Still Hitting The Clover Hard

[davidhelmly]

I was cleaning a card this afternoon that I pulled from a clover plot last weekend and I saved a few, they are enjoying the clover.

 

[davidhelmly]

 

[SwampCat]

I am wanting to go a little more clover acreage. What kind of clover is that. How many years has that plot been there. Does the clover make it through the summer alive - or does it die out in late summer and come back. Thanks

 

[davidhelmly]

I am wanting to go a little more clover acreage. What kind of clover is that. How many years has that plot been there. Does the clover make it through the summer alive - or does it die out in late summer and come back. Thanks

It’s mostly alice and durana and it’s 8-9 years old. It has made it thru every summer with the exception on one which was the driest, hottest summer that I remember. Of course the amount of rainfall in the summer depends on how well it does but there are deer in it everyday no matter how good or bad it looks at the moment.

 

[SwampCat]

It’s mostly alice and durana and it’s 8-9 years old. It has made it thru every summer with the exception on one which was the driest, hottest summer that I remember. Of course the amount of rainfall in the summer depends on how well it does but there are deer in it everyday no matter how good or bad it looks at the moment.

The summer it didnt make it through - did it die out end of summer and then come back that fall - or did you have to replant?

 

[davidhelmly]

The summer it didnt make it through - did it die out end of summer and then come back that fall - or did you have to replant?

No, it died out in early-mid summer, it quit raining that year in early May and we didn't get any significant rain until around Thanksgiving. The only plots that year that didn't die out were the long linear clover plots back in the mature trees so they got lots of shade. I did not replant any of it and it came on strong the following spring, most came back thicker than it had been in years.
Here is a video clip of the same plot from the year it was so dry, we had just replaced the kiddie pool liner in this waterhole with a stock tank.

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[Shannon Hall]

Great pictures! You've got em stacked in there like cord wood!! My dad is having great luck with durana. We transformed a log deck into a food plot. We went with several rounds of buckwheat (maybe 3 different plantings), added fertilizer and lime and now he has a very nice plot. It's too small and gets beat to death but it definitely serves it's purpose for him.

 

[SWIFFY]

Geez! They are crushing it! Looks like 2 different lunch groups, the bucks in their bach group and a bunch of big, fat, tuna boat does!

 

[Bill]

No doubt that's a pile of deer hitting that plot!

 

[kl9]

Crazy to see the difference from now to back when it was a super dried up plot.

 

[SwampCat]

I have planted durana in a number of small plots - less than two acres in size - and have had great deer use. I also plant 18 acres of soybeans in three different plots - but as of late - have had difficulty getting a decent stand due to the combined attack by deer and hogs. I have been thinking of substituting durana in these plots. My opinion is that keeping the bachelor herds on your place during the summer greatly improves fall hunting as opposed to just providing fall and winter food plots. My fear is that the clover dies back in the heat and drought of late summer - allowing the bachelor herds to disperse a couple months before season. But, a bare bean field is not holding them, either.

 

[davidhelmly]

Crazy to see the difference from now to back when it was a super dried up plot.

The drought year was unbelievable, that was as close to no food plots as we've ever had on this lease and had very little daytime rut activity that year too.

 

[davidhelmly]

I have planted durana in a number of small plots - less than two acres in size - and have had great deer use. I also plant 18 acres of soybeans in three different plots - but as of late - have had difficulty getting a decent stand due to the combined attack by deer and hogs. I have been thinking of substituting durana in these plots. My opinion is that keeping the bachelor herds on your place during the summer greatly improves fall hunting as opposed to just providing fall and winter food plots. My fear is that the clover dies back in the heat and drought of late summer - allowing the bachelor herds to disperse a couple months before season. But, a bare bean field is not holding them, either.

I know everyone has their own way of thinking when it comes to plots but I am a huge fan of the perennial clover keeping at least 50-75% of our plots in it.