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What
is the difference between Imperial Whitetail Clover and any other type of
clover?
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Imperial
Whitetail Clover is the only genetically developed hybrid clover breed
specifically for whitetail deer.
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Also,
the main component of Imperial Whitetail Clover blend is a proprietary seed
variety developed exclusively by the plant breeder of the Whitetail
Institute of North America, Dr. Wiley C. Johnson PhD. Over a seven-year
period, several clovers were tested for specific traits and the clovers
exhibiting these traits were crossbreed until one clover was developed
specifically for deer. Some of
the traits selected were longevity, growth rate, deer preference, protein
content, digestibility, disease resistance, cold tolerance, and drought
resistance.
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Imperial
Whitetail Clover is a precision blend of specifically selected clover
varieties. They have been selected for their ability to attract deer, their
nutritional value (high protein) and longevity. Imperial Clover can last up
to 5 years and sometimes longer. Selections were also made for
cold-heartiness, drought and disease resistance. Also Imperial Clover is
blended for specific regions of the country. Imperial Clover also contains
Golden Jump-Start which helps produce faster growth, getting deer on your
food plots quicker.
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When
you combine all these factors, you can see striking differences between the
Imperial Clover and other clover products.
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Imperial
Clover
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Other
Clovers
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Yearly
protein %
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Up
to 30-35%
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17%-20%
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Months/Year
of Available Quality Forage
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8-12
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4-5
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Deer
Preference
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Preferred
5-1
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Cold
Tolerance
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Green
8-12 months
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Green
4-8 months
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Digestibility
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High,
12 months/year
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Variable
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What
is the difference between Imperial Whitetail Clover, Imperial Alfa-Rack and
Imperial No-Plow?
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Each
Whitetail Institute food plot product is designed for different situations.
Imperial Clover is a blend of various clovers designed to be planted
in good heavy soils or in other words, soils that hold moisture. A good
example would be bottomland soils. Imperial
Alfa-Rack is a blend of the proprietary clover developed by the Whitetail
Institute and specifically selected grazing varieties of alfalfa.
Like Imperial Clover, Imperial Alfa-Rack is also a highly attractive,
high protein perennial food plot planting, which is also regionally blended.
But Imperial Alfa-Rack is designed to be used in well-drained soils.
Because it’s deeper root, Imperial Alfa-Rack does well in dryer
types of soils such as on hilltops, hillsides and sandy soils.
Finally, Imperial No-Plow was designed to be used in hard-to-reach
places where equipment cannot be used or to be used by individuals that do
not have access to tillage equipment. Imperial
No-Plow is a highly attractive, high protein annual
planting
that requires minimal ground preparation to plant.
Can
I just throw No-Plow anywhere?
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In
order for Imperial No-Plow to work properly, you must make good seed to soil
contact. You do not want to sow the seed in tall weeds and grasses or
under a heavy canopy of trees where leaves and debris may inhibit the seed
from coming in contact with soil. To
plant No-Plow, find areas that receive at least 2-3 hours of sunlight per
day. Then mow, weed eat, spray
or some other reasonable method to remove existing vegetation and debris
from the area to ensure seed to soil contact.
While not necessary, it is beneficial to scratch the ground up where
you want to plant by using either a hand rake or a drag behind an ATV or
some other comparable method. Finally,
for a good healthy start, add a little lime and fertilizer to the area
before planting. (See back of
No-Plow bag for instructions)
Will
Imperial Clover or Imperial Alfa-Rack grow in my area?
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Before
the Whitetail Institute made Imperial Clover and Imperial Alfa-Rack
available on the market, they tested them in all areas of the country.
Through these tests, regional blends of Imperial Clover and Imperial
Alfa-Rack were developed. Depending
on where you live, you will receive a blend developed specifically for your
region. The only limiting
factor is rainfall, which must be at least 30 inches annually. Also, in some of the southern extremities of Mississippi,
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and the entire state of Florida, consultation
should be made with the Whitetail Institute before planting Imperial
Alfa-Rack.
