Anyone here do deer plots?

[Ultradog MN]

I have been plowing, discing my deer plots for about 10 years now but last year the weeds were so thick that they pretty much choked out all my seed and nothing (but weeds) grew.
So i need to rethink this. Find some kind of a sprayer to burn off everything and start over.
But I'm starting from zero.
We would like to expand our plots this year too.
We do about 1 1/2 acre now in one location and would add about 2 acres in another.
How big of a tank do I need to do that?
What kind of a pump? Is a 12V pump big enough or do we want a Briggs or Honda driven pump?
How wide of a boom would you recommend?
If we build one how do you size the thing for spray rates, nozzle size, etc, etc.
Is there anyone here that would be willing to guide me through this? Maybe even talk on the phone?
If so, I would be grateful.
My email is open.

 

[1370rod]

We are growing about 3-4 ac. of new trees which we battle deer because the damage they do to young trees, we want to repel them, not feed them. LOL. Anyway controlling weeds might be about the same. All I use is the typical lawn pull behind 15 gal 12v sprayer pulled behind a garden tractor. Covers about 8 ft and works well for going between rows. I did install larger tires. Will cover close to an ac. per tank so I have to fill it a few times but no big deal. Rod.

 

[JCinKY]

Ultradog,

I currently plant about 3 acres on two parcels. I typically plant ladino/crimson clover on 1-1.5 acres, 1 acre brassicas, and .75-1 acre corn/beans/oats.

For corn and beans, I plow, disk, plant - typical tillage.

For perrinials and brassicas, I burn down with glyphosate in about mid august. About 2 weeks later I do a controlled burn to kill everything left. I disk first of September and broadcast seed directly following.

For spraying I use a 12v, 15 gallon tank with 8ft boom. I use it on a honda 450 4wheeler. I bought the 15gal spot sprayer from TSC and made my own boom. The boom itself is a 1x screwed to the back rack. I bought fittings, hose, and adapters at TSC. I use 80-02 flat spray nozzles about 20" off the ground. I get 10' of coverage with 5" overlap between nozzles.

I use about 2 tanks per acre with 4oz gly per gallon. The biggest issue is my quad is too fast in 1st. I put along just about idle.

I broadcast with a hand crank broadcaster at an easy pace. So far I've had good yields in perrinials, but my 3yr clover is starting to get weedy with fescue, I overseeded this February and keep it mowed.

My email should be open if you like more info or just to talk. I think I like planning/preparing for each hunting season just as much as hunting.

Oh yeah, I'm a younger guy in central Kentucky.

 

[Delawaresurfman]

J in KY has good advise. Calibration is key to proper burn off. With whatever you choose to use set it up correctly. As stated your vehicle may go to fast. Fill up the sprayer with only water and possibly dye for herbicides. Do a test run on land. Take note of area covered and gallons used.
This will let you know the proper speed to drive. It's s pain but why waste money or time, both are costly.

 

[DEAN C]

I PUT A LARGE LAWN SPRAYER WITH 12 VOLT PUMP ON 3pt WORKS GOOD I SPAY 4 ACRES WITH IT -TO KNOW THE AMOUNT YOU ARE PUTTING ON- THE SPRAY NOZZLE SHOULD BE 40 INCHES APART-- USE A STOP WATCH GO 100 FEET SEE HOW MANY SECONDS IT TAKES- CATCH THE SPRAY FROM ONE NOZZLE THE SAME NUMBER OF SECONDS EACH OZ YOU CATCH IS ONE GALLON PER ACRE ON 40in NOZZLE SPACING -- DO THIS WITH JUST WATER BEFORE YOU ADD THE WEED KILLER

 

[BJ-WI]

Ultradog, Are you thinking of spraying Roundup or a generic to kill everything? If so, there are alot of those 200 gallons pull type sprayers with a pto pump around cheap. Just make sure the pump is good. Your 3000 will handle that well. I use 1 to 2 quarts of roundup per 20 gallons of water per acre, depending on how bad the weeds are. If I'm spraying a corn field I use 1 quart but on sod 2 is better. I have a 400 gallon sprayer, but my cousin used a 200 gallon behind an 8n for years for 50 acres of corn, 8 rows at a time. HTH BJ-WI

 

[Skip Burney]

Are they broadleaf weeds or grasses you may be able to get by with 2-4-D instead of glyphosphate. We just disc the food plots under each year and replant either iron and clay peas or Ladino clover

 

[Hobo,NC]

I have to shoot'em to get rid of'em then haul then off and you want to feed'em... Don't figure to me... 7/8 think my place is is a haven but they don't know it yet I its not. Every 3 years are so I have to thin the heard off are they will eat what I grow to eat that is not the way I planed it...

