. You probably already have a mower...

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[Ben.MN/WI]

What are you hoping to plant? Small seeded plants like brassicas and clover can be planted without any tillage or planter.

Just get a sprayer for your atv, spread fertilizer and lime then broadcast the seed using a hand spreader in the dead thatch.

 

[Prelude8626]

Last year I just did winter rye and the deer hardly touched it. I was gonna first seed clover and then do a mixture of awp, wheat, clover, and possibly something else in the fall. This is on a new piece of property and we are just starting off.

 

[Catscratch]

Last year I just did winter rye and the deer hardly touched it. I was gonna first seed clover and then do a mixture of awp, wheat, clover, and possibly something else in the fall. This is on a new piece of property and we are just starting off.

Did it grow? If so you have a method that works, you just picked a plant the deer weren't attracted to. I've planted winter rye many times and have had very low deer preference with it. My deer do love winter wheat, clover, and awp's though! With small plots and no real equipment I would be tempted to go strong with clovers and overseed winter wheat in the fall so that you have something green after frost. AWP's tend to get eaten to the ground quickly in my small plots so it's not a relevant plant. Clovers and wheat can handle a tremendous amount of grazing. I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

We've used an ATV, small 16 hp Farmall and a bunch of other tractors up to our big Case C60. The bigger tractor make quicker work but I still use the ATV for the smaller plots. I found the "magic bean" is a non-selective herbicide like Round up (seems to be a bad word these days). We've put in some of our best clover/ chicory plots with just an ATV sprayer, a pull behind spreader for lime and fertilizer, and a hand spreader for the seed. The dying organic matter from the sprays protects the young clover and chicory for a while. The one thing I've learned the hard way: GET A SOIL TEST! I was guilty of skipping it for years and never was able to really utilize my plots to their full potential. Once I tested everything, it makes all the issues transparent! Just my two cents

 

[Dukslayr]

If you’re dead set on getting implements snd turning soil with your ATV you can do it, but it’s going to take time and will probably be pretty tough on your machines. Before I had a tractor I was putting in a 1 acre plot successful with my ATV using the Kolpin Dirtworks system. It’s a 3pt type system that hooks up to your 2” receiver and uses a batter powered actuator to pick up and apply down pressure to the implement. I had the disc, the cultivator, and the rake. The disc and cultivator actually worked pretty well. I initially turned the soil with the cultivator and then came back with a disc and followed that with a chain harrow drag. I planted all kinds of stuff successfully with that system over the 2 years I used it before I sold that farm and bought a tractor for the new place. I used an Arctic Cat TRV 750 and it did a number of my receiver. The receiver needs to be rewelded now but the machine still works like a champ. The good news if you go that route is that the resale market for ATV implements seems to be pretty good as a lot of guys seem to want them. I sold my whole system in 1 day for about 50% of what I invested in it. For me it was money well spent at the time. I more than got my investment back out of it. This was 10 years ago and I believe there are probably newer/better “3 pt” type systems available for ATVs now. I have some pictures on my computer of the system and some of the work I did. I’ll try to find them and post them.

All that being said, I would have tried the throw and mow method first had I know about it back then.


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[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

Also,if your budget even gets anywhere close to purchasing the Firmenator, you can buy a nice older tractor that will do everything you need to do. The old Massey 135, 150's, Ford 3000 or John Deere 870 are all great ones to look for. Okay I'm done now.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

If this is new ground, get a soil test now and amend the soil. That will make your life much easier regardless of what you decide. I've learned the hard way that everything struggles until you get the pH and nutrient level correct.

If you are only talking about 1 acre, I would just get an ATV sprayer and a hand held seeder and stick with small seed stuff that doesn't need to be covered with dirt. Perhaps put half in clover/alfalfa/chicory and then half in some type of brassicas. Neither would need to be covered with dirt.

If you need to spread a lot of fertilizer you might want to think about either a pull behind ATV spreader or batter powered spreader that sits on your aTV rack.

 

[Prelude8626]

I did get the soil tested last year and did some pelletized lime. I do need to add some powder lime this year but due to the amount of snow we have not sure if that’s a good move or to wait till closer to spring.

 

[scott44]

I do a lot of throw and roll food plots and this is my set up and it works good for me. 25 gal sprayer with a 4' cultipacker pulled by a quad, you can put in some good plots without tilling the soil. I want to get a spreader and build a crimper to go on the quad or my UTV but I don't have them now.

