Help Me Determine Seeds in a tall cover "STRIP MIX"

[Foggy47]

If you’re going for a screen I’d plant pure screen items. I’ve done Egyptian Wheat by itself with great results. Planted early June or Memorial Day. Depends on how warm it is that early. I planted a game bird mix one year with millets, sorghum, sunflowers and beans. They ate the food right away. The millets grew almost 6’ tall. Great rainfall all summer.

Last June....I planted a mix of Egyptian wheat and several types of sorghum / Sudan grass in a screen mix from GCC. It did fine and was thick and dense....until about Mid-October....when it broke down quite quickly. I realize some of the food in my suggested mix will be gone soon......but I am hoping the corn stalks and Egyptian wheat may support and bolster a few of the other seeds. Dunno.....gonna come up with what I come up with. Also, I got some seeds to "use up" which drives some of my mix choices. I care little if the corn makes a cob.....but if it will provide cover....that would be huge to me.

 

[Tree Spud]

Last June....I planted a mix of Egyptian wheat and several types of sorghum / Sudan grass in a screen mix from GCC. It did fine and was thick and dense....until about Mid-October....when it broke down quite quickly. I realize some of the food in my suggested mix will be gone soon......but I am hoping the corn stalks and Egyptian wheat may support and bolster a few of the other seeds. Dunno.....gonna come up with what I come up with. Also, I got some seeds to "use up" which drives some of my mix choices. I care little if the corn makes a cob.....but if it will provide cover....that would be huge to me.

Why not just grow all corn in your screen mix? It will last far longer than Sorghum sudan or egyptian wheat.

 

[SD51555]

Why not just grow all corn in your screen mix? It will last far longer than Sorghum sudan or egyptian wheat.

 

[Foggy47]

View attachment 50535

I was thinking about Tree Spud's question as I did my time on the treadmill this morning. And was just about to give a response when I see that SD kinda beat me too it. Anyway....he gave the cliff notes version to what I am about to say to corn. "When you know.....you know".

I can a(nd have) grow beautiful corn. A few years ago I grew about 4 acres of what would have made a farmer grin. But I had a fleet of bears and coons ever day and night in that corn. Sure the deer ate it too. I still have about a bag of that seed corn and figured I would use it up with this mix. Same with the soy beans. I do not plan to buy those seeds in the time the to come.....and if I do they will be used in smaller quantities in a mix. I hope that by introducing a small amount of corn that I will not get any ears to speak of and that the stalk will support some of the other vegetation in the mix.

I'm going to try to find the pic of the bears doing a tag team event in my plots last summer. I got way too many bears and cannot draw a tag. Same for my family....it takes about 5 years to get a tag here. Not sure what the DNR is thinking.

 

[SD51555]

One thing a guy could try is a really long maturity silage corn planted very late. You may get lucky and get the stalk, and no cob to draw in the corn destroyers.

 

[Kooch]

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[Ben.MN/WI]

Have your whole hunting party apply for bear tags and plant some corn a little later than normal so it hits the dough stage right around bear opener! You have some nice bears there and you are missing out on some fun hunting.

 

[Foggy47]

Have your whole hunting party apply for bear tags and plant some corn a little later than normal so it hits the dough stage right around bear opener! You have some nice bears there and you are missing out on some fun hunting.

Yeah....without tags......I better dig some deep holes to deposit said bruins. Reminds me....I better apply for a tag again.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Yeah....without tags......I better dig some deep holes to deposit said bruins. Reminds me....I better apply for a tag again.

Bear hunting can hurt your early season deer bow hunting, but it doesn't impact the deer gun seasons. It is a great way to get a little bonus hunting and another reason to spend more time at the cabin. The deer hunting at my WI place is fair at best, but the bonus bear hunting is excellent.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Yeah....without tags......I better dig some deep holes to deposit said bruins. Reminds me....I better apply for a tag again.

It would help if the DNR would tell you when the application freaking opens! I missed it the last two years yet was able to get about 20 other applications in out of state because they tell you when it freakin opens.

 

[Brian662]

In my experience, the best way to get deer to frequent a plot more is for them to not feel in danger there. Hunting over plots is fun and exciting but they can turn nocturnal pretty quick if they get your scent or see you going in/out.

As far as my opinion on your question, I would do corn. If you don't fertilize the corn, it will likely not grow much if any ears, but the stalks should stay strong for a good while and provide 5-6' of vertical cover until early December.

What about the possibility of putting switchgrass strips in your plot for a perennial plant with little maintenance? Should give you the height you want and not attract bears/coons? 10' wide strip should be enough cover for deer screen from seeing other deer, etc and won't take much volume away from your plot.

 

[Foggy47]

In my experience, the best way to get deer to frequent a plot more is for them to not feel in danger there. Hunting over plots is fun and exciting but they can turn nocturnal pretty quick if they get your scent or see you going in/out.

As far as my opinion on your question, I would do corn. If you don't fertilize the corn, it will likely not grow much if any ears, but the stalks should stay strong for a good while and provide 5-6' of vertical cover until early December.

What about the possibility of putting switchgrass strips in your plot for a perennial plant with little maintenance? Should give you the height you want and not attract bears/coons? 10' wide strip should be enough cover for deer screen from seeing other deer, etc and won't take much volume away from your plot.

I may got that direction for some areas.....but at this point I am rotating between three plot types each year. 1. Screen Plot. 2. Brasica Plot. 3. Clover Plot. and by overseeding all three of those plot types with more clover and rye in the fall......I can grow next seasons mulch and fertilizer for a subsequent rotation of those areas. Rinse and repeat.

Going with switch means a perennial situation......and I am not planning to go down the path in these areas. I do have cover around the plots......I am simply trying to make the plots more appealing during daytime.

Good feedback. Thanks.