How
much light do I need for the food plots?
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Imperial
Clover and Imperial Alfa-Rack needs 3-4 hours of direct, broken or filtered
sunlight.
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Imperial
No-Plow needs 2-3 hours direct, broken or filtered sunlight
Which
food plot product works the best and attracts the most deer?
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All
of the Whitetail Institute food plot products are highly attractive to deer
and all work well. Each one is
designed for a specific situation. If
you have access to tillage equipment and are planting in good heavy soil,
then Imperial Clover should be used, if you have access to equipment and are
planting in a well drained drier soil then Imperial Alfa-Rack should be
used, and if you do not have access to equipment or cannot get equipment to
where you want to plant the food plot, then Imperial No-Plow should used.
What
is the difference between Imperial 30-06 and Imperial 30-06 Plus Protein and
which one should I use?
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Imperial
30-06 was developed in 1991 and has been used with much success since then.
The Whitetail Institute has also continued to improve 30-06 as new research
data has been uncovered. 30-06 contains macro-minerals, trace minerals and
vitamins in ratios and amounts designed specifically for whitetail deer.
Imperial 30-06 Plus Protein was developed in 1996 and contains
basically the same crucial amounts and ratios of macro-minerals, trace
minerals and vitamins as Imperial 30-06 but also contains an added 10% boost
of protein. Because different
attraction mechanisms are used for each product, deer may prefer one product
over the other. We suggest
trying a small amount of each product to determine which one the deer
prefer. If both are preferred
equally, use Imperial 30-06 Plus Protein to get the added benefit of the 10%
protein.
What
is Cutting Edge and what is the difference in the three different products?
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Cutting
Edge, which was introduced in late 1999, is a revolutionary seasonal
supplement system based on the most recent research on whitetail deer
nutritional needs. The concept behind the Cutting Edge system is that the
nutritional supplementation needs of deer change throughout the year.
For instance, the protein requirement for bucks during the
antler-growing period of spring and summer is much higher than the protein
requirement in the winter. The Cutting Edge system uses three different
products each specifically designed for three different times of the year.
Cutting Edge Initiate is designed for late winter and early spring
and focuses on supplementing nutritional needs for early antler growth, late
gestation of does, and rebuilding body weight lost in the winter. Cutting
Edge Optimize is designed to be used in spring and summer during lactation
for does and antler growth for bucks. Cutting
Edge Sustain is used during the fall and winter and is designed to help
reduce body weight loss and maintain herd health during the stressful winter
months.
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Cutting
Edge products contain other specialty ingredients including digestive aides
(to increase digestion of fibrous materials), buffering agents (to
neutralize stomach acidity) and the scent and flavor enhancer Devour.
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Finally,
Cutting Edge can be fed either by itself or mixed with corn, beans, oats and
other whole grains to supplement nutrient deficiencies found in the grains.
Cutting Edge is not designed for enclosed deer.
Should
I use Imperial 30-06, Imperial 30-06 Plus Protein or one of the Cutting Edge
products?
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Imperial
30-06 and Imperial 30-06 Plus Protein are predominantly mineral/vitamin
supplements and are designed to be used during the spring and summer.
This would mean that it should be used at the same time as Cutting
Edge Optimize. Cutting Edge
Optimize is also predominantly a mineral/vitamin supplement but also
contains an added 16% protein. All
three products contain the highest quality minerals and vitamins needed for
antler growth and lactation. Due
to the fact that each of the products uses different mechanisms for
attraction, we suggest trying a small amount of all three to determine which
product the deer prefer. If all
three are equally utilized, use Cutting Edge Optimize because it provides
the added 16% protein.
What
about using salt blocks?
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Salt
blocks have been used for years to attract deer due to the fact that it is
cheap and sodium is often lacking in the deer’s natural diet, and
therefore, deer are attracted to the sodium found in salt.
