Question about a corn field and hunting

[Reagan40]

We just recently moved into a house we built on a piece of property. One of the appealing things about the property is that I can deer hunt along a tree line. There are lots of prints and I got some pics on a trail cam of deer in this area. There is a lot of vegetation for them to eat and access to water. Once firearms season hit, the deer have not been visiting our property. I have seen several that got spooked out of a large corn field that borders our property. The corn still has not been harvested. It seems that they are spending the daylight hours in the corn field where there is cover and food. It is the only field for miles around that has not been harvested. So, I’m wondering, why has the farmer not harvested his corn yet? Is this typical that one would wait so long? I figure once the corn is harvested, they will travel the tree lines and begin crossing my property again.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

If they're waiting to file a claim for crop damage/loss they sometimes won't cut it until the spring when they begin preparing to re-plant. If a claim is filed they can not harvest for profit.

 

[Fargo]

Harvest is behind this year and/the farmer is letting it dry in the field. Maybe ask the farmer if it is ok to hunt the field? Wait for a windy day when the corn is loud as hell and slowly stalk it. It is possible to walk right up on bedded deer.

 

[Reagan40]

Thanks for the info. Hopefully, this farmer is just a bit behind and will get to harvesting in the next few days.

 

[amboy49]

Or, maybe he is just a bad or lazy farmer (?)

 

[hoosierdoc]

Or, maybe he is just a bad or lazy farmer (?)

who loves deer and dislikes his neighbor?

 

[halfmileharry]

who loves deer and dislikes his neighbor?

touche'

 

[Reagan40]

who loves deer and dislikes his neighbor?

I was wondering if it was some sort of new neighbor initiation!

​anyone have a combine I can borrow for a day?

 

[Ericpwp]

One reason could be that you lose money when you bring wet corn to the elevator. I think they deducted 9% of the harvest this year because it was wet.

 

[Reagan40]

One reason could be that you lose money when you bring wet corn to the elevator. I think they deducted 9% of the harvest this year because it was wet.

This is a very large field, so I’m sure 9% would be incentive to let it dry in the field.

 

[bulletsmith]

Consider asking the farmer if you can hunt his field. Most farmers I know see deer as vermin. A handful of friends walking the field as a drive can be productive.

 

[PGRChaplain]

My son's in laws are just finishing up their Corn. This was replanted twice, due to the Wet Spring. They've been seeing plenty of Deer.

 

[natdscott]

Or, maybe he is just a bad or lazy farmer (?)

I don't know.

But I do know there is a very good chance that the farmer doesn't give a rat's @#$ what we think, what deer hunters think, what the internet thinks...


-Nate

 

[GlockRock]

One reason could be that you lose money when you bring wet corn to the elevator. I think they deducted 9% of the harvest this year because it was wet.

It’s too late for corn to dry in the field. There’s not enough heat. Pretty much what it is is what it’ll be.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Lol at the people that THINK they know farming... no offense intended BTW...

Corn will definitely still dry this late; it won't be as fast as it was in August, but it will still dry. Ever been to Amish country? Ever seen clothes hung out on a clothesline in below-freezing weather and wonder why they would do that (because obviously it has to be warm for things to dry). They do it because things do dry in the cold. Drying has little to do with temperature, it's primarily relative humidity and airflow.

The field hasn't been harvested (most likely) because harvest is late this year and you can only feed so much corn through a dryer at a time. Dad just finished up a week ago; he can shell corn 2-3 times as fast as his continuous flow dryer can dry it (he can shell 1500-2200 bushel/hr and the dryer will run about 800-900 bushel/hr at the moisture content he was taking out). The wetter the corn, the slower it has to go through the dryer. If the farmer doesn't have a dryer he has to pay somebody (usually the local elevator) to dry it for him. They have the same problem except they're taking corn from ALL the farmers without dryers and trying to dry it. They can only do so much, and they can't store the wet corn for long without causing problems (mold, rot, fires, etc). So they may not be accepting wet corn right now. If they ARE accepting wet corn the farmer doesn't get docked a fixed amount if it's wet, he gets docked based upon HOW wet it is.

