Food Plots Friggin birds

[buckaroo]

Every year, I've come to the conclusion to buy double the wheat I need. I have planted and replanted, within an hour of discing in seed, have ran off hundreds of turkeys and crows, am I the only one having this problem?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

It sucks. I hate having a camera over a field and I can't wait to see what critters come in to the newly-sprouted crop. Always, the first 100 pics are of about 25-50 crows digging in the dirt. I have about 1500 lbs of seed to put out soon and will hope for the best.

 

[BSK]

Every year, I've come to the conclusion to buy double the wheat I need. I have planted and replanted, within an hour of discing in seed, have ran off hundreds of turkeys and crows, am I the only one having this problem?

All the time. That's why I call turkey "feathered seed-eating rats." Hate them.

 

[Pioneer1789]

Every year, I've come to the conclusion to buy double the wheat I need. I have planted and replanted, within an hour of discing in seed, have ran off hundreds of turkeys and crows, am I the only one having this problem?

Turkeys decimated my first planting. Overseeding with oats and rye as soon as we get some good forecasted rain. Next year, I'm renting the no till drill again. It would've saved me quite a bit on reseeding costs.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Turkeys decimated my first planting. Overseeding with oats and rye as soon as we get some good forecasted rain. Next year, I'm renting the no till drill again. It would've saved me quite a bit on reseeding costs.

Yeah they definitely don't get as much of the seed when it's drilled. Unfortunately for us, this is the worst year possible creating 11 new acres of food plots - we aren't drilling into the rough ground for wear and tear purposes, just broadcasting. Between the army worms and turkeys, we are having a heck of a year getting stuff to grow on the new dirt. While I like seeing all the turkeys we don't normally see......I know why they're there

 

[Crappieaddict]

I planted this past Sunday. Dreading to see what's on the cameras!

 

[Pioneer1789]

Yeah they definitely don't get as much of the seed when it's drilled. Unfortunately for us, this is the worst year possible creating 11 new acres of food plots - we aren't drilling into the rough ground for wear and tear purposes, just broadcasting. Between the army worms and turkeys, we are having a heck of a year getting stuff to grow on the new dirt. While I like seeing all the turkeys we don't normally see......I know why they're there

I've got some brassicas coming up and some other stuff. Seems to be the smallest seed in my mix that survived. I'm guessing because they were harder to see. Austrian winter peas were almost totally wiped out. I've heard they don't like the taste of rye once it's gotten some moisture and germinated. I hope that's the case.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yep, turkeys and crows have hammered my seed plenty of times. Definitely sucks to go through the time and work to put in a plot only to have it destroyed by democrat birds.

 

[megalomaniac]

I will be happy to visit any of your places come spring and execute all toms to save you some seed next fall! I'll even do it for FREE!

 

[Pioneer1789]

I will be happy to visit any of your places come spring and execute all toms to save you some seed next fall! I'll even do it for FREE!

Toms weren't the culprits on my place. About 30 hens. Glad they're here. Wish they'd head over to my neighbor's place for a couple weeks though.

 

[mike243]

Years ago we made a dove field with a mix of corn wheat ect ,the crows would pull the little corn sprouts up and eat the corn , beat all I ever seen .I set a few hundred yards away and watched with bino's to see what was doing it. Dont think any of the corn made it . had a few birds show up but it needed bush hogged and we never did, just left it for a fall plot as the ground was very bad for growing anything but pines

 

[Popcorn]

Years ago we made a dove field with a mix of corn wheat ect ,the crows would pull the little corn sprouts up and eat the corn , beat all I ever seen .I set a few hundred yards away and watched with bino's to see what was doing it. Dont think any of the corn made it . had a few birds show up but it needed bush hogged and we never did, just left it for a fall plot as the ground was very bad for growing anything but pines

If you shoot a crow and leave it laying they will leave for several days. I have to shoot one in my popcorn patch every year but then they leave it alone so the squirrels can get some!!

 

[Chaneylake]

Every year, I've come to the conclusion to buy double the wheat I need. I have planted and replanted, within an hour of discing in seed, have ran off hundreds of turkeys and crows, am I the only one having this problem?

It doesn't take but a few ounces of pure turpentine per 50 pounds of any seed to basically stop all birds from eating your seed.

 

[buckaroo]

It doesn't take but a few ounces of pure turpentine per 50 pounds of any seed to basically stop all birds from eating your seed.

Do you just mix it in? Is it poison

 

[Chaneylake]

Do you just mix it in? Is it poison

It's the smell. It doesn't hurt any type seed. Just stir in a few ounces and the turpentine will act as a retardant. I have done this for almost 20 years.
Layman's terms, animals can't detect that seeds are present due to the turpentine smell.

