Pheasants Enjoying Food Plot Too Soon!

[1GB]

While I had the pleasure of watching a rooster right behind the house this morning, I am worried once the majority of the seed starts germinating that I might be in trouble if they are hanging around too much. I don't have the equipment to put in larger plots (~1.4 acres total divided up in 1/3s), so a few birds could severely impact my planting.

Obviously I can't stand guard myself all the time - any tips for keeping them out until the sorghum/millet gets going?

One idea I had was creating a scarecrow out of pie plates - would have flashing/sound that might put them off for just a few weeks until the plants grow large enough.

A second idea i had was broadcasting sunflower seed on top in the hopes that they would eat that rather than pluck the germinating seed to get the seed I planted. I'm worried this might become too much of a draw though and either result in increased predators or more time spent in my plot by birds which would result in more of the seed I planted getting eaten.

 

[UGUIDE]

1GB, I'd just let er go and not worry too much. I assume the seed is worked in and was broadcast. It would take a lot of birds to affect pre-emergent seed populations in milo food plots. has not been a problem in big pheasant country.

Once the seed sprouts they will not use it until the yield matures.

Surface broadcast some bait foor might not be a bad idea.

 

[1GB]

1GB, I'd just let er go and not worry too much. I assume the seed is worked in and was broadcast. It would take a lot of birds to affect pre-emergent seed populations in milo food plots. has not been a problem in big pheasant country.

Once the seed sprouts they will not use it until the yield matures.

Surface broadcast some bait foor might not be a bad idea.

Thanks for the feedback. The seed was worked in and is a combination of egyptian wheat, WGF sorghum, and a little bit of brown top millet. I did take a lot of care to not overseed though. I've read/heard of pheasants doing damage to corn plantings by plucking the sprouts to eat the seeds, thus my concern (mainly about the sorghum - the egyptian in particular since it needs a long time to grow and mature, so re-seeding really won't work well).

 

[mnmthunting]

Always seed after planting that will be on the surface. That's what their cleaning up. So much green stuff around this time of year there won't be significant loss to the young plants.

 

[1GB]

Since this got bumped, though by something completely off topic, I thought I might as well post how things went.

I had a 10'x20' section that was somewhat impacted, though perhaps it was the fault of the weeds growing up faster than the crop ... or lack of crop to shade out the weeds. The "weeds" that did come in though should provide cover and seeds, though little ones, for winter. I won't be as concerned next year.