This years throw and mow experiment.(Literally)

[Hit-n-Miss]

Figured a lot of people that were in the same situation as we were this year might get a little useful info on showing what we did and the results. Did not have access to a tractor this year to plant the food plot. So decided to try something different. We mow around the plot all year and kind of let the plot go fallow, other than some lanes we mow through it. Using our mower set as high as it would go, we mowed the outside of parts we were going to seed slowly with it.

 

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Next we spread the seed mixture by hand and mowed down the grass over them. We leave parts of the fallow plot from last year standing. The deer seem to like it better with a little cover, and they also find vines and whatnot in there to eat as well.

 

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We set up sprinklers as it’s been real dry to help it along. It took 700' of hose to reach the plot. Hopefully we will get a decent stand. the last couple of years it has been real dry early in the season and the water helps a lot. This is early season not looking too bad.

 

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It actually turned out pretty good considering no tillage or fertilizer. And we have had a successful season to boot.

 

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Since we already have a 4wheeler I made an acquisition over this Christmas holiday. Hopefully the King Kutter will help us to do a little better plot without having to rely on other people’s help to plant. I can't believe how much these things have went up in recent years but got it at a good deal.

 

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A little better look at how it turned out. Was a mix of wheat, oats , winter peas , rape and crimson clover.

 

[reds]

It looks good. We (my son and I) are planning a throw and mow next Sep/Oct without any tilling. We always get a overwhelming flush of wild mustard if we disk and plant. Hope to avoid that.

 

[Hit-n-Miss]

It looks good. We (my son and I) are planning a throw and mow next Sep/Oct without any tilling. We always get a overwhelming flush of wild mustard if we disk and plant. Hope to avoid that.

Hopefully it will work out good for you. I was surprised that mine came out pretty good.

 

[Hit-n-Miss]

I will say this has been an established plot for 20 years so some of the green may be volunteers.

 

[reds]

I will say this has been an established plot for 20 years so some of the green may be volunteers.

Mine have been established 20+ years too. This will be a big change.

 

[B. White]

Hard to go wrong with crimson clover. I sow it after mowing the first of October at the house. I don't get much early season action on it, but you have to run them out of it at dark after mid-December after most everything else has frosted good. Keeps them fed through the spring a lot cheaper than corn.

 

[Gut_Pile]

Good looking plot

 

[Hit-n-Miss]

I wonder if burning it after it dies back would be beneficial?

 

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Does anyone on here burn their deer plots?

 

[Todd E]

@Hit-n-Miss we have the 48" King Kutter and it does the job for us.

 

[Crakajak]

Does anyone on here burn their deer plots?

No.

 

[Crakajak]

Why not change over to a perennial clover plot? Less work,less money overall.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

We burn a couple this year due to us letting the grass get to high. Not wanting to deal with so much thatch. We sprayed it fluffed it with a hay rake and set it afar. Didn’t have to deal with thatch and plots looked great. Some drills don’t like super tall grass or thatch

 

[Hit-n-Miss]

@Hit-n-Miss we have the 48" King Kutter and it does the job for us. View attachment 1280608View attachment 1280609

That's good to know it works well for you. Hope mine does too. I noticed that you don't have any weight on yours that everyone says they need. Any tips or tricks to using it that you can give me? I feel like most of the bad revues come from folks that bought them put together wrong. Like the one in the stock picture you posted. I can't wait to try it out, but have to replace a bent hanger first.