Episode #218 -Spring Food Plots - Is it time to plant?

Published: 2024-04-28
Episode page
Duration: 61 min

In this episode

bow-hunting

• Drake Evans asked whether shot placement is the most important, often-overlooked skill for consistently killing mature bucks. 31:11

clover

• Alex Dunker from Hull, Illinois asked Don to speak on properly sizing perennial clover plots. 49:00

consulting

• Don says meeting great people on consulting visits is one reason he can’t bring himself to fully retire from consulting. 26:55

corn

• Terry notes NutriCrave corn requires weed control done before planting rather than a post-emergence herbicide application. 14:04
• Don announces Real World has sold out of its hundred-day NutriCrave corn, though the 112-day variety remains in stock. 14:37

equipment

• Don announces his new g series drill was delivered this week from WildlifeFarming. 4:13
• Don explains free calibration stickers for drills are available on the Real World website with an order, or for about $4 without one. 5:27
• Terry reports three new drills arrived at Cornerstone this week for their dealer customers. 5:51

family

• Don shares that his family’s experience with Andrea’s situation has softened his heart toward parents dealing with sick children. 29:57

food-plots

• Don plans to start planting his food plots once the rain stops. 58:57
• Don says he no longer stresses when his plots aren’t planted yet, figuring the work will get done when it gets done. 60:13
• Billy Gays from Saint Louis asked whether putting screens through the middle of food plots would direct deer closer to a stand. 45:30

gift

• Don shares that his friend Chris Costmeyer sent him homemade maple syrup, which he hadn’t tried yet but looked dark and thick. 25:05

grain-sorghum

• Don says Real World selected the best two of the grain sorghum varieties they tested for their new sorghum blend. 45:15
• A listener’s neighbor believes grain sorghum seed mixes can’t be cleaned free of shattercane, spreading it via birds and deer. 42:16

hunting-industry

• Ralph Moore asked Don to describe negative aspects of being in his position within the hunting industry, beyond the well-known haters. 53:40

lesters-feet

• Terry announces Lester’s Feet has received about five welfare requests in the past week from listeners’ communities and churches. 28:24

livestock

• Don recounts that there’s nothing like waking up and finding a herd of cows fifteen feet from his bedroom window grazing in his yard. 0:48

miscanthus

• Don announces Miscanthus sales will end this coming week as rhizomes must be dug while still dormant. 8:18
• Don advises that refrigerated Miscanthus rhizomes can be planted as late as roughly July 1 if kept properly dormant. 9:18
• Terry recommends waiting to plant Miscanthus until a perfectly prepped, weed-free seed bed is ready rather than rushing into sod. 10:37
• Don recalls a Habitat consultant with a popular YouTube channel who bashed Miscanthus after planting it in sod, where poor root competition stunted its screening growth. 11:14

personal-life

• Don says the loose cows made him late for church, forcing his family to attend the later service instead of the early one. 2:47

priorities

• Don advises keeping priorities in order, saying people matter more than getting food plots planted on schedule. 60:26

soil-charge

• Terry plans to convert a corner of his ridge, intended for switchgrass next year, using soil charge to control weeds first. 16:18
• Don estimates soil charge can still be planted up until about June 1. 17:10

soybeans

• Don predicts Real World’s soybean seed will sell out within the next two to four weeks. 8:50
• Don recommends waiting for soil temperatures around sixty to sixty-five degrees before planting soybeans so they emerge quickly ahead of weeds. 18:39
• Don states soybeans can be planted clear up to July 1. 19:25
• Terry recalls mistiming his alfalfa’s first hay cut with soybean germination, leaving deer nothing else to browse but his new bean plots. 20:44
• Don notes the calibration sticker for the g series and Genesis drills includes four different soybean seeding rate settings. 21:55

spring-planting

• Terry warns that taking shortcuts on soil prep, fertilizer, or inputs during rushed spring planting can cause major weed and germination problems later. 22:38

switchgrass

• Don announces Real World has sold out of switchgrass, so it can no longer be ordered directly from the company. 8:01

turkey-calls

• Don shows off a turkey call sent to him as a gift by Nick Martin of Lethal Custom Calls. 23:40

work-life-balance

• Terry urges listeners not to let busyness run their lives, saying a food plot isn’t worth sacrificing time with his kids. 59:27

Deer activity

• unnamed buck (history) 25:52
• unnamed buck (hunt) 40:01

Listener questions

Question: Drake Evans asked whether shot placement is the most important, often-overlooked skill for consistently killing mature bucks. 31:11 — asked by Drake Evans

• Answer: Don says if a deer is within fifteen to twenty yards, there’s no excuse for missing the shot. 33:21

Question: A listener’s neighbor believes grain sorghum seed mixes can’t be cleaned free of shattercane, spreading it via birds and deer. 42:16 — asked by Carl Wigginski

• Answer: Don assures listeners quality grain sorghum seed from a reputable source will not contain any shattercane. 42:49

Question: Billy Gays from Saint Louis asked whether putting screens through the middle of food plots would direct deer closer to a stand. 45:30 — asked by Billy Gays

• Answer: Don says he generally doesn’t think plots need to be broken up with interior screening like Miscanthus or switchgrass. 47:35

Question: Alex Dunker from Hull, Illinois asked Don to speak on properly sizing perennial clover plots. 49:00 — asked by Alex Dunker

• Answer: Don explains one main reason for mowing clover is to keep weed pressure under control. 50:18

Question: Ralph Moore asked Don to describe negative aspects of being in his position within the hunting industry, beyond the well-known haters. 53:40 — asked by Ralph Moore

• Answer: Don says his biggest negative is not having enough hours in the day to show people the respect they deserve. 57:40

Don and Terry covered spring planting logistics for Real World’s product line. Don noted his new g series drill arrived and that free calibration stickers, covering four soybean rate settings, were available from the Real World website. He announced switchgrass had sold out, Miscanthus sales would end soon since rhizomes need to be dug while dormant (though refrigerated rhizomes could still go in the ground until about July 1), and hundred-day NutriCrave corn was gone while the 112-day variety remained. Terry stressed prepping a weed-free bed before planting Miscanthus and doing weed control ahead of NutriCrave corn rather than relying on post-emergence spray, recalling his own mistimed alfalfa cut that left deer nothing but new bean plots. Listener questions addressed shot placement, shattercane in sorghum seed, screening within plots, and clover sizing. Both hosts emphasized not letting planting deadlines override family priorities.

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.