The problem with salt is that it contributes very little to antler
growth or lactation. Furthermore,
over consumption of salt is just as unhealthy in deer as it is in humans and
can increase the water consumption of deer, which takes up valuable stomach
space and decreases overall food consumption.
What deer really need are the proper amounts and integration of macro
minerals, trace minerals and vitamins that play a much more active role in
antler growth, lactation and herd health than does salt.
Why
do I need to plant a food plot when I have all kinds of corn, beans, and hay
available to the deer?
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Without
question, deer utilize many agricultural crops in their diet.
The question, however, would be are these crops supplying the right
amounts and the right types of nutrients the deer need for optimal
productivity? Also, are these crops providing the critical nutrients all
year and especially at the critical times? The answer is No. Corn for
instance is used very little in the spring and summer, which is when the
majority of antler growth occurs. Furthermore,
corn is typically only 8% protein, which is far short in the amount needed
for optimal antler growth. Deer
will eat the silks in the summer but will not get the majority of the
benefit of corn until September and October when deer consume the actual
kernels off the cob. Unfortunately,
most corn raised for agricultural reasons has been harvested by the end of
October so deer receive little benefit from the corn during the more severe
months of December, January and February which is when deer actually need
energy the most. During these
stressful winter months, deer are left to scavenge for corn left on the
ground by the combine, which with modern harvesting equipment, amounts to
very little. Soybeans are a better source of protein than corn and are
consumed in the spring. In most
cases, soybeans are consumed only in the early stages of growth.
As the plants mature, consumption of the plant and protein content
drops significantly. Therefore,
soybeans can be a good food source for antler growth and lactation early in
the spring, but is only a main part of the deer’s diet for few short days
or weeks. As the soybean plant
matures and consumption decreases, it becomes less and less of the nutrient
supply used to grow antlers and produce milk.
Deer will also eat the actual beans after they are formed and ripen.
As with corn, however, most of the benefit of these beans are lost to
the combine. There are few
types of hay utilized by deer in the spring and summer.
Grass hays such as timothy and orchard grass are used very little by
deer. Grasses in general are
used little by deer due to the fact that deer cannot digest grasses as well
as other larger ruminants such as cattle.
For the most part, grass hays are only consumed by deer when the
grass is very young which will account for only a few short days of a food
source. Legume hays such as hay varieties of alfalfa and clover are utilized
by deer in most cases more than any other agricultural crop.
These legume hays are designed for rapid growth and fast maturity to
allow several cuttings per year and therefore increase total tonnage.
Many times, these legume hays are grown for large ruminants such as
beef cattle or dairy cattle. Because cattle have a large rumen, they are able to better
utilize mature forages as compared to deer, which have smaller rumens and
are less able to digest mature forages.
For instance, deer will consume leaves from these forages and not the
stems due to the fact that the stems have a low digestibility. What this all means is that deer utilize these agricultural
legumes usually only when they are young.
Like soybean plants, as the plants mature consumption decreases due
to the decrease in digestibility. As
stated early, these agricultural legumes are developed for rapid growth to
produce tonnage. Therefore,
these food sources are normally only used for short periods of time after
the hay has been mowed. Again,
with hays we see an inconsistent food source.
In short, all of these agricultural plantings are designed for
agricultural purposes, not for feeding deer. They create nutritional gaps
which Imperial Whitetail products fill.
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If
your goal is to provide a food source for deer to promote antler growth,
lactation and to draw deer to a certain area you should plant a food source
designed specifically for deer. This
food source must be consistently high in nutrients and high in digestibility
especially during the spring and summer.
For instance, Imperial Whitetail Clover is designed to stay in a
vegetative state longer than hay variety clovers.
Furthermore, Imperial Whitetail Clover provides up to 30%-35% protein
12 months out of the year. And
when hay variety legumes have turned brown, Imperial Whitetail Clover stays
green and productive.