Fun facts: I can't recall what dad was harvesting his corn at this year but I think it was ~22% moisture and he has to get it down under 15% to store it. He had me run the numbers on the payoff for his new grain drying setup (cost more than most people's homes). The dock on his corn at that moisture content was $0.45/bushel. It cost him $0.10/bushel in LP to dry it to where he didn't get docked. The payoff for his grain dryer, at $0.35/bushel he keeps in his pocket is under 7 years. If he buys a large LP tank (10,000 gallon or more) and buys LP by the semi-load he can get it at about half-price of what he pays to get his 3,000 gallon tank filled. Almost cutting his payoff in-half.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Fun facts: I can't recall what dad was harvesting his corn at this year but I think it was ~22% moisture and he has to get it down under 15% to store it. He had me run the numbers on the payoff for his new grain drying setup (cost more than most people's homes). The dock on his corn at that moisture content was $0.45/bushel. It cost him $0.10/bushel in LP to dry it to where he didn't get docked. The payoff for his grain dryer, at $0.35/bushel he keeps in his pocket is under 7 years. If he buys a large LP tank (10,000 gallon or more) and buys LP by the semi-load he can get it at about half-price of what he pays to get his 3,000 gallon tank filled. Almost cutting his payoff in-half.

Gotta add in the cost of the tank.

 

[natdscott]

Gotta add in the cost of the tank.

Indeedy.

The other issues with buying home drying setups are usually that:
(1) the grain distribution systems in place ALWAYS seem to need upgraded as well (whether they do or don't, guys tend to spend the money);
(2) the dryer is not used every year, because corn is not wet EVERY year;
(3) usually guys have to finance these. Bankers like to get their interest.

The flexibility and cost savings of having your own dryer, $200,000 leg(s)/blower, and 100,000 bu of storage is not up for discussion. The question is how much it actually adds to profitability. The answer to that varies, but a lot of people find that it doesn't add up to nearly the increase in revenue the brochure says it will.

Too, depreciation (dryers and legs are generally treated as 7 year MACRS assets) will almost certainly run out before the loan is paid off unless debt service capacity is (and stays) such that the farmer can "git 'er done" in a hurry. They generally aren't HUGE loans, but they're big enough to take a little while.

-Nate

But as an ETA: CountryBoy made some very good points, ya'll. There are a LOT more reasons behind what significant cash grain operators are doing than most people have a concept of.

 

[GlockRock]

Lol at the people that THINK they know farming... no offense intended BTW...

Corn will definitely still dry this late; it won't be as fast as it was in August, but it will still dry. Ever been to Amish country? Ever seen clothes hung out on a clothesline in below-freezing weather and wonder why they would do that (because obviously it has to be warm for things to dry). They do it because things do dry in the cold. Drying has little to do with temperature, it's primarily relative humidity and airflow.

The field hasn't been harvested (most likely) because harvest is late this year and you can only feed so much corn through a dryer at a time. Dad just finished up a week ago; he can shell corn 2-3 times as fast as his continuous flow dryer can dry it (he can shell 1500-2200 bushel/hr and the dryer will run about 800-900 bushel/hr at the moisture content he was taking out). The wetter the corn, the slower it has to go through the dryer. If the farmer doesn't have a dryer he has to pay somebody (usually the local elevator) to dry it for him. They have the same problem except they're taking corn from ALL the farmers without dryers and trying to dry it. They can only do so much, and they can't store the wet corn for long without causing problems (mold, rot, fires, etc). So they may not be accepting wet corn right now. If they ARE accepting wet corn the farmer doesn't get docked a fixed amount if it's wet, he gets docked based upon HOW wet it is.

Fun facts: I can't recall what dad was harvesting his corn at this year but I think it was ~22% moisture and he has to get it down under 15% to store it. He had me run the numbers on the payoff for his new grain drying setup (cost more than most people's homes). The dock on his corn at that moisture content was $0.45/bushel. It cost him $0.10/bushel in LP to dry it to where he didn't get docked. The payoff for his grain dryer, at $0.35/bushel he keeps in his pocket is under 7 years. If he buys a large LP tank (10,000 gallon or more) and buys LP by the semi-load he can get it at about half-price of what he pays to get his 3,000 gallon tank filled. Almost cutting his payoff in-half.

