Food plots

I'm thinking next year I want to try the premium seed like tecomate. Who here has done this before. Is tecomate any good?

The premium seed is gonna affect your wallet a lot more than your deer hunting.

agreed

I know it's more expensive. Just a thought run through my head.

When I hunted in Demopolis when did Biologic one year and it was nite and day difference. Was more expensive and more involved but we saw more deer that year than ever on that one field than any other time. Maybe it was coincidence

We put it on our two best fields for the past three years and have been really pleased with the results.

What's y'all plant?

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I like it. I was watching the reconstruction show and it made me think about it. I've seen the high dollar fields and they look amazing. The place I saw them grass was much higher than the cheap green fields and much darker green.

We've tried stuff like that on a limited basis and I couldn't tell any difference. They ate our regular blend just as much and kept everything so mowed down the stuff like the turnips and rape never got a chance to get started good. I'm not saying it isn't better for them, but deer like the wheat, oats and rye grain blend just as much from what we could tell.

Please explain the greenfield pic? Is that tecomate on one half and another blend of seed on the other half of field and we are showing the growing difference. If so then It makes a difference.

I planted buck forage oats, and a tri-mix on different fields and they looked that green also, they aren't that big.

WMS Alabama Blend or WMS Deer Magnet and you want to be sorry , you can also add Buck Forage Oats in the mix .

No. I'm an over plower. Once I get on the tractor I have a hard time controlling myself.

I was going to post pictures of our other fields plus up close with the tomato cages to show the difference but they wouldn't load to Photobucket.

That particular field just happens to be the only field that isn't black gumbo. It's sandy soil and would grow rocks if we planted them. We don't really know why it is but we are guessing that it is wash out from the creek from many years of flooding and it's right behind the field and really low in that area.

The deer seem to really love this field over others. It maybe the seed or it could just be where it is located from their bedding and travel routes I don't know but we are guessing it's a little of both. The biggest difference we are seeing since we have been planting the Tecomate on a limited basis from our regular blend we buy is the growth after it's been hit hard from the deer grazing. Once again it could be the soil but it appears to do the same in the black gumbo even though it's not hit as hard due to its location. But that is what we were trying to change by using it. It's still a work in progress.

My hunting buddy is a long time farmer and he is sold on the difference. This area when they were row cropping grew it's share of beans and corn. So the land has been fertile ground in the past. But then again we lime and fertilizer as needed according to our soil test results. We keep records on Farm log as to planting times and germination plus rain amounts to see what fields are growing faster. As I said earlier that's the biggest difference I've seen so far.

Only REAL way to tell the difference is to split up some fields and plant half to your usual blend and half to whatever you want to try. Then put exclusion cages on both so you have a real comparison.

Yep . I use WMS Deer Magnet and add Coker 227 oats , makes a good plot.

Could probably make a bigger difference liming and doing some offseason stuff rather than paying more for seed for fall plots. At least in the south anyway.

I agree 100%.

Lots of people scoff at "branded seed" like Biologic or WMS but these companies cannot afford to screw up. Their seed is certified and it is what they say it is. You won't get trash seed mixed in. The seed is within expiration dates and their seed hasn't been exposed to elements detrimental to the seed's health.

Not to say that you can't get cheaper seed that is pure and at a high germination rate but I really bust my ace in preparation, liming, fert, tractor time, etc... if it means spending a few extra $, then I'll sleep well at night.

I don't scoff at guys that buy feed wheat. It's their choice. I buy higher-end seed from WMS and I know I'm buying a quality product. But you can also buy just wheat or just oats from WMS, too. And, it is what they say it is.

Just my opinion.

Oh, and the guys at University of Georgia know what they're doing when they create for example, Durana Clover. It's not a gimmick.

I agree that some seed that has been developed by some companies are better, but when your talking just normal seed, like coker oats or maxie wheat, buy the cheapest you can find. My co-op has an orange tag mix that has maxie wheat,cereal rye, coker oats, dixie crimson clover, dwarf essex rape, ptt, and daikon radish. 50lbs for $19 and does 1/2 acre.

blumsden, you're right. We buy what we call insurance seed which is a cheap wheat and we add cheap wheat seed to our branded seed to make our coverage a little thicker.

We feedin' deer and not growing for harvest which means two different seeding rates.

You get what you pay for. Always have used Biologic with good results and they have guarantee. If you test your soil, kill competition, and lime and fertilize according to results you can't beat your premium seed like Biologic. There is some seed that I would never buy because there is no guarantee or science behind it.

What are y'all talking about a "guarantee"?

Probably talking about guaranteed high % germination.

I want to know how many people have ever collected on one of those guarantees.

All seed meant for planting is germ test. Its on the bag. If it is last year seed it has to be retested. All is going to have a little unwanted weed seed in it. % is also on the bag. I'm sure company XYZ tested the seed for deer where they are and their soil conditions. Will it work for you and your soil conditions? Maybe, maybe not. Will your own mix with certified seed work as good or better? Maybe, maybe not. Trial and error with the best soil conditions you can achieve.