Habitat Packages
 

I am a committee member of a local NWTF chapter in central Vermont. Each spring we offer habitat packages to our members. Last year it was crab apple trees which hold there fruit throughout the winter. I am now the Habitat Director and have begun to think about next years package. I have been working with a VT biologist and will offer native crab apples again with some type of berry producing bush or shrub.

Now for my question. I also want to include some type of seed for food plots. In addition to seed corn which the NWTF provides free of charge, I was thinking of including a few pounds of white clover, or Mossy Oak Bio Logic, or Whitetail Institute's Imperial Whitetail Clover. The package isn't specifically for turkeys, but all wildlife. Do you have any recommentations on which type of commerical seed works best in the northeast and which kind I should consider for this project?

Thanks for your input. . . Rob

RE: Habitat Packages
 

How well do chufas work up there?

RE: Habitat Packages
 

Here's a seed company that has a nice chart showing what plants give good cover, food, and natural habitat:

www.whitetailhabitat.com/chart.asp

They sell a types of seed, and many different combinations, too.

---
Live: Oregon, IL
Hunt: Knox County, IL

RE: Habitat Packages
 

I'm no expert. I'd go with a clover, alfalfa mix. If the ph is good it provides nutrition for rabbits and other animals besides deer. It will produce for several years but requires some care. Our climate in Mich. is similar to yours. We have Autumn Olive here which provides berries for the birds through most of the winter. It is intrusive but can be held in check. I'm curious to hear how the crab apple program worked out. How do they survive without putting an 8'cage around them?. terry <img src=icon_smile_clown.gif border=0 align=middle>

LIVE FREE OR DIE

RE: Habitat Packages
 

lawnfarmer; you were going to plant apples and cedars; how did that turn out? Did the deer eat you out of house and home?

Dan O.

RE: Habitat Packages
 

I'm not sure how chufa would work up here. I think we are a little too far north for it to really take off. Might be worth looking into though. We can get temps as low as - 30 degrees in the winter, so we need a hardy plant. Our growing season is only about 90 to 110 days.

The crab apples are working out well. I have been planting them on my property for 10 years now. I have close to 40 trees now. The turkeys fly up into them in the winter and shake the tree so the apples fall to the ground. Be sure to get the type which holds it fruit instead of dropping it. I have had luck with Red Splender flowering crab apples. You do need some protection to keep the deer out of them.

Our biologist leans more towards native species to plant. He prefers not to intoduce autum olive as it is highly invasive and displaces native species of plants.

As far as the commercal seed, I think most are clover based. Just curious what people have had luck with. I realize lime and fertilizer may be needed depending upon the soil. I'm still leaning towards Bio Logic as I have heard many good things about it.

. . . Rob

RE: Habitat Packages
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
lawnfarmer; you were going to plant apples and cedars; how did that turn out? Did the deer eat you out of house and home?

Dan O.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Hey Dan, the apples didn't do to bad. The dry weather we had really did me in though. No more than 10 or 15 percent of the cedar made it through the summer. I planted 200, I think. The spruce did not do any better. The weatherman predicted rain several times and I didn't start watering until it was too late. These learning experiences are not free. I planted the corn too early and was hit by frost. It was knee high by the 4th but never got any taller. Too dry. I probably don't have enough life left to be any good at this stuff. Can't help it I'm hooked. The deer haven't been too much of a bother since I hung up the soap. The whole county smells, like a laundromat, after a rain. Hahaha. Will try the trees again in the Spring and another 3 acres of rye. The deer do a good job of keeping the clover and alfalfa mowed down so I don't have to. terry<img src=icon_smile_clown.gif border=0 align=middle>

LIVE FREE OR DIE

RE: Habitat Packages
 

I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE IMPERIAL PRODUCTS. THEY HAVE WORKED GREAT FOR DEER & TURKEYS.

HUNT HARD

RE: Habitat Packages
 

A real important consideration for bird management along with food is Nesting Habitat and a tall grass that offers protection from predators in the first months after hatching. For that reason, a legume like Hariy Vetch would NOT be a good option, though it would provide a good food source, its too viny, and young turkeys cannot move around in it freely. I understand that Ragweed has the PERFECT canopy cover for young poults - Though I doubt you would want to offer this product in your habitat mix.

Still, there are other food types that can be used, and offer good protection for young birds at the same time. A Clover/Cereal grain mix would do real well as a spring planting - WITH the reccomendation that the grain not be mowed until it fully matures sometime in late July in the NE. I'd lean towards Red Clover for turkeys because it too will grow tall enough to help hide young poults, and attracts ALOT of bugs for summer feeding. Also Red clover is only viable 2-3 years (of course the grain is an annual). You would not want to plant white clover, only to till it up again in two years time.