 

[Mdparrott]

I've got a 25 gallon ATV sprayer with a 10' boom I bought off Craigslist. Carry it on my carryall so I can adjust height. Can usually spray an acre with a full tank.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Well,
My brother is kind of backing off of spraying his place as he wants to start raising bees and is worried about the spray harming them.
Dunno.
I've known him long enough not to argue with him
So we would just be doing about 1 1/2 - 2 acres total in 3 different places.
I've read that part of the problem is turning over the soil brings the old seeds up to the surface and they will sprout.
But I'm still convinced that spraying will help.
I moldboard plow, then disc (and pick a lot of rocks) then hand broadcast then I roll the seed in with an 8' cultipacker.
I just buy a mix from the local feed/seed store. It's a mix of clovers, alfalfa and some turnip.
I used to get a couple of years out of a planting but now the weeds are so thick I'm not getting much of a crop.
Anyway, thanks to all who replied - great info at your fingertips here.
Briarhill, thanks. I sent you an email
And JCinKy sent you one too.

 

[JCinKY]

(quoted from post at 04:48:54 03/16/17) Well,
My brother is kind of backing off of spraying his place as he wants to start raising bees and is worried about the spray harming them.
Dunno.
I've known him long enough not to argue with him
So we would just be doing about 1 1/2 - 2 acres total in 3 different places.
I've read that part of the problem is turning over the soil brings the old seeds up to the surface and they will sprout.
But I'm still convinced that spraying will help.
I moldboard plow, then disc (and pick a lot of rocks) then hand broadcast then I roll the seed in with an 8' cultipacker.
I just buy a mix from the local feed/seed store. It's a mix of clovers, alfalfa and some turnip.
I used to get a couple of years out of a planting but now the weeds are so thick I'm not getting much of a crop.
Anyway, thanks to all who replied - great info at your fingertips here.
Briarhill, thanks. I sent you an email
And JCinKy sent you one too.

Ultradog,

Sorry my email was not up to date.

Please forward to Jeff.clevinger AT Outlook.com


One thing I did want to add, I think one of the most under utilized management technique is prescribed burning(check local and state laws for fire bans). A backing fire set on the down wind side will kill everything down to the root. The fire is set so that it has to back into prevailing wind and stay controlled.

A burn doesn't have to scorch the earth, just get hot enough to kill the weeds. Usually can do in early spring around February to March before green up. Or in late fall.

It's cheaper on fuel, chemical, etc. it's is non selective; kills everything. And better for the bees, a big plus in my book.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

Glyphosate is not harmful to aquatic animals , Roundup is because of the suficants added to that brand . With that in mind if you spray anything read the label for that product . Most herbicides work best when the plant is young and actively growing . When Bermuda grass becomes dormant you can soak it with glyphosate and it will kill the winter weeds but not affect the grass . 2-4d sprayed mid morning on a warm day should be absorbed in a few hours . I have not read everything about "Pasture Pro" but is states cattle may graze after it has dried . Some products say wait 3 days .

Spraying glyphosate under apple trees may leave spots on the apples the next growing season . Sometimes weeds take over because they grow faster than the good grass . Frequent mowing can help the good grass . Also poor soil may grow grass slower and some weeds will out grow your grass . The only way to know is soil samples . Our state co-op test is free if you drop off a soil sample . Get on your state extension web site and ID your weeds . Some herbicides are very safe but only control some weeds where a different safe herbicide will kill your weeds .

I am in the middle of building an 8' boom sprayer . I have a 55 gallon drum , a 2.1gpm 12v pump and 6 yellow 2.0 tips . 18" apart , 12" off the ground . It took 45 minutes to empty the tank @ 40 psi ( about 1 gpm ) I had to idle in low 2nd on the 3000 to get good coverage , 30 acres will take awhile. The wind picked up 1/2 way through but drift was moderate . I had green dye and some 20-0-0 liquid fertilizer in the tank for a test .

I will switch to grey 3.0 tips and see how that works . Bigger droplets may waste product , there is a compromise somewhere . The nylon tips are pretty well universally color coded by size . I may need to add the other 2.1 gpm electric pump and pick up the boom 18" - 24" . You want a little overlap .So far I am into the project about $120 . I am working on weeds for hay fields and year round grazing along with cleaning under brush and fence lines .

Last year I bought a 12 gal 1gpm 12v tank and pump combo for $50 on sale at Atwoods to spray glyphosate on the fence line . I swapped the 15" line with a 100' air hose . You could easily hand spray a 1/4 acre this year as a test patch . The dye helps . Biggest thing for weed killer is getting the amount per acre calibrated to your spray system . Too little and you get no help , and too much may be harmful . Some of the stuff out there leaches into water wells if overused .

