Fall food plot

Looks like either jimsonweed, or Carolina horse-nettle.  They are both toxic if eaten.  I know of livestock getting sick if that stuff gets unknowingly mixed into their hay.  I don't think cattle graze it in the pasture, so not sure what a deer would do.  Either way, they are worthless plants (non-native) and taking up space. 

Does anyone know what this is? I have a patch in the center area of my plot. The field was hit with round up before planting. 

Our main 10 acre agricultural field is all in alfalfa this year as planted by the local farmer.  We've got about 2 acres of internal plots that were planted earlier in the year in clover.  They initially came up really good and then died off because of the no rain.  Now they are coming back really good. My uncle planted a bunch of pumpkins and squash around the edges and those are coming in really good.  

I think the hard part with that, is right when I feel like I have a good general pattern of deer feeding patterns, the local farmers change up their planting schedule and everything changes. Not much of a change when just alternating soy beans and corn, but around me we have farmers messing around with kidney beans, wheat, sunflowers, alfalfa, etc so it's a constantly changing pattern. But that's half the battle and fun!

I ended up tilling in my winter wheat, just seemed too early for it to already be 4-6" high and only took me an hour or so to re-till the whole thing. Planted a section of turnips, a section of annual/perennial clover and chicory, section of winter peas and I sectioned off a portion of the main plot to save for winter wheat staggering in the next few weeks. Lawn roller to pack it down and I'd say it's my nicest looking plot yet followed by some good rain last night. Hopefully she grows!

My two cents

I have lived in my current house for 6 seasons now. I have a 5 acre food plot. It is all agricultural around me with mostly corn, hay, rye, and wheat. In the beginning I planted rape and turnips just so I had something different than the large fields around me. both attracted deer but usually the turnips were a late season favorite. The rape started drawing them in august. I'm mostly a bow hunter so I was questioning the wisdom of turnips. I started really watching where the deer congregated in my area. Every area will be a little different depending on what's around you. If you are near an apple orchard you may have your work cut out for you. I started noticing that deer fed heavily in the red clover in august and September probably because there was very little around. September the deer were in the soy beans like it was a magnet! I switched to half soy bean and half clover. The other advantage is that clover is a perennial. So far my choice has been a good one. I recommend watching the deer in your area closely. They will tell you what they want!

Lack of rain doesn’t help. Two of my larger plots I did in sunflowers and I’m pretty happy with them. It’s got some weeds but I don’t use roundup or any weed killer

So ?I tilled under my winter wheat plot that had gone to maturity a few weeks back. The winter wheat has reseeded itself and it's actually a pretty nice looking plot right now. But pretty sure it's way to early for winter wheat so I'm wondering ?if I'm better off tilling it all under again before planting, or just let it keep growing and plant over it? I was planning on spot spraying for weeds but way too much winter wheat to try and work around. Hoping to plant winter ?peas this weekend - ?what ?do you think?

I feel your pain. I put a plot in on7/27, came up nice with an inch of rain. No rain since, checked it today and looks ok but I don't think we will get rain in time to save it. Was planning on putting in two more plots but may just put out winter rye in September. Critical next couple of weeks for a lot of food plots. Good luck.

Took Friday off because the weathermen said it was going to rain 1/2 -1in of rain Sunday in the Sparta area.  My son, nephew, and I spent 6hrs and got 5 plots done. It never rained!!!  They are calling for rain Friday but I don’t believe them.  So frustrated…. ?

That was kind of what I was thinking was some rye grass but wasn’t sure, I think I’ll get some clove as well, the property is completely wooded and hasn’t been logged in over 60 years but there are open areas, we had oak wilt come in and the past couple years that bug that takes out the spruce trees has completely changed that property…it’s amazing how much a small little beetle can change things, I’ll walk through an area that I have been walking through since I can remember and get lost 

Had a similar situation 2 years ago, opened up a few shooting lanes with a dozer and widened ?our trails so ?alot of exposed dirt. I broadcasted winter wheat by hand. ?That stuff grows just about anywhere as long as you have soil contact. I've even broadcasted it into marsh grass after spraying and have had it poke through enough to interest the deer.

Winter rye is the best value for the buck. Just throw it out early September before a rain. Clover might work if it gets a little sun.

Finally getting some rain! Almost all summer it went either just north or just south 

Question for the experienced…son and I have been working on an elevated stand on the family hunting property that is 40 acres of a mix of hardwood and spruce creek bottom, the trail leading to the stand is all fresh dirt from the work and did pull some trees out, we are heading up next weekend to do some more work on the stand and wanted to get something to plant along the trail, it’s all wooded and shady…I’ve never had luck with the bags of mixed seeds at fleet or cabelas and was thinking of going to ?the Co Op and getting something, what would be good?  Rye grass? Clover?

Plot is in and growing great. Timing with rain is everything!