considering a food plot in the Teannaway.

[bearpaw]

weeds 

That's the toughest thing to deal with. The easiest thing is to buy the right herbicides for the problems you encounter and spray as needed. There are sprays for just about any situation.

[runamuk]

I would go native and natural not invasive and agricultural.  These are wild animals not beef cattle, they do best on their natural forage.  Increase that.  And in the teanaway the cultivated food is so readily available that it seems kinda silly to plant hay crops you wont be haying.

[time2hunt]

Look into this the deer love it

http://agresearch.montana.edu/wtarc/producerinfo/agronomy-nutrient-management/Sainfoin/NRCSPLantGuide.pdf


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[KFhunter]

Hard to go wrong with a good clover alfalfa mix. I've planted straight alfalfas and clovers of various varieties, the advantage of a mix is that the variety that adapts best to each part of the area planted will grow best. Annual clovers will grow fast until the perennial clovers and alfalfa get going. We have a plot with some different clover planted in each part of it as a test, last year everything but one blend did well and we may have planted that blend too late. This year planted some alfa rack plus in a section and some Durana clover in a section of the same plot with the clovers from last year, both new plantings are doing very well so far. So far the deer are eating some of all of it, the last year clovers and this year's plantings, we can't say for sure there is a favorite yet.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/hunting/trail-cameras-feeders/food-plots/pc/104791680/c/104767380/sc/106630380/whitetail-institute-imperial-alfa-rack-plus-seed-northern/742347.uts?slotId=3

https://www.cabelas.com/product/hunting/trail-cameras-feeders/food-plots/pc/104791680/c/104767380/sc/106630380/pennington-rackmaster-durana-white-clover/2538119.uts?slotId=0

If you would rather buy some bulk seed and make your own mix you could mix some red clover, white clover, alfalfa, and oats. Be sure you get varieties that are winter hardy. It's best to test ph, but I've never done that where I'm at, most land around here will grow alfalfa, clover, or grains so I didn't bother. Everything I've planted has done fairly well except some sainfoin which I think was in too shady of an area or it may have needed some lime. We recently planted more sanfoin in a sunnier area that has had other crops in the past, it should sprout any day, I'm anxious to see if it grows. If it won't grow I'll just plant something else in the future, I don't want to have to be adding lime and fertilizer all the time, I want plots that are easy maintenance. If the plants look yellow and weak add some fertilizer, they will green right up and grow faster.

I've got some new fangled new zealand clover to try but haven't got it planted yet.

It's really fun growing food plots and seeing positive results!

 spread on some borated gypsum and look out!  This whole area is low on boron, and it'll really help your apples if you have those.


Don't overlook trees in your plot too

[danderson]

I live in the Teanaway, been here 40 years best advise for anyone that wants to improve deer fawn survival is put out a good mineral salt block, I use the Trophy rock brand, old mill in Ellensburg has them. most folks dont realize deer like to eat native plants, they need cover and space as well as Habitat, and without all three will not thrive.

[Special T]

My property has a Swale, it looks natural and holds so much water after the snow melt it's insane. We cant even get machinery down there till about this time of year as the soil is so wet. I'll look into some resources as far as soil testing.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

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With the way water rights are going in this state installing a swale  now  is a good investment. What you going to do when they start metering wells? If done properly a swale should be a one time infrastructure investment.

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[MonstroMuley]

... if have water rights and right gravity flow (or powered from the Swale) ... at minimal cost, build the "Himalayan Ice Stupa".
Like building your own Artificial Glacier(s).