Lime again every fourth or fifth year, or 

 when a soil test shows the need. 



About 400 to 600 pounds per acre of 

 an 0-12-12, 0-14-14, 2-14-14 fertilizer 

 or equivalent is needed for clovers. 

 About 400 pounds per acre of the same 

 fertilizer will be needed each fall. 



Button and crimson clovers are an- 

 nuals, but you can get early volunteer 

 stands each year by harrowing or disk- 

 ing in August. Red clover requires an 

 early fall disking every second or third 

 year to reestablish a full stand against 

 native grass. White clover is perennial 

 and does not require annual fall disking. 



Barley, oats, rye, and wheat. These 

 grains make suitable winter grazing 

 plants for wild turkeys. Use the one 

 best suited to your soil. Prepare the 

 ground and seed and fertilize as you 

 would for any grain crop. Seed clover 

 with the grain if you plan to convert 

 the field to clover after the first year. 



Rescuegrass and ryegrass. These grasses 

 provide good winter grazing for wild 

 turkeys. Both are annuals. Prepare the 

 ground well by plowing or disking and 

 harrowing. Broadcast 30 to 40 pounds 

 of rescuegrass or 50 pounds of ryegrass 



per acre. Fertilize with 500 pounds 

 per acre of 8-8-8 fertilizer or its equiv- 

 alent. Lime when necessary to keep a 

 pH of 6.0 to 6.5. To maintain rescue- 

 grass and ryegrass, disk the field in Au- 

 gust every second or third year. Rye- 

 grass sometimes needs reseeding. 



Bluegrass, fescue, orchardgrass, and tall 

 oatgrass. All of these perennial winter 

 grasses are fair turkey foods. Though 

 the perennials are less palatable than 

 the annual winter grasses, they make 

 good ground cover and are useful on 

 steeply sloping land or along roadways 

 where close grazing by deer and turkeys 

 would cause erosion. 



Chufa. Chufa nuts are choice turkey 

 food. Chufa is an annual sedge adapted 

 to sandy loam soil and is grown from 

 tubers (nuts). The tubers may be sown 

 in rows up to 42 inches apart and culti- 

 vated, or they can be broadcast. Chufa 

 is easier to cultivate when planted in 

 rows. Plant the tubers in May, June, or 

 July, using 30 to 40 pounds per acre. 



Fertilize chufa with about 400 pounds 

 per acre of 8-8-8 or similar fertilizer 

 and sidedress with additional nitrogen 

 at the first cultivation. 



fi'r 



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A small open field of crimson clover can provide winter grazing for wild turkeys 

 to supplement their natural habitat. (Courtesy of Herman Holbrook) 



