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Silly Question......Where to get milk weed?

I have tried many different ways to carry milkweed but came to the conclusion nothing works better than just carrying the pod in my pocket. I throw one in each jacket and cargo pocket of my pants plus I carry spares in a ziplock bag inside my fanny pack.


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I just read recently that milkweed was declining in Ohio. They actually had a program where people were asked to donate seeds.

Hmmm, had no idea. Now I can feel good about trying to help them by spreading the seeds.
 
The actual seeds are small brown and hard and are attached to the bottom of the floaters. I usually pop them off so the remaining "fluffy" parts floats better.
I have been removing the seeds from the pods but noticed they are not as pristine and tend to not float as well as straight from the pod. Going to try to just use the pod next year.

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The actual seeds are small brown and hard and are attached to the bottom of the floaters. I usually pop them off so the remaining "fluffy" parts floats better.
I have been removing the seeds from the pods but noticed they are not as pristine and tend to not float as well as straight from the pod. Going to try to just use the pod next year.

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I don't release the seeds either. Mainly because they don't float as well with the seed, but I always thought that I shouldn't introduce seeds to the area. But since I read about milkweed declining in Ohio, don't worry much about the seeds. I still don't release the floater with the seed.
 
Is freezing leftover important? I grabbed some last season for first time and my leftover supply is in ziplock in my garage LOL


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No, they don't need to be frozen. Pick a few dozen in late summer while they are fully mature still green. It'll be just before they start to open naturally. And the white sap that will ooze out of the cut is super sticky. I don't like it on my hands or pruner handles.
Wrap a rubber band around them at harvest time or they will open and the floaters will fall out and make a mess. The rubber band is critical. I usually wait until they are dry before poking a wire tie or floss through them for attaching to a clip, but I guess it could be done green.
Place the pods on a plate or anything that allows them to dry. After a month or so they will be fully dry and will need no refrigeration. I store fully dry pods in ziplocks. Doesn't seem to matter if the bag is left open or zipped closed, as long as the pods are dry.
Freezers aren't for milkweed, freezers are for the venison that the milkweed helped to harvest.
 
I cut a finger from a rubber glove and stuff it full, tie it off on the back end. I'll put a tiny slit in the non tied end and good to go,
Don't have to worry about crushing the pod or anything. Plus I can stuff multiple pods in there and be good the entire season.


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The pods are pretty durable. I've handled hundreds of pods over the years and never had a problem with them crushing. I think I've only had one time when the pod tore away from the clip.
I used to stick them in my pocket until I started using the clip. The clip, IMO, is super important. I like to release floaters when deer a somewhat nearby so I can see what the wind is really doing at that instant. Sometimes guys think deer are down wind but in reality there's often an updraft or some other air current and our scent isn't really reaching the deer's nose.
When I have a pod clipped handy on my coat, I can release floaters without being detected. Gotta be careful with any movement, but if the pod is in your pocket, it's not as easy to use.
 
Is freezing leftover important? I grabbed some last season for first time and my leftover supply is in ziplock in my garage LOL


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No. I just threw them in there to get them off the work bench.

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I had been using old film roll canisters packed full with a hole drilled in the bottom. But, I had 3 in a row fall out of the loop on my backpack shoulder where I stored them.
I will agree that they never fly better than fresh from the pod. I really wish I had dried some in pods this year. I will just have to make do until pods form this summer.

Good thing is (as Dan Infalt says) it always seems to grow downwind of my stand....


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I had been using old film roll canisters packed full with a hole drilled in the bottom. But, I had 3 in a row fall out of the loop on my backpack shoulder where I stored them.

I did the same thing with old pill bottles. I slid one in the loop on the shoulder strap on my backpack and thought "That's not going to come out". I got to my tree stand to find the bottle was missing. So I got home filled up another pill bottle, put it in the same loop and turned the back pack upside down, shook it, wiggled it and did everything I could think of. The pill bottle didn't move. Next time I went hunting, I climbed up got set up, reached for some milk weed and the bottle was gone. I don't use that loop anymore.
 
