Wildlife needs proper habitat to thrive. As with any living creature, this is covered by three basic elements: shelter or cover, food and water. Food plots can provide two of the three basic elements in cover and food. Take a good hard look at your hunting haunts, if you’re lacking in game, you’re probably lacking in habitat. A simple way to help is by simply taking the time to make some wildlife openings and plant them into food plots. Your wildlife will appreciate it and you’ll have more quality hunts in the field.
Next on my list of food plots this year is our chufa patches. Turkey season goes out here Friday, May 1 and we’ll start planting shortly thereafter. If you aren’t familiar with Turkey Gold Chufa, click here. Turkey Gold Chufa is a great way to attract and keep wild turkeys on your property throughout the year.
Turkey Gold Chufa is an agricultural variety of the native nutsedge that matures in 90 to 110 days. Chufa produces underground tubers that turkeys relish. Turkeys begin scratching for chufa during the fall, after the foliage above ground has turned brown. The larger birds will continue to feed on chufa until it’s gone, which is usually late spring.
Chufa does best in areas with long growing seasons. In the South, chufa is planted from April through July; in colder climates, it is planted in April and May. It grows in a variety of soil types, but does best in moderately to well-drained sandy or loam soils.
To place an order or receive a free catalog, call 800-THE-NWTF. The NWTF’s Wildlife Bulletin No. 7 also features more in-depth information on chufa.
