Has/Does anyone use seed from the "Big Name Brands"?

[bwoods11]

Biologic and Frigid Forage .. both good success!

 

[Nightvision]

It’s all great seed. Just more expensive.

On your flow chart you listed spraying after putting out the seed. I have heard of germination issues when Gly comes into contact with the seed. May want to spray first.

Post pics of your plot and good luck.

 

[Barndog56]

I used Antler King products a couple times in my early years with good success.

That's Zeke inspecting their brassica mix, Honey Hole. I really like their summer mix, Red Zone. It's buckwheat, peas, soybeans, and sunflowers. More buckwheat than the other 3 combined though.

I get my seed at the local feed store now, but would use them again if in a pinch.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I personally just use their clover. I like to plant a clover mix, and I dont need 10 pounds of each kind, so I buy their already mix, and get by with 1 bag per 1-2 plots.

 

[ruskbucks]

I made that mistake with my first food plot. Now I check all the labels. It's amazing how many of them have rye grass in them. It does make a pretty green plot.

It grows good makes it look like you have a good plot. I guess the deer don't care for it much and some can be invasive.

 

[Angus 1895]

I use rye grass to “fill holes “ in hay fields, and in swampy flooded areas. I think it’s a wonderful grass for those purposes . I have never seen it get rank or form wolf plants like fescue does. I think it’s in foodplot mixes for good reason. IMO.

 

[chucker66]

Nope. I get all my seed from Elk Mound Seed in Elk Mound WI. Have for years and they do market to the food plotter but you can also buy in bulk because their main customers are farmers. I make an annual trip down there to get everything I need. They have pretty much everything I use ,rye, clover, peas, brassicas, including Winfred, buckwheat, chicory etc. In quantities for the food plotter or in 50 lb bags. I am not affiliated with them but the warehouse manager and my son went to college together so maybe I'm a little biased.

 

[cavey]

What is wrong with rye grass?

Nothing, just that it should almost be free and when it makes up 78% of your expensive seed mix your getting ripped off.

If you can find a farmer that uses it as a cover crop 25 bucks and a case of beer will get you the back of your truck filled up. I tend to prefer winter wheat over winter rye - I believe the deer like it better, and when it comes to clipping it back its not so stringy, mature winter rye is harder to cut. In a pinch I can get WW "Jerry wheat" for less than 12 bucks for a 50 lbs bag.

 

[cavey]

Nope. I get all my seed from Elk Mound Seed in Elk Mound WI. Have for years and they do market to the food plotter but you can also buy in bulk because their main customers are farmers. I make an annual trip down there to get everything I need. They have pretty much everything I use ,rye, clover, peas, brassicas, including Winfred, buckwheat, chicory etc. In quantities for the food plotter or in 50 lb bags. I am not affiliated with them but the warehouse manager and my son went to college together so maybe I'm a little biased.

Its nice to have them right in my back yard so to speak, they have always been good to work with and as you said they have just about every thing on the self in the office that you could want. A good place to stop in if your passing by on I94 or Hwy 12/29. Im not affiliated with them either, just want to keep them in business. They break the seed down to 3 lbs or less bags depending on the seed and have their own custom mixes. If something really works for you, tell them and you might see it on the self next year... or they can sometimes get it.

 

[Kev]

I have had good results with the Imperial Clover from Whitetail Inst. When a planting lasts 4 or 5 years, it's not that expensive. With that said, you do pay more for bags of seed with big deer pictures on them. I have also gone to planting more blends so I get my seed in bulk from one of my local coops. It seems that companies like Green Cover have good products, but shipping costs are a killer.

 

[CarolinaDawg]

Just curious if anyone uses seed from companies like Whitetail Institute, Antler King, Tecomate, Biologic, etc.?

I know that there are a lot of "do it yourselfers" here, so I suspect not a lot of you do.
Admittedly I am trying to cut a corner.

Here's my situation:
Early last summer, I sprayed off a big portion of a great clover plot with the intent of over-seed it with brassicas, etc. for fall.

. I NEVER should have done that! But sometimes I have to learn the same lesson a few times before it sinks in.

This year I can foresee not being able to get a lot of time to tend to the re-planting. The major hassle for me (where I live) is getting the seed so I was thinking about grabbing a bag from one of these name brands. I know I'll pay more but is that the only offset? I have about 1 1/2 acres that I have been building soil/using T&M for about 7+ years. I don't have a tiller nor do I want to till the soil. So I plan to get this going early. I have to replace a big section and plan to:

1. Seed - over the shoulder hand spreader.
2. Fertilize - same over the shoulder spreader.
3. Spray - 2 gallon hand sprayer
4. Roll - Teeth up on a harrow rake and/or ATV tires covering every inch of the planted section
5. Pray - to the rain gods.

So back to my original questions:
Just curious if anyone uses seed from companies like Whitetail Institute, Antler King, Tecomate, Biologic, etc.?
Is the only offset the additional cost of the seed?

I’ve had germination issues with WI twice and I don’t like not knowing the ratios of mixes until the bag arrives. I’ve had good luck with Hancock Seed. I highly recommend them.

 

[PatinPA]

What is wrong with rye grass?

Are you talking about rye grass or rye grain? I love rye grain but rye grass doesn't do much for attracting deer and it can be really tough to get rid of. I see later on you said you use in it hay fields, which I don't know much about hay fields but using rye grass for that makes sense.

 

[chummer]

I use WI clover and winter greens. They both grow better than anything I get at the co-op. I mix the winter greens with ptt to cover more.

 

[Kdog]

The only big name brands I have used are Pennington (several times) and Biologic (twice). Have had great success with both.

 

[westonwhitetail]

I use name brand stuff from time to time but also use the local seed store when I can. The thing I don’t like about name brand is it always seems they are on the light side for seed rates. It may be seed rates for drilling and most food plotters are broadcasting seed so it can be misleading

 

[JAW]

I've had success with Imperial Clover from Whitetail Institute and Frigid Forage products. Will be planting FF's Big-n-Beasty this year in MN. I'm looking to add a few strips of grain sorghum for the pheasants and deer, but I'm having trouble locating a good seed source. Any ideas? Anyone have success with Real World's Upland Game Blend?

 

[bwoods11]

My theory on seed, Is yes you can save money and mix it yourself . But sometimes It’s easy and convenient to grab a company bag and use it.

It’s cheaper to buy ice cream and eat it at home, but sometimes a guy stops and buys a DQ!

 

[Angus 1895]

When ever I broadcast fertilizer in the spring I would have rye grass seed mixed in , it used to be about $1.20 a pound I believe.

 

[Foggy47]

My theory on seed, Is yes you can save money and mix it yourself . But sometimes It’s easy and convenient to grab a company bag and use it.

It’s cheaper to buy ice cream and eat it at home, but sometimes a guy stops and buys a DQ!

I've gone to planting a mixture of 8 to 10 varieties of seeds via my grain drill. Last year I spent allot of time blending all the various seeds together.....as I had lots of the needed seeds in my "inventory". Most of that inventory is now used up......so this year I am buying some blends of summer release from green cover crop.....along with several seeds that I will blend into their mixes. Yes, the shipping costs a bit.....but it also costs me time and travel expense from other sources.

Green Cover's seeds are priced right and they have some great blends of all the right stuff.....but the shipping costs can add up. My time is also valuable....at least to me (grin). I bought all my seeds in October for next summer/ fall plantings. I dont get back to my property from AZ until May.....and I need to hit the ground running. No time then to chase seed varieties and deliveries.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My camp hasn't used big-name, BOB seed in a number of years now - probably more than 15. Co-op seed grows just as well.