SEEDS FOR PLANTING:

• Chufas

• Turkey Mixtures

I know in our area alone it is an almost daily occurrence to view several  turkeys crossing from field to field or heading to roosting places late in the afternoon. These are usually hens and their young feeding through the pea fields and weeds full of seeds and insects. In the woods it is quite a different matter all together. Quiet and unassuming they can move as stealthily as any prey right past you without ever being seen. Unless you are specifically looking for these birds you might never see them in their natural habitat. Fast to take flight; and even this is done quietly to the uninitiated; they can be on the wing and gone in a matter of seconds.  Quite a feat for a seemingly ungainly, heavy bird.

Turkeys live on seeds of various plants and insects and some tubers; and while we have increased the population we have decreased much of the natural  vegetative growth that these birds rely upon for food, shelter, nesting sites and in some cases roosting sites. Many people who have never hunted don't realize that turkeys roost up in the trees at night away from the ground predators.

In the "olden days" as the kids now call it; turkey hunting was as equipment intensive as grabbing the gun and heading out to the area that you saw tracks or sign of recent passing or knew the roosting sights and went about the time the turkeys were leaving or returning.  As people walked and worked in the natural habitat notice was taken of any wildlife movement or habit that would make a potential meal. A successful hunt meant meat on the table. 

Early man learned  to imitate the calls of other animals drawing  them into killing range (before the time of guns) and since then calls come a long way with every variety imaginable. And like learning the piano it takes practice and more practice.  Back to the equipment. Nowadays we have camouflage, guns of every description, bows that practically anyone can use, those nice inflatable butt seats, scopes that zero in to the nth degree, gun rests, decoys, heated sox. You name it they got it or can devise it. Tapes that instruct one in the art of the hunt even a game designed to bag one on the computer!

Hunting with another person gives you a chance to use different call techniques and while only one may get the shot there’s always the next big one just waiting for the next hunt. Using someone else to call (hand held calls) also frees the other person to be ready at the first sight and not clumsily reaching for the gun and calling at the same time. And every hunter likes the satisfaction of someone else seeing his or her " bagged" trophy. Whether the hunt is successful or not you have spent a day with mother nature for a little while and gotten away from the stress and hectic lifestyle most of us lead  and maybe that’s what it’s all about.

Not everyone hunts  with guns or bows, instead they use the camera. What better way to spend a day in the woods seeing if you can call  in that award winning picture.    And what a better way to spend a day with your children teaching them about the wildlife in your neck of the woods. They would sure enjoy making the calls.

The wild turkey can range many miles in a day’s search for food and eats many a pound of insect and seeds along the way. There are many turkeys being released every year and in some regions of the country there may not be enough natural resources left to sustain large numbers. A well-planned plot can help keep the birds in your area and with a better food source help to produce a trophy bird well worth the effort. The beautiful coloring and plumage results from good diets. and there's lots of recipes for the cook to try out.

The food problem is further compounded by the continual usage of insect and weed killers used in large quantities. This gets rid of the insects but also depletes the birds’ diet in the wild. It is left to the hunter or wildlife enthusiast to help supplement nature by planting food plots that are enticing to a variety of wildlife and attracting to the insects wildlife feeds upon. Wildflowers and weed seeds need to be sown along with the mixes that are planted. These should be ones that are indigenous to the area and they will come back year after year. When planting food plots leave some weeds along side for added seed and insect attraction.

Turkeys - Crops Turkeys Eat:  Turkeys have an extensive menu when planning a food plot. Perennials and annuals alike can comprise a well  planned plot for years.  Perennials can be planted from  legumes, grasses like Bahia that seed, weeds that attract insects and produce seed such as beggarweed, berry producing plants and many more. Annuals can be planted from legumes such as alfalfa, sesame, sesbania, chufa, peas of all kinds, millets, wheats, and many other plants.

25 & 50 lb. PENNINGTON Wild Turkey Mix
Mixture of Pensacola Bahia, Buckwheat, Chufas, White Prosso Millet, Penngrain DR Grain Sorghum, and Ladino Clover.

20% - Pensacola Bahia 20% - Buckwheat 20% - Chufas 20% - White Proso Millet 15% - Penngrain DR Grain Sorghum 5%   - Ladino Clover Wild Turkeys will begin to forage on the white clover and Bahia when leaves form and on other plants as seeds mature.

Wild Turkey Mixture (above) - Actual % subject to change due to crop production.

Plant  food plots in spring and summer after frost danger, in deeply wooded plots with 50% sunshine and also along field edges with plots located about  300 yards apart. A prepared seedbed is best and broadcast making sure seed is covered at a least 1" maximum depth (No deeper than 1&1/2 inches).  (For best results, harrow your site and broadcast / then cover the seeds).  Lightly dragging with a log or post is an easy method of covering the seed.

Chufas grow beneath the ground and will be scratched up by turkeys. (Deer eat these also).  Mixes are designed to have the plants maturing at different time rates to keep the plots active through the year and into fall, winter and spring months.   Replant every year in rotating food plots food plots to form a feeding habit with the turkeys.  Read more in-depth information about Chufas.

Chufas are great for Wild Turkey - Some say the most preferred food you can plant for turkeys are these tuber producing plants.  Easy to grow too! 

Fertilize Chufas for best results.  Special Note: If you have never planted chufas you may need to dig a few and leave them on the surface but they will readily start scratching on their own once they have  been discovered. Chufas need to be rotated from plot to plot to keep the tubers from developing disease related to tuberous growths particularly nematode infestation. Chufas that are left in the ground will  re-grow the following year but with less production than the first year.