wihunter402

Well back on August 21 I planted half of this field in oats and the other half in Whitetail Institute's Extreme. This is just before I planted.


Here is that field just 7 days later.


Looks like the oats are all about 2 inches high. I just wanted to share with everyone here. Several of you have given me help with this project. Thanks for that.

ostdc

Did you spray the grass before you started? It looks a lot like what I started with and I had a heck of a time getting the grass and quack out of it. I finally planted RR soybeans and sprayed the whole thing with Round-up.
Where are you from?
Brian

wihunter402

ostdc,
It was a very long process as I do not have all the right equipment. I cut everything with the DR Field and Brush mower first then with a riding lawnmower. I then let it sit 1 week and hit it with a heavy dose of roundup. After 2 weeks I went back with a pull behind tiller. 3 feet wide and many trips. This whole field took about 5 hours to turn with the tiller. Then I planted using the "Plot Master" pulling it with the atv. It is alot of work but I have the time so I figured what the hey. About the only thing I would have done differently if I had more time would be to have hit it with a second round of roundup and then planted. This plot is in Richland County. If you have any other questions just let me know.

ir655

Great job! I know that hard work will be paid off this season!

ostdc

Is there a reason you went with oats instead of wheat or rye?
Brian

wihunter402

Not really. I just did a little reading and liked what the Buck Forage Oats claimed. Problem was I couldn't find the BFO around here (at the time) so I just picked up some regular seed oats from the local co-op.

My Dad was out yesterday and said the oats are up about 4 inches. I will be going tomorrow so I will take some more pictures. I just hope the deer like them.

ir655

Just look over the pics again and noticed the plot to the right had less "green" in it....what's going on there?

farm hunter

VERY NICE - thanks for posting the pictures - I can tell you did alot of work, and I expect you'll be rewarded with increased deer sightings.

It seems like you might want to consider shooting more does, if your hunting regulations allow it. There is a very obvious "browse line" on the field edge - that indicates to me that you have a high deer population, and thinning could be in order. The other option is to offer more food, year round and increase the CC of the land.

The corner to the "left" in the picture looks to be the best hunting spot - BUT the prevailing wind comes from that side by the the way the grass leans - This is good, until the deer enter the field, then you'd be busted. It might be a better "north wind" stand - that corner.

Good luck this fall -

FH

wihunter402

That half is planted in extreme and it is coming up slower.

Farm Hunter,
Very observant. Yes that corner is the best and you are 100% correct about the wind.

As for the high deer population you are also 100% correct. I know many do not agree with the WI DNR but on our property there are too many deer. We purchased this land 2.5 years ago so this will be our 3rd season. Four of us last year took 6 does and one buck off this 80 acres. This past May my Dad was at the cabin for a day and saw 4 does with a total of 7 fawns. Looks like all the deer we shot were replaced. We are in the CWD Management zone here which means we are earn-a-buck but we can earn one for every doe we shoot. That's right last year we earned 6 buck tags. We let many smaller ones go and took does for the freezer. I am hoping for a doe kill this year of 7 or 8 and 4 bucks. I was at our cabin about 3 weeks ago and saw 14 deer on about a 8-10 acre hillside. I know there were other deer in the area.

I will be out there this weekend so I will try to remember to get some updated pics to post soon.

Thanks for all the replys.

wihunter402

Just some updated pictures.
First here is the entire field. Again oats on the left and extreme on the right. So far I am very happy with what they are doing. I do wish I didn't have the striping that I do. Guess using the "Plot Master" to plant was not the best idea. Next time I will just broadcast it. These were taken on Sept. 12. Everything was planted on Aug. 21.



Here is a close up of the oats.


Here is a close up of the extreme.