BSK
Well-Known Member
Two of the models have the rain back in for the 13th. We shall see.
Food Plots Well... how much did you get?
- Thread starter megalomaniac
- Start date
BSK
Well-Known Member
Loosing hope in the rain next Thursday. Models are back to nothing for 2 weeks.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I will say this... part of me hopes for zero rain for another month...
While I will have wasted $1200 in seed alone ( not counting diesel and wear / tear on equipment), the very best year for success on mature bucks I've ever had was 5 or 6 years ago when we had the incredible drought ( the same fall Gatlinburg burned).
Zero food plots available, zero acorns. I had a smidgen of green on my native browse and pastures cattle had been rotated out of end of Aug. And most importantly, I had some of the only available water sources around ( ponds half full where cattle had been rotated out of).
We hunted ponds that fall... doe groups hit them twice a day, and bucks came to ponds to check for does. We killed a 6.5, 5.5, and two 4.5yos that fall, most who shifted onto us fron neighboring properties that didn't have water or feed.
Hate to give this tip away, but I'd be thinking HARD about building a water source on your hunting ground right now and keeping it filled up however you can... gonna be money come Nov if the drought continues.
While I will have wasted $1200 in seed alone ( not counting diesel and wear / tear on equipment), the very best year for success on mature bucks I've ever had was 5 or 6 years ago when we had the incredible drought ( the same fall Gatlinburg burned).
Zero food plots available, zero acorns. I had a smidgen of green on my native browse and pastures cattle had been rotated out of end of Aug. And most importantly, I had some of the only available water sources around ( ponds half full where cattle had been rotated out of).
We hunted ponds that fall... doe groups hit them twice a day, and bucks came to ponds to check for does. We killed a 6.5, 5.5, and two 4.5yos that fall, most who shifted onto us fron neighboring properties that didn't have water or feed.
Hate to give this tip away, but I'd be thinking HARD about building a water source on your hunting ground right now and keeping it filled up however you can... gonna be money come Nov if the drought continues.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Huh. As of the 6Z run, the American model (GFS) has the rain back in for next Thursday. The other two models (as of 0Z) do not.
BSK
Well-Known Member
As of 12Z both American and European models have rain back in for Thursday, and a lot of rain.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Lord help us. This is about the worst I've ever seen it.
You know, AccuWeather has been at 55% chance for next Thursday for nearly two weeks now.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Amazing how different all the models are.
BSK
Well-Known Member
It would take too many loads to water 7 acres.
I only have small 1/4-1/2 acre plots and that's what I did last year to plant mine. I have a small brush fire trailer powered by a little trash pump that I used, and it worked just fine. I did it two days in a row to get the seed wet and the grass/weed clippings wet and I had real good plots.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Looks like the rain that has been forecasted for Thursday is gone again....checked several plots yesterday that were planted earlier and now, even in the shaded areas, they are struggling...not looking good...the plots we sprayed but hadn't planted yet are just sitting there brown....still have 400lb of cereal rye sitting in the basement and will probably pick up 300lb of winter wheat soon..then top sow it all heavy over 7 acres later in the month... hopefully before a rain event of any amount.... actually I'll be sowing it all towards the end of the month no matter the forecast because we won't be doing any food plot work in November...and eventually it will rain again...I hope.
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Planted another 350 lbs of rye I had sitting around. Figured might as well put it out yesterday since there was a possibility of rain Thursday and its getting later in the season.. welpppp.
Same boat as you. Got 20 of them that are planted & really struggling. 12 more that are prepped still waiting on rain before planting. Have 3,000 lbs of fertilizer to spread too... With the on/off forecast for Thursday I may just go stay this week & see what actually happens. Worst case I get to hunt, best I get to plant. Would really like to get the fert down to help the struggling ones. Gonna pick up some wheat as well.
Really getting concerned about the welfare of game this winter since we have no nuts of any kind.Deer are already feeding in hay fields & I've never seen so many squirrels on the ground looking in my life. May be the worst scenario I've had in 20 years. Thankful that our spring fed creeks are still running. Shallow but still going for now...
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Planted another 350 lbs of rye I had sitting around. Figured might as well put it out yesterday since there was a possibility of rain Thursday and its getting later in the season.. welpppp.
One of the most frustrating falls we've ever attempted to plant plots.....can't catch a break...hopefully the seed you put out will get a shower.... Soon we'll be doing the same.....sow and hope.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
We have one particular spring on the farm that I've never seen dry in 35 + years... and yesterday I noticed that it has green grass around it...but no water.
Like others said, the shady spots are doing well… but that's about 1/10 acre of the full plot lol
I don't remember it being this dry in my area before. I can't believe we don't have serious wildfire yet.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Planted another 350 lbs of rye I had sitting around. Figured might as well put it out yesterday since there was a possibility of rain Thursday and its getting later in the season.. welpppp.
Well....I was looking at weather app earlier.....but weather man on news this morning still has rain in the forecast for Thursday so who knows? Maybe we get it.