 

[Tree Spud]

For many years I did 5 plus acres with the following ... ~$1700. You are only doing an acre. Unless you intend to plant items that require metered drop and specific row spacing, now sure what value you get out of the Firminator?

Disk Harrow

Cultipacker

Sprayer

Seeder

 

[Suburbhunter]

I bought a boomless ATV sprayer and harrow drag from TSC. No problems. I also bought a used King Kutter ATV disc, which works/digs in really well. No cultipacker but a used 4 foot lawn roller that maxes out at out 900 lbs when filled with water. I just bought an ATV spreader for fertilizer/lime that will mount on the rack on my Yamaha 700. Haven't used it yet. We have a tractor now but will continue to use the ATV equipment as needed.

 

[JFK52]

I have seen lots of smaller 4 to 6 foot cultipackers for sale both new and used. Just like in the picture of scott44 above. Some mechanically inclined guys take a 8 to 10 foot cultipacker and cut it down into to two 4 to 5 foot units to be pulled behind ATVs or UTVs.

 

[Rit]

Before I had a tractor I pulled a full size cultipacker with my ATV. Worked just fine. I still use the ATV to pull it over my TNM plots on occasion.

 

[Peplin Creek]

I do plots with an atv and I really only have about 4 pieces of equipment that get the job done and I don’t always use them either. 1. Sprayer. 2. Harrow drag. 3. Groundhog max disk. 4. Atv spreader for fert and lime.

This allows you to pretty much plant whatever conventional food plot seeds with an ATV.

Remember you don’t need to turn 4 inches of soil over to have a good foodplot. Scratching the surface in most instances is all that’s needed. Heck this year I got away with spraying in June and planting brassicas in July and rye in sept all in the same plot without breaking any ground... on new ground. It did well. Makes me think I spent way to much time before.

 

[bowhunternw]

A couple years ago there was some guys on here that had the tarter offset disk, seemed like they worked up the ground good. Other than that a mower, drag and cultipacker. I fought with this same decision a couple years ago. I ended up buying an old 2wd tractor for $1500. So far I am happy with the decision.

 

[Prelude8626]

I think that’s the way I’m gonna go as well! These area haven’t been tulles before but I could always rent a tiller if I don’t just do the tnm method. Most of the plots are only 1/4 of an acre anyways. What size tractor do you guys reccoment?

 

[Rit]

Forget a tiller use good ol tillage radishes in a rotation for natural tillage. You will be thankful for not bringing all those weed seeds to the surface and your soil will be better for it.

 

[MRBB]

size of tractor comes down to AGE of tractor and implement used behind it
I say this due to many older smaller HP tractors will OUT weight and out PULL many larger HP lighter tractors made today
if your NOT going to plant a LOT of acres and willing to find and buy/use older style cheaper implements(mostly PULL types NO 3 point hitch type set up here
pull disc, roller, sprayer, spreader
you can BUY a very nice tractor that will out work a atv by a HUGE margin for cheap, tractor and above implement I have bought several and SOLD all for under 2 grand and they ran like new!
older farmal's H and up(even a few c=smaller one's worked well 140's and such)
Older Ford 8-9 N's and one's like this, from the late 40's to early 60's
back then they MADE them to LAST< be simple to work on , so the average uneducated farmer can fix them and keep them running, they had WEIGHT, and gearing, but LOWER HP, yet still worked like mad

MOST all can be converted if not already to 3 point hitch set ups, then you have access to more common implements
and all the POPULAR models from the 40s+, have a outrageous amount of parts STILL being made today, due to HOW long lived these tractor are
so parts are NOT an issue on this older stuff
it blows my mind how so many food plotters/hunters today feel they need a new 4x4 16-25k tractor to plant and up keep a few acres of plots!
as if they think there making a living with it

SUB compact tractor prices went NUTS high due to hunters willing to PAY silly prices for small tractor
prior to food plot craze these same tractor were dirt cheap, then the OEM's figured out hunters spend money like mad and they cranked the prices up and UP and UP< and , guess what, they are still selling like mad, due to hunters have so little Honest understanding of what they need or are buying
they just BUY what looks right I almost think at times over knowing much ! LOL

so size of tractor
buy one that will pull the implements you have desire to use and DON"T be scared of older tractors in good shape!
selling one atv, or the UTV and you can get a fully set up tractor with all implements needed and cash back in your pocket if you shop right!