Been thinking about it but with a temp in the single digits and a wind chill way below zero..........
I just freshened up my mineral sites today. Mixed in some 30-06 into the dirt and threw a Trophy Rock on top for good measure. Brassicas, rye, and red clover going into my pathways to the stands.
Dont forget soil samples and lime Especially if doing spring plots it takes some time for the lime to go to work.
I think about it every time I walk past my brassicas plot untouched and rotting. I'm a glutton for punishment so I'm sure I will be out there this spring working the ground. Most likely just planting some clover/alfalfa. Good call on the mineral sites.
Attractants folks...attractants aren't necessarily minerals. The mislabeling is predominate especially in the mineral field. Example, Trophy Rock is like 92-96% just salt. Granted natural occurring salt as it is mined in Utah but basically salt. Attractant more than anything, despite yes some salt intake is necessary...but the minerals truly delivered is so minute it isn't even worth considering it a mineral supplement. It is an attractant, and honestly a good one at that. You will get plenty of pictures no doubt!
As for us, we'll be personally doing some spring plots but not at every property. Some will be re-green ups of cereal grains which we'll keep an eye on till going to head and then most likely mow and allow volunteer seed to pop until killing off for fall (soil tests will be conducted mid Spring most likely. The spots we will be doing Soybeans will begin to be prepped and killed off in Spring as to allow broadcasting once beans should go in. Till then we will also be brush hogging some spots bigger, prepping some locations for switch grasses as well as some sorghum strips we plan on doing too....far far too much to do. I will be incorporating minerals differently this year as I have grown tired of digging up, fencing off and covering my mineral sites due to Indiana law (didn't really do any last year). Going to incorporate kitty pools with dirt and mineral...as for quick removal. I will be utilizing Realworld's mineral most likely this year which mimics ingredient listings of true mineral supplements, now partnering up with Realworld so might as well put the product to use!
Will be getting ready to do some hinging shortly. Also, considering the possibility of opening up a smaller kill plot in a transition area this year as well. My main plot will see one half frost seeded in March, and the other half (residual brassica mix) will be tilled under for some TBD spring planting.
I'm starting to think about starting to plan. Have a couple trees I know I want to drop in my main bow kill plot. Will allow more light into the plot, and open a shooting lane into an area giving me another 20 degrees of coverage around the tree.
Hinging has started here as well...just hinged over 20 young cottonwoods this past weekend. Have plans for some serious chainsaw days spent in the coming months.
Im in the process of deciding what im going to be planting this year. I think were gonna be doing corn, turnips/rape, ICPs/buckwheat, clover, and then some type of bean. Debating on the eagle seed forage soybeans?? Anybody have any experience with them??
Along this line check out this article. It provides an interesting perspective. QDMA Canada - Mineral Supplementation
Kiddie pool mineral sites for areas they need to be removed sound like a great idea! Cheap and easy. I was thinking perhaps something like those turtle sandboxes where you put the top of the shell on as a lid. When you have to close it up, put top on and throw on some kind of fastener.
I have noticed that the poplars, cottonwoods, aspens, etc., are more likely to be browsed when hinged. So you get cover and food. They also grow faster and survive better after hinging.
I've got an area, roughly an acre and a half, with about 200 3-6" in diameter cottonwoods. Cottonwoods aren't very good in wind so they are naturally hinging themselves but would be a great spot to do a more planned hinge. Worst part is the beavers destroy that area rather quickly if a guy doesn't stay on top of trapping them.
