OhioDuckHunter

This past winter, I purchased many types of feed for the wildlife. I bought several types of trial size seed mixes of which none came up this spring after sowing. Please keep in mind, I am lazy and I do not do anything to the soil prior to planting, not even breaking the soil. My place in southern Ohio is mostly clay-like soil. After filling my feeder with Purina Deerchow, oats and corn, I found some growth near the area. Come to find out, the oats that had not been consumed had started to grow. These oats were purchased from a feed store. What the heck, I thought, it is green stuff and the deer may eat it. Boy was I right. The oat patch was run ragged.
Upon seeing the results from the unintentional growth, I returned to the feed store and purchased another 200 lbs of oats.As a lazy person, I just threw the oats on the ground in various places. Again, the seed sprouted. And again, the wildlife ate it up! I received a catolog from a famoust outfitter this spring that advertised oats as a food plot seed. The cost was high for me. I purchased the oats from the feed store for about $12 a 50 lb bag.
Since my discovery, I have spread 300 lbs of oats and have found all plots showing signs of feeding. I think that those of us on a low budget could do this with pretty good success.

What do you think?

farm hunter

SURE YOU CAN - and oats are a good source of carbohydrates and even protein in early growth. Oats will not do well on Grass sod however, the soil must be at least somewhat accessible for the root to establish at germination. Oats will grow on patches of exsposed subsoil - like log landing areas, log roads (not too shaded) and buldozed areas. It does well becasue it is tolerant of Low Phs and will germinate in almost any soil, even compacted soils.

Rye will too.

Given your observations, consider how well it would germinate on a prepared plot however.

Wooddust

You do realize that you could be exposing the entire "seed for deer" industry to massive devaluation?

How dare you conclude that oats compared to superduperhorngrowing oats are essentially the same?

Have you no shame.

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timbercruiser

Big problem with the surface sprouting seeds is that it takes time for the roots to develope. If any animal or bird grabs the young sprouts they come up roots and all ending that seeds contribution.

OhioDuckHunter

I understand all of the down sides of planting a plot this way. However, if I did not plant this way, I would not be able to offer the game much. I am still getting plenty of activity on the oats, and have recently sowed some wheat. If I had the resources, I would do it as "they" recommend. Since I do not, I am offering what I can to the wildlife.

OhioDuckHunter

P.S. Pics from my new trail cam to come....

OhioDuckHunter

Wooddust,

This was not my intention, to ...

"You do realize that you could be exposing the entire "seed for deer" industry to massive devaluation?"

However, I do have some cryptonized corn, wheat and oats for sale at a mere $50,000.00 per ounce. If you know someone whom may be interested, please let me know.

LMAO

OhioDuckHunter

OhioDuckHunter

I hope this pic comes out....


[link]http://www.hunt101.com/img/194684.jpg[/link]

This is a small buck feeding my "unconventional" plot. Hope you all enjoy it.

OhioDuckHunter

rwilson

I have a coupla established clover plots that I don't want to disturb. Whatta ya think about overseeding oats into the clover, say about the middle of Oct.? I realize there would be some failures due to hard ground sowing but they would prob. sprout to some extent, assuming reasonable conditions, right? This is piedmont NC.

Tree climber

ODH ; looks like you are doing something right.
nice small young buck.
I will be putting roundup on my plots friday so I can get ready to plant in a few weeks.

I will plant rye wheat and oats.