Food Plots in Northern NM..

sirhuntalot · Dec 8, 2004

I have a small ranch and I was wondering what food plots would be best to plant in Northern NM to attract Deer? Has anyone tried Biologic or Tecomate in NM? Note: I do not have irrigation so the plot would have to be "watered" by rain.

Blanding_Boy · Dec 8, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-04 AT 12:08PM (MST)[p]
Do you have deer year round, summer or winter? What you need to plat depends on what you have.

Don't use biologic or tecomate, I don't think you would get enough moisture for these seed mixes to do well. Look at planting some alphalfa hay, forage kochia, san foin, Civer milkvetch orchard grass, blue grass and sagebrush or bitterbrush, make sure to get these from local seed sources in norther NM.

If you would like further info on pounds per acre etc. give me a shout and I can give further assistance and contacts.

Todd

kyote · Dec 8, 2004

What part of Northern New Mexico?

sirhuntalot · Dec 8, 2004

North of Cuba (Rio Arriba county).

sirhuntalot · Dec 8, 2004

Todd,
I sent you a PM. Check your inbox.
Thx.

HuntinAddict · Dec 8, 2004

Have you planted any apple trees? I have read from cocinoelktaco (Monti B.)that he has apple trees, wheat, etc and the deer are hitting them pretty well. Can you help sirhuntalot on this Food Plot topic Monti?

sirhuntalot · Dec 8, 2004

I would like to plant apple trees but I am not sure they would grow since I do not irrigate. Unless there is such a thing as a "drought tolerant" apple tree. Does anyone know if apple trees would grow and put out fruit with just the moisture from rain?

dutch · Dec 8, 2004

Next fall like in late October to Mid November plant some smooth brome and crested wheat grass mixture. They say about 7-8 pounds an acre. This is a dryland grass so once established it does not need irrigation and the deer seem to really like it.
Deer on my place are in these areas about 70% of the time compared to the nice alfalfa field-though they do eat there as well but seem to prefer the dryland grasses. Smooth brome will also spread a little.
Plant in November though, hope for a little snow then in spring it should come right up. They can do a now plow plant as well which will keep costs and weeds down to a minimum.
Also this seed is pretty affordable, I got mine at wholesale from our custom farms department which was like $1.65 a pound or something like that. Retail is usually around $2.00 a pound.
If it does get a lot of moisture it will just do better, but even in dry years it greens up in spring and fall.

jamaro · Dec 8, 2004

If it was me I would build water tanks... not take my chances and hope for rain to water your plants.
jason

pnm · Dec 8, 2004

There are some great "ice cream" plants that are native to your area and seed is redily available. These plants are deer and elk favorites and will come up with a little rain. Stay away from the grasses, deer and elk are browsers and will key into shrubs and forbs. Grass does make up some of thier diet, but a small %. I would start with Cliffrose (Cowania mexacana), Fourwinged saltbush (Atriplex canesance??), Mountain mahogany (??), and Ceanothis sp. (Ceanothis ??). These seeds a fairly cheap and easy to grow. I have a bunch of others if your interested. There is a seed company out of Utah called Granite Seed. They can put a mix together for you and ship it. They can give you good recomendations on seed and fertilizer rates. Put it in the ground, watch it grow and sit back and watch the wildlife come in.