Why didn’t your dad leave the corn in the field to keep drying down if it was still 22%? Since your post I’ve read several articles written by universities who all say temperature (heat units) is the main factor of corn drying in the field. Not much dries in the field after November 1st.
Im sure I’m the one you wrote about that THINKS I know farming. While I’m no expert by any means, I grew up on a farm, work on the farm and farm my own fields. You may have different thoughts and ideas on farming which is ok. I won’t “lol” at you.
I stand by my comment that the corn is about as dry as it is going to get.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Gotta add in the cost of the tank.

He hasn't bought it yet... but my dad is very frugal. He's not going to run out an buy a brand new tank. He has his eye on a used 30k that he thinks he can get bought for less than a new 10k because it's too large for the average guy with a semi to move.

Indeedy.

The other issues with buying home drying setups are usually that:
(1) the grain distribution systems in place ALWAYS seem to need upgraded as well (whether they do or don't, guys tend to spend the money);
(2) the dryer is not used every year, because corn is not wet EVERY year;
(3) usually guys have to finance these. Bankers like to get their interest.

The flexibility and cost savings of having your own dryer, $200,000 leg(s)/blower, and 100,000 bu of storage is not up for discussion. The question is how much it actually adds to profitability. The answer to that varies, but a lot of people find that it doesn't add up to nearly the increase in revenue the brochure says it will.

Too, depreciation (dryers and legs are generally treated as 7 year MACRS assets) will almost certainly run out before the loan is paid off unless debt service capacity is (and stays) such that the farmer can "git 'er done" in a hurry. They generally aren't HUGE loans, but they're big enough to take a little while.

-Nate

But as an ETA: CountryBoy made some very good points, ya'll. There are a LOT more reasons behind what significant cash grain operators are doing than most people have a concept of.

As I mentioned above my dad is frugal. He didn't put a leg in, the dryer was used from another farmer that upgraded to a larger one. He bought his cone-bottom bin on a seasonal "we want this thing out of the warehouse really bad" sort of deal 3 years ago and just now put it all up.

Why didn’t your dad leave the corn in the field to keep drying down if it was still 22%? Since your post I’ve read several articles written by universities who all say temperature (heat units) is the main factor of corn drying in the field. Not much dries in the field after November 1st.
Im sure I’m the one you wrote about that THINKS I know farming. While I’m no expert by any means, I grew up on a farm, work on the farm and farm my own fields. You may have different thoughts and ideas on farming which is ok. I won’t “lol” at you.
I stand by my comment that the corn is about as dry as it is going to get.

Ah come on now... If you know that corn won't dry in winter then you must certainly know the problems associated with leaving it in the field. Ear retention, stalk rot, blown-downs, mold/toxin development, among other problems. It's not practical to leave it all winter unless you simply don't have any other choice (ground too wet to harvest, moisture too astronomically high to harvest, nobody has storage capacity, etc). Very rarely do you ever get away with not have to dry corn somewhat, so it's just an accepted fact of growing corn that you're going to have to pay for some drying.

Oh, and in regards to dry-down in winter. I'm not sure what resources you're reading, but the resources I have do not agree with what you've said. Here is a picture of real, actual moisture data gathered in Wisconsin. Why are there years missing? Because most years there is not enough corn left standing through winter to gather effective data. These are the years where there was enough data.


BTW, I wasn't talking about any one person in my previous reply, that's why I didn't single anybody out.

 

[natdscott]

As I mentioned above my dad is frugal. He didn't put a leg in, the dryer was used from another farmer that upgraded to a larger one. He bought his cone-bottom bin on a seasonal "we want this thing out of the warehouse really bad" sort of deal 3 years ago and just now put it all up.

How long has your Dad been doing this?

What year truck does he drive?


-Nate