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The
best way to sum it up is with this analogy.
If a bodybuilder (whitetail buck) is trying to increase muscle mass
(antler growth) he must have the right nutrients and consistently have these
nutrients available for consumption. A
bodybuilder needs large amounts of protein to build new muscle.
If all he/she has available is potatoes he will not be receiving the
protein needed for optimal muscle growth.
Even if there are more potatoes than what the bodybuilder can eat, it
does change the fact that potatoes are low in protein and the bodybuilder
will not be optimizing muscle growth. Furthermore,
if the bodybuilder has protein available 1 day out of the week or 1 week out
of the month he again will not be able to optimize muscle growth.
The bodybuilder must have the right nutrients at the right times just
as a buck must have the right nutrients at the right time to optimize antler
growth.
Why
do I need to create mineral licks for deer?
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Minerals
are vital for many functions. The most recognizable being antler growth and
lactation. For instance, the
hardened antler is approximately 55% mineral.
In most soils and forages, however, many minerals are deficient.
Creating a mineral lick will not only help
optimize antler growth and lactation, but will also draw deer to the
area as they crave the minerals found at the lick site.
Why is Imperial Whitetail better
than what I can buy at the seed store?
The say they’ve got “the same stuff” a lot cheaper.
- Imperial Whitetail is impossible to duplicate.
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Imperial Clover is a legitimately
researched product for wild, white-tailed deer.
- Imperial Whitetail is regionally blended to
insure the perfect product for your environment/climate conditions.
- You will notice faster establishment because
of seedling vigor which gets deer on your plots quicker and helps the forage
compete better with weed and grass competition.
- Imperial Whitetail offers the highest possible
value of anything you can plant and especially when it matters most, during
the antler-growing months.
- You will almost always get at least one year
longer performance, often more, from Imperial Whitetail.
Are
Imperial Whitetail products expensive?
I hear a lot of good
things about your products but I’m on a fixed budget and feel your Imperial
Clover is too expensive.
I have to buy cheaper seeds to get the food plot acreage I want. Can you
offer any advice on what to do?
- We hear the comment that our seed is
expensive occasionally. When all things are considered, actually it’s the
least expensive food plot product you can plant. Here’s why that is the
case.
- If you were shown how to plant Imperial Clover
for less than $.02 per day, would that be cheap enough for you to consider
it?
- The cost of Imperial Clover (50lb bags / 6
acres) is
around $38.83 per acre. When you compare just the cost of other
cheaper seeds they seem less expensive. But are they really? Imperial Clover
can last 5 years without replanting so you need to divide the cost per acre
by the 5 years that it can last, and you’ll get a seed cost of $7.77 per
acre per year. Divide $7.77 by 365 days because that how long Imperial
Clover will feed your deer high protein forage, and you come up with about
$.02 per day.
- This doesn’t take into consideration that
you will:
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Purchase
the cheaper seed every year
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Experience
tractor wear-and tear to plant every year
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Exhaust
more valuable, personal labor time every year
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And
experience all the other costs associated with establishing a food-plot
more frequently
- Don’t forget the high protein,
antler-building forage that your deer have access to all 12 months/365 days
of the year. You will not get that with the cheaper seeds.
- Also, nothing attracts deer to your plots like
Imperial Clover. If you want more deer, then this has to be a consideration.
- We could go on and on about why nothing is
better or less expensive that Imperial Clover but let us just say, if money
is tight or not, Imperial Clover is your best investment.
- One last point, hunters think nothing of
spending $30,000 on a 4-wheel drive pick-up, thousands of dollars on a
4-wheeler, thousands of dollars on weapons, hundreds of dollars on camo
clothing, scents etc. Then they try to save $25 on a bag of seed when the
food plot it is the only thing that can actually help produce and harvest a
better quality deer.
- We strongly suggest investing your money
where it can make a difference in the quantity and quality of your deer.
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