 

[CBU93]

Birds can smell?

 

[Grainger]

Birds can smell?

Some can, some don't.

 

[Chaneylake]

Some can, some don't.

Why in the hello does someone question what has worked for years and they keep failing.

It's real simple. Turpentine keeps critters from eating your seed. Just do it. Really cheap cure.

 

[Chaneylake]

Do you just mix it in? Is it poison

Not poison, either bad smell or bad taste depending upon the critters

 

[mike243]

I have always been amazed at the buzzards crows and squirrels , the birds can smell for a long way, the squirrels I haven't quite figured them out weather its the taste of the nut or the smell of the nut when they take a little bite and discard the nut. have cracked open many a time to see a shriveled nut inside

 

[JCDEERMAN]

It doesn't take but a few ounces of pure turpentine per 50 pounds of any seed to basically stop all birds from eating your seed.

You told me to do that this year and I didn't. I should have. Will definitely be doing that next spring

 

[DeerCamp]

Every year, I've come to the conclusion to buy double the wheat I need. I have planted and replanted, within an hour of discing in seed, have ran off hundreds of turkeys and crows, am I the only one having this problem?

Crows are pretty smart birds, and the season for them is open for most of September.

Insert a shotgun into the situation and I have found that the crows are smart enough to stay away.

 

[DeerCamp]

If you shoot a crow and leave it laying they will leave for several days. I have to shoot one in my popcorn patch every year but then they leave it alone so the squirrels can get some!!

Speaking of squirrels. We have a bunch around the house, and this year they discovered that they like tomatoes a lot.

Between 4 plants I ended up having 1 tomato make it to maturity. Tried Owl decoys, tried string and pie plates.

Wish those little suckers would accidentally chew one of the jalapenos.

 

[BSK]

Speaking of squirrels. We have a bunch around the house, and this year they discovered that they like tomatoes a lot.

For rodents, squirrels are brilliant. I spent an entire summer trying to outwit my local squirrels when it came to a bird feeder. Everything I tried to keep them out just slowed them down for a day or two. They always figured out a new way to get into the bird feeder, even jumping from my house's roof, and eventually dropping onto the feeder from trees above. Smart little monsters.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

For rodents, squirrels are brilliant. I spent an entire summer trying to outwit my local squirrels when it came to a bird feeder. Everything I tried to keep them out just slowed them down for a day or two. They always figured out a new way to get into the bird feeder, even jumping from my house's roof, and eventually dropping onto the feeder from trees above. Smart little monsters.

A little box trap with some honey roasted peanuts and peanut butter typically does the trick. At least it has worked when we have squirrels that find their way into our cabin. I set it up on the roof where I hear them running in the evenings right before dark on their way back "home". It is on my agenda for Saturday since I heard them running around last weekend in the wall . I blew the head off of one a couple months back with my .17. I guess this other one is its partner.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Crows are pretty smart birds, and the season for them is open for most of September.

Insert a shotgun into the situation and I have found that the crows are smart enough to stay away.

Agreed on the crows being very sharp.

 

[DeerCamp]

For rodents, squirrels are brilliant. I spent an entire summer trying to outwit my local squirrels when it came to a bird feeder. Everything I tried to keep them out just slowed them down for a day or two. They always figured out a new way to get into the bird feeder, even jumping from my house's roof, and eventually dropping onto the feeder from trees above. Smart little monsters.

I bet what happened is you were watching mission impossible on TV, and one of the squirrels was peeking in through the window.

Got to be careful about giving squirrels ideas. They're very ambitious

 

[BSK]

I bet what happened is you were watching mission impossible on TV, and one of the squirrels was peeking in through the window.

Got to be careful about giving squirrels ideas. They're very ambitious

Ha! Brilliant little SOBs.

 

[BSK]

Agreed on the crows being very sharp.

Crows are considered one of the smartest birds on the planet. And it's scary to realize they're just little dinosaurs. The old idea that dinosaurs were dumb is completely outdated. They were certainly as smart or smarter than today's birds of prey.

 

[rukiddin]

It doesn't take but a few ounces of pure turpentine per 50 pounds of any seed to basically stop all birds from eating your seed.

You remember COUNTER? That's some of the baddest stuff I've ever seen. It always scared the daylights outta me but it would dang sure stop whatever was eating seed. Problem is, you'd need a backhoe to bury the dead.
Years ago, had some buddies who farmed ~10k acres on the coast. They used it on a 50 acre field of string beans they planted in the spring and the next day, there was 500+ dead seagulls in that field…………