I mange 1500 acres of deer and turkey hunting ground. Missouri Southern Seed, Deer Creek, Handcock, Merrit, Millborn and the local ag supply businesses all get my money. If one doesn't have what you need then go somewhere else. I've also used the Whitetail Institute products and prairie mixes from Pheasants Forever. No complaints from any of them. Seed bed preparation is the most important aspect to me rivaling quality seed. I once worried about Hancock seed because it was out of Florida. No worries after using their products. Reputable dealers will have maps of suggested planting areas and dates. Very useful information. I plant multiple varieties of clovers either in standalone or variety mixes, winter wheat, oats, austrian winter peas, field corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Going to add some purple top turnips this summer. Planting techniques differ with the seed and management objectives. When it's all said and done, I like white clover varieties, winter wheat and carbs from either soybeans or corn. Soybeans are tough if you have small plots and very high density deer numbers. I had a 3.5 acre forage soybean field wiped out before September last year. ( we need to thin out the does). Clover is good for early spring, summer and fall. Not much there in tough winter conditions. Winter wheat is a favorite. Produces green browse from September through maybe June and then produces a good seed head. I also frost seed clovers into my winter wheat. Fall oats are great until the winter weather kills the plant here on the Iowa/ Missouri line. Spring oats are great if you follow with a fall planting of something else. One final observation. I once erroneously thought that the deer would utilize the more common clovers on the property and take some pressure off the soybeans. I was wrong! Deer will bypass everything else to feed on soybean leafs prior to the plants putting on the pods and filling them. That makes soybeans expensive green browse if you can't get the plants to the pod stage. Oh... and anything over say 20% protein that the deer can utilize is not needed for antler growth , lactation and body growth in younger animals. The food plot business is like everything else. Meaning something new and more expensive is more for the bottom line of the seller than the end user.
Last edited by All33; 04/03/22 04:28 PM.
