plot equipment rental

[USDA3]

We're potentially looking to rent some equipment for establishing a food plot or two in the Hackensack area. Anyone know of a place I'd find such things? Pull behind ATV disc maybe a cultipacker?

I read a post from a while back and someone mentioned that some chapters of MDHA rent equipment? Anyone able to back this up? is it for members only?

Thanks

[Code-Man]

depending on what you want to plant most of the stuff you can buy for pretty cheap from like fleet farm. We got a light disk for the four wheeler and it works pretty good but we don't plan corn.

[hockeybc69]

Wright County chapter of MDHA had a plotmaster, but we sold it a couple years ago due to lack of interest in people to rent it. I have not heard of any other chapters that have anything to rent out.

Also, check Craiglist out. I sold our King Kutter on Craiglist last year for $350.

If you plan to do any amount of food plotting each year, spending $500 for a new King Kutter ATV disc like Codeman talked about, wouldnt be a bad idea.

[mrklean]

archery country in st cloud use to have them not sure if they still do or not but you can check there

[USDA3]

Thanks guys, I'm not sure were really interested in investing n all the tools just yet. We've got permision to make some small plots on the some land were currently hunting, but it isn't ours. So thanks for the advice, happy huntin.

[bearslayer]

If you go on some guys list under sporting in minneapolis, someone has a unit for rent, not sure where.

[Moonshine]

Check either AAA Rental in Pequot/Jenkins or Crosslake Rental. They will have the disc. Not sure about the cultipacker though. Also, if you haven't purchased seed yet, stop by Bjerga's Feed in Pine River. Its on HWY 1 about an eigth of a mile off 371. The guy there puts in food plots as well and has been experimenting with different seed for a few years now. I am in Backus and with his help our plots are the best I have had so far. I go with ladino clover, rye grass and a brassica mix all from Bjerga's.

I think there is also a rental store in Walker on the north end of town. Check there as well. Godfrey's rental in Backus does not have a disc. Already checked.

Good Luck-

[Gofishleech]

walker rental used to have a nice atv disk for rent

[lungdeflator]

Acme rents in Bemidji might rent somethings like that out. Check around Park Rapids rental places too

[USDA3]

Walker Rental emailed back and only have bobcat and harly rake attachment. No disc..

[USDA3]

Thanks Moonshine! Looks like we make the same journey several times a year. Are you planting spring or fall? Im new to the plots and appreciate the info. I was thinking clover and rye as well, not sure about the brassica though.. Are the seed mixes at thepine river place premixed, or do they mix what you want?

Thanks.

[Moonshine]

USDA - I plant both Spring and late Summer. I planted the ladino and brassica in the spring and rye with more brassica in August. By no means am I an expert, just a guy who spent a lot of money on seed that didn't work. I also tried a small plot of chicory mixed in with clover and a plot of alfalfa last year. Both weren't that impressive, but the late summer last year in Backus was VERY dry.

The brassica is premixed at Bjerga's. The turnips in that mix from the spring planting grew bigger than most red potatoes. The deer were digging them up in the winter.

They will order you what ever you need, but just ask him what to use and when to plant it. He knows.

[big_shooter02]

USDA3. Check with Beimert Outdoors in Pillager. They are a very well established archery shop in the Brainerd Lakes Area and rent out a full line of food plot equipment. Disk, Cultipacker, Seed Spreader, Sprayer, etc. all for pulling behind with a 4-wheeler or any other machine with a ball hitch. The prices are very reasonable. You may want to call ahead if you are looking at renting in the spring as they tend to get rented out quite frequently. They are also a food plot seed dealer and carry lime and fertilizer by the semi-load. I have been using them for a few years now to help get my food plots in shape and they are quite help full. Look up there number online.

[USDA3]

Thanks for all the info guys. I don't think we will be doing any planting until the late summer, but its good to have all the info upfront. And hey, if i don't grow anything but weeds, at least I got into the woods a bit more!

[puddleduck]

USDA, let me know if you really get in a bind. I purchased a Sod Buster disk a couple of years ago.

[tazimna]

Be VERY careful with any atv pull behind equipment. Most wheelers are not capable of handling such work loads and can/will burn your tranny/engine out rather easily imo. Having done plot work for hire for a number of years, if you can only use a wheeler, unless your in extremly sandy soil, you woin't get much penetration into soil with atv implements IMO. Your better pulling an old bedspring and tickling soil and planting clovers. Good Luck

[LightningBG]

If the area is accessible you could try to pay a local farmer (if there are any) to bust it up for ya? Just a thought.

[puddleduck]

I have a 2003 Polaris 500 HO. Pull my Antler King Sod Buster with it in low range 4 wheel drive without much problem. I do have fairly loose soil. It is a phenominal piece of equipment.

[USDA3]

Puddleduck- Thanks for the offer! I'll let you know if I could use a hand.

Taz- I have used a flip over style disc with a 700 Ranger at work. That seemed to work great....

[fishermatt]

If the area you're thinking of has grass/brush/weeds in it now, and you aren't planning to plant Roundup Ready crops (corn and beans), the best first steps are to get that grass/brush/weeds under control (killed off). First mow it with whatever you have, then spray it with Roundup (glyphosate)mixed at 3-4 oz per gallon of water. This should put a serious hurt on everything that gets sprayed. Then when you till and plant, at least the grass won't Immediately take over, and your plot seed might get ahead. I learned this the hard way over several years of failed or marginal plots. Weed Control is priority 1 for any new food plot.

[USDA3]

Do most guys that plant food plots, especially smaller ones, buy premixed seed mixtures like whitetail Institute, biologic etc, or do you get seed from a co-op or local seed provider? Also what have you found any price difference? Any advantage to buying seed separate? Thanks

[fishermatt]

I've talked to guys that swear by the "brand name" mixes. Maybe some will respond here. I've never used them, and buy my seed at my local Crop Services shop. It is a lot cheaper that way, and you could make your own mix if you wanted to.

I've tried Rape seed and Clover blends, Rye and Oats, and in my opinion nothing beats Soy Beans for attracting deer all year. Plus you can spray them with chemicals to control the weeds, which makes for a more successful crop.

[ARROW 1]

I have had good luck with Whitetail Institute Chicory Plus. If we have a dry summer the chicory still does great and the deer love it. Just make sure to get the PH right and fertilize it the 1st year. After that it takes care of its self. Good Luck what ever you do. Its alot of work but worth it.

[hockeybc69]

My opinion,,,, you dont need big dollar, big named products.

I use RJ Hunt seed out of Wadena, and have been for years. As he has told me, the same seed he gets on the wholesale market is the same stuff packaged by other "brand name" seed labels.