I did the same thing with old pill bottles. I slid one in the loop on the shoulder strap on my backpack and thought "That's not going to come out". I got to my tree stand to find the bottle was missing. So I got home filled up another pill bottle, put it in the same loop and turned the back pack upside down, shook it, wiggled it and did everything I could think of. The pill bottle didn't move. Next time I went hunting, I climbed up got set up, reached for some milk weed and the bottle was gone. I don't use that loop anymore.

Same exact situation



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I really wish I had dried some in pods this year. I will just have to make do until pods form this summer.

Good thing is (as Dan Infalt says) it always seems to grow downwind of my stand....


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I don't know the growing season of Tx, but here in Pa, milkweed is usually mature by mid September. I've never tried force drying it but I'll bet you could speed up the process. Leave some pods in a hot car, put them in a food dehydrator, or on low in a toaster oven . I think they would be dry by October. Don't forget the rubber band or something else like twist tie to keep 'em from opening up while drying (and for after drying and using, of course).
 
I did the same thing with old pill bottles. I slid one in the loop on the shoulder strap on my backpack and thought "That's not going to come out". I got to my tree stand to find the bottle was missing. So I got home filled up another pill bottle, put it in the same loop and turned the back pack upside down, shook it, wiggled it and did everything I could think of. The pill bottle didn't move. Next time I went hunting, I climbed up got set up, reached for some milk weed and the bottle was gone. I don't use that loop anymore.

Okay, I know I'm gonna sound anal about handling milkweed, but if there's a good reason for doing something a certain way, then it ain't being anal.
I have a long history of using milkweed and I've tried all sorts of ways to handle it. My method has evolved thru trial and error into what I feel is the best way.
In the very beginning I just shoved a pod in my pocket. That plan didn't last long because the pods open and all the floaters become a mess in the pocket, not to mention that they are damaged and wasted.
Then I tried the container method. It just doesn't make any sense to me to remove them from their perfect little cocoon that's the size of my thumb and stuff them into another container that's twice as large. Meanwhile the floaters get damaged and don't fly as well.
So I went back to the pod in the pocket but I added the rubber band. Problem solved, but the system still wasn't perfect.
I can't tell you how many times the "pod in the pocket" ended up being the "pod on the ground"...20 feet down.
So I added the clip and I haven't dropped a pod in 8 years.

But there's another good reason for the clip. I can release floaters one handed. With a container, you need one hand to grab and hold the bottle and pop the lid (possibly dropping the lid) and the other hand to grab a floater to release it. That's twice as much movement and both hands are occupied.
With the clip, I can have the pod located just outside my right pocket...and there's a couple reasons for that location.

1st... I usually have my right hand in my pocket to keep my fingers warm (I shoot fingers with a tab). I barely have any movement to slip just one hand out of the pocket and pinch a floater from the pod that's hanging right there. (And the pod on the right side will never interfere with bow string clearance.)

2nd...The reason I don't keep the pod next to my left pocket is because I may be holding or reaching for my bow. I want to be able to pluck a floater with my right fingers while I'm holding my bow in my left hand. My draw hand that's pinching a floater is just a couple inches away from grabbing my bow string...once again, less movement. And the reason for that is that I'm often releasing floaters as deer are approaching. I have my bow ready, but I may also worry about the deer that I may want to shoot possibly getting down wind. I might have a couple (or more) openings on my down wind-ish side. I want to know exactly where "down wind" is when deer are approaching. Knowing where down-wind was 10 minutes earlier when I last released a floater doesn't necessarily mean that's where down wind still is. Knowing exactly where I risk getting winded can mean all the difference in which shot the deer presents that I may choose to take. Yeah, it's nice to be able to wait for that perfect quartering away shot, but sometimes waiting until the deer walks another 5 yards