Multi species food plot mix

Just got done checking in on some food plot projects for some landowners. We’ve been experimenting with multi species cocktail mixes. The idea of these plots is to provide brood rearing cover and a winter food source for pheasants while also including late season deer browse. This plot was planted with an atv broadcaster and drag on June 9th

Mix 1:
Perodivik sunflowers
Grain Sorghum
Forage sorghum
Pearl millet
Proso millet
Turnip
Radish
Red clover
White clover
Buckwheat
Flax
Lentils

So far we’ve found everything we planted and are very happy with the plot. Hopefully it has enough body to hold up to our winters out here.

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another pic

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very nice!

Interesting plot mix. Looks really good.

I’ll be interested to see how your blend stays standing after the fall die-off and the first snow or two. Please post some more pics late in the year.

Grouse

Thanks Grouse,

I am also very interested to see how these hold up after the understory withers away. We tried to design the mix to be about 70% Warm Season Grasses/Sunflowers and 30% broadleaves/browse.

The other idea we’d like to try is to plant some corn rows to act as a snow catch for these food plots to ensure the food is available to the birds.

The brood rearing potential in these plots are phenomenal. The sunflowers and buckwheat provide great overhead cover while the understory remains open for young chicks to forage on insects. I would argue that brood rearing food/habitat is just as critical as winter food sources especially if your in an area that see’s cold wet springs. Gotta produce birds before you can worry about wintering them!

This plot looks great. Your last paragraph is money as far as I’m concerned.