Chufa

[Bay Ranger]

I'm thinking on planting some Cufa this year to encourage the turkey to visit my camp more often next year. I understand that Chufa is like "crack" to turkey. I've done some on-line research, however, I'd like some real world local advice. Camp is in Clarke, County, AL.

Help?

 

[WRM]

It is a very good feed for them, once the tuber develops. I've planted it for folks I've worked for. Always got ours at Chavers in Milton.

I can't comment on how much the piggies like it, as we never had an issue with them in places we planted. Given it's a tuber, I'd imagine they too will eat it if they're about.

As noted in the NWTF info, it can be a little finicky as to it's growing space. Not as "set it and forget it" as other options, perhaps. If you are doing remote planting, I might do a test plot to see how it fares (with a cage protected spot in there to gauge how it's growing "unmolested" too).

Chufa — Turkey food that’s out of this world

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is a national nonprofit conservation and hunting organization that has worked for the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of the hunting tradition since 1973.

www.nwtf.org

 

[Oldergeek]

I'm thinking on planting some Cufa this year to encourage the turkey to visit my camp more often next year. I understand that Chufa is like "crack" to turkey. I've done some on-line research, however, I'd like some real world local advice. Camp is in Clarke, County, AL.

Help?

I will offer one bit of 'experiential' advise. if you have turkeys in the area already they will immediately dig up all of the Chufa seeds that you plant. This has happened to me several times, but dumb enough to just keep planting them hoping for a different result.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

I will offer one bit of 'experiential' advise. if you have turkeys in the area already they will immediately dig up all of the Chufa seeds that you plant. This has happened to me several times, but dumb enough to just keep planting them hoping for a different result.

Hell ya don't need to plant it! Sounds like ya got plenty!

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Grows good in baldwin! we planted a little....

 

[WRM]

May also want to consider brown top millet. They'll eat the seeds once it goes to seed, but it's a bug magnet. Turkeys will cruise it for bugs as much as seeds.

 

[BluesBrother]

I never heard of planting Chufa before. But I never heard of using other turkey bait either. A quick search turned up this YouTube 6 minute entertaining video from a real serious Turkey Assassin.

 

[Fathertime]

I will offer one bit of 'experiential' advise. if you have turkeys in the area already they will immediately dig up all of the Chufa seeds that you plant. This has happened to me several times, but dumb enough to just keep planting them hoping for a different result.

I have been in two clubs that planted chufa both with great results, then come Hurricane Ivan and blows a great amount of the trees down in the bottoms, result was the racoons now had a sanctuary from predators to hunters so guess what. We would plant and as soon as the chufa broke the ground the coons would go down the row and eat them. Proof was their tracks were everywhere. So it became cost prohibitive to plant.

 

[Norm]

We’ve planted them for years in Perdido. Turkey’s and deer love ‘em. BUT, hogs do too. If hogs find them they will (in my experience) destroy your patch.

 

[Bay Ranger]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'll continue to do my research.

So far, no hogs on our property so they won't be a concern.

We do have some turkeys in the area right now so when I plant I hope the seeds will last and germinate. I'm hoing to attract more turkey as an end goal.

 

[no woryz]

It’s only a month or 2 away from Chufa planting time… I usually get mine in Vernon…. Will have to check Chavers price & availability… my birds love them…

 

[WRM]

Good luck! FYI--you may also see chufa referred to as "tiger nut". Some claim they are great catfish bait.

 

[no woryz]

FYI, not just turkeys, hogs, raccoons, & catfish….. lol

Who’s interested in chufa other than turkey hunters? NASA is — and in a big way.

“Chufa was evaluated by NASA as a potential food for use on deep-space missions,” Vance said. “NASA concluded it had the perfect nutritional value if necessity required one food source for long periods of time. It also has excellent drying and storage properties and is resistant to rot and bacteria. It was considered the number one food in a NASA bio-regenerative life support systems analysis.”

So there’s that…

 

[Bay Ranger]

FYI, not just turkeys, hogs, raccoons, & catfish….. lol

Who’s interested in chufa other than turkey hunters? NASA is — and in a big way.

“Chufa was evaluated by NASA as a potential food for use on deep-space missions,” Vance said. “NASA concluded it had the perfect nutritional value if necessity required one food source for long periods of time. It also has excellent drying and storage properties and is resistant to rot and bacteria. It was considered the number one food in a NASA bio-regenerative life support systems analysis.”

So there’s that…

I knew that it was edible by humans, but imagine this!

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

I've eaten one for fun while planting. Not bad. Better than a oak acorn or pine seed. But not as good as a palmetto heart.

 

[Bay Ranger]

It’s only a month or 2 away from Chufa planting time… I usually get mine in Vernon…. Will have to check Chavers price & availability… my birds love them…

Called up the COOP in Leroy, AL. They want $75 for a 50lb sack.

 

[Duckyou]

Grows good in baldwin! we planted a little....

It’s on the right…

 

[Jstocks]

Called up the COOP in Leroy, AL. They want $75 for a 50lb sack.

That’s fairly cheap for chufa.

What part of Clarke County? I used to hunt the Chilton area. Also have hunted Bear Creek.

There are plenty hogs in that area, but if you cover the chufa well, the turkeys may not scratch them up.

Keep them sprayed for the grass, and run a root rake or something to pull some to the top in late winter to make sure the birds find them.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

No seeds in baldwin. Buddy is looking.

 

[Bay Ranger]

That’s fairly cheap for chufa.

What part of Clarke County? I used to hunt the Chilton area. Also have hunted Bear Creek.

There are plenty hogs in that area, but if you cover the chufa well, the turkeys may not scratch them up.

Keep them sprayed for the grass, and run a root rake or something to pull some to the top in late winter to make sure the birds find them.

East of Jackson off Walker Springs Rd.

Planted the Chufa this week-end in hopes of the coming rain. As of yesterday (Sun) no rain. Planted in hope of the rain as the pre-emergent I used (Treflan) said it needed 1/2 inch of rain/watering to make it effective. I had to chase the crows out of the planting twice on Sat. I hope I got the seeds deep enough so the crows can't dig it up and eat them. I tried to get the seeds about 2' deep just like some planting articles I researched recommend. This is my first time trying to plant Chufa. I hope that it works out well considering the expense: seed, lime, fertilizer, pre-emergent. I took some pics of the plot. I'll post when I get them transfered from my phone to my computer.

No hogs yet.