Here in Arkansas pesticides for personal used can be sold to anyone but they are usually a low % by volume , in small quantities , and expensive . If you want the good stuff it is for "agricultural use " and you need to take a 2 hour class for $10 and buy a $10 a year license . Your county extension agent should be able to address all of the Bee concerns as well as your weed questions .

 

[oldtanker]

Jerry, I built a sprayer. 12 volt pump and a 30 gallon tank. Now I do spray the pasture with it so that's why I went as big as I did. I've got a 12 foot boom on it with spring loaded breakaways so if I do hit something there is no damage. I made a 3 point mount and use it mounted to one of my 8N's, very lite in the front with a full tank so it takes a little planning. I also incorporated an air hose real and some valves so I can spot spray with it. The tractor is a 12 volt conversion. I use a trailer connector with a dash mounted toggle switch.

Rick

 

[Dune Country]

I also use a 15gal 12v sprayer.
They make a special nozzle that sprays a 10' wide pattern.Mounted it on the 8N and put nozzle on end of broom handle strapped to the tank pointed out the back.
no multi nozzle boom to plug up or break.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

(quoted from post at 15:49:24 03/16/17) Jerry, I built a sprayer. 12 volt pump and a 30 gallon tank. Now I do spray the pasture with it so that's why I went as big as I did. I've got a 12 foot boom on it with spring loaded breakaways so if I do hit something there is no damage. I made a 3 point mount and use it mounted to one of my 8N's, very lite in the front with a full tank so it takes a little planning. I also incorporated an air hose real and some valves so I can spot spray with it. The tractor is a 12 volt conversion. I use a trailer connector with a dash mounted toggle switch.

Rick

How big is your pump , how many tips & size , how long does it take to empty 30 gallons ?

Thanks - Ken .

 

[Ken(Ark)]

(quoted from post at 15:59:50 03/16/17) I also use a 15gal 12v sprayer.
They make a special nozzle that sprays a 10' wide pattern.Mounted it on the 8N and put nozzle on end of broom handle strapped to the tank pointed out the back.
no multi nozzle boom to plug up or break.

When I took the pesticide class it was mentioned that most of the guys used the boomless nozzle . They said it works good but is a little harder to calibrate on 250 - 300 gallon tanks . But no boom sticking out which would be a big plus on the edge of the field by the trees .

Do you have the 1gpm or 2.1gpm pump . How long does it take to spray 15 gallons with the 10' tip ? Are you happy with the droplet size / drift ?

My small yellow tips are 2.0 80 degree straight through and down . The grey tips I have are 3.0 110 degree that the stream hits an angled section and splatters more like a boomless nozzle would ? . I have not sprayed with the grey tips yet .

 

[Dune Country]

I believe the pump is 1gpm.15gals about 1 acre IIRC, seemed to work fine, tip is black

 

[Skip Burney]

We have 2 hay fields one 17 acres and one 10 acres and we burn them every year. One is in Tifton 44 hybrid Bermuda grass and the other is Russell Bermuda grass and burning them really does a good job for us

 

[Skip Burney]

Think about what 15 or 20 of these could do to your fields. We kill them down here all the time, this bruiser went 450 lbs

 

[hd6gtom]

In a few years you guys are going to be very sorry you are putting out food plots. Deer are so overpopulated here, DNR gave me 30 doe tags to use. I couldn't give them away because they also gave all my neighbors were given a like amount.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Tom,
We still get winters here.
In southern MN they can get bonus permits and take more than one deer. Where I hunt in the central part of the state it's one deer per year and antlerless deer by lottery only.
Last year we drew one doe permit for 3 of us.
In much of the northern part of the state it's bucks only. They have reintroduced the wolf in our area too and they have devastated the herd in some areas though not so bad where we hunt.
I always watch the statistics for the deer harvest when they come out. Statewide, about 37% of deer tags get filled in any given year.
We generally do just about double that % though last season we were 1 for 3.
Our plots have helped a lot.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Hey Dogman-
If ground hasn't been worked in several years, I will plow up first with my Dearborn 14" 2-bottom; then disc; then spring tooth drag to get a nice level planting surface. I then use a hand seeder or a simple Scotts agitator to spread the seed, then set disc harrow to just the rear discs and lightly go back over to bury seeds. I plant several food plots around the farm here and for neighbors and then we go up north to Atlanta, MI to put in a half dozen more. I will run disc in spring and plant buckwheat and then in late summer/early fall disc again and plant rye, sorghum, wheat, and some brassicas like rape. First frost will kill most brassicas and the deer won't touch it. The rye will go dormant all winter then in the spring sprout up and by late May is high and/or gone to seed. Wheat and rye are a good nitrogen nutrient to add to soil. The deer will paw thru the snow to get at it in winter too. I think a 12-volt sprayer would be sufficient but Roundup can get costly. Check some local commercial farmers who spray large parcels and see if you can offer to cover some expenses if they agree to hit your small 1-2 acres. QDM (Quality Deer Management) works and if all the 'slob' hunters who shoot everything that is brown would realize that the herd would become more manageable. In MI we have seen it work. Take more does, leave the 6 point and under bucks to grow another 2 years, and you'll see more 8-10-12 pointers.

Tim Daley(MI)

 

[Ultradog MN]

What do you guys think about this sprayer?
Click here

 

[Mdparrott]

(quoted from post at 03:50:04 03/17/17) What do you guys think about this sprayer?
Click here

Very similar to what I have, but mine has a 10' boom. $175 is a bit pricey, you can find them cheaper on CL.

I like mine though. Works well. Also use it to spray gravel roads/lots at our storage business.

 

[JCinKY]

(quoted from post at 03:50:04 03/17/17) What do you guys think about this sprayer?
Click here

Almost identical to mine. Easy to make up a boom or do a single flood nozzle as mentioned. I think floods are a little less efficient on usage compared to flat tips.

I think I paid about the for mine new. The pumps are the weak point on cheap sprayers but they are also cheap to replace. UV can damage the tanks and make them brittle and prone to cracking. Just things to look for on used setups.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

Tractor Supply has a new 30 gallon 2.1gpm sprayer for $150 .

Atwoods had a 40 gallon on a 3 point frame with 10' boom and spray wand, ready to go for $299 .

I pieced mine together but wonder if I should have just spent the money and been done . I did build it on my tote all frame . A fully charged car battery will pump 100"s of gallons on a charge .


You may use the sprayer for lots of other things , worms on fruit trees , fire ants , soapy water or degreaser , home lawn weed and fertilizer , etc . A medium sprayer with a wand and a flood tip should get you going on these small plots .

Atwoods and others have 41% glyphosate for $20 a gallon to $40 for 2-1/2 gallons . The round up you buy at walmart is 6 - 8% at about $10 for a 24 oz bottle .

 

[terry/mich]

if you don"t want to spray, use the summer heat thats weeds don"t grow that well in. just disc the weeds under every few weeks. then plant brassica mix mid aug.

 

[Abbby]

I plant a food plot every year and also am challenged by the weeds. I usually plant about 1st week in August so weeds have a long time to get thick. My tractor is not located on the site so need to haul there. I usually will disc once and a while but weeds get too thick and disc will not get the job done. Then I need to throw on the 2 bottom plow which is hard on the old 9N. I have done some spraying of round up and am thinking that it the best long term solution. Spray a few weeks before planting and then the disk can work things up. Just looking for a good economical sprayer for ATV,

 

[Ultradog MN]

A lot of good info here fellas.
And a lot to process.
It's tempting to just go to TSC and buy a kit - tank, pump, etc.
The idea of just burning it off is tempting too. I might try that.
Thanks to all.

 

[HFJ]

i have a food plot here but i don't manage it myself, it was created and is maintained by a friend. i'd ask him for some feedback on this, but unfortunately, his wife has been diagnosed with cancer and they've gone to texas to a hospital/clinic with a solid rep for dealing with the type of cancer she has.

as for the dire warning about the deer taking the property over, :lol:

i'll take my chances

 

[pdhntr]

(quoted from post at 02:52:42 03/18/17) A lot of good info here fellas.
And a lot to process.
It's tempting to just go to TSC and buy a kit - tank, pump, etc.
The idea of just burning it off is tempting too. I might try that.
Thanks to all.

Hi Ultradog,

I can't help with the sprayer, but as far as the plots go, I can tell you what has been working for me for many years.

I have been planting rutabaga exclusively in all my plots. I plow and disc (usually) in late June. I broadcast heavily as the seed is cheap. If the soil is up to it, and we get the normal rain, they grow very quickly.

For some reason the deer seem to leave them alone until some time in September, which is just what I am looking for as I don't want to have to fence the plots, and of course, bow season starts. It seems as though they all of a sudden "discover" them and the
feeding frenzy is on.

They will continue to eat until snow covers them. By this time they have the plot mowed down to the dirt. Very few weeds survive. During the winter if the snow is not too deep, they will uncover and eat at the rutabaga tuber in the soil.

In the spring when the snow melts, and the ground thaws, they will come back in and "pick" the tubers out of the soil for hours. By the time they are done, it is usually a muddy mess, but they are getting a good start on replacing the fat they lost during the winter.

This has worked very well for me and the deer, and I have not had to do anything to the plot except fertilize and lime. The edges will weed up and need to be sprayed occasionally, but the vast majority of the plot remains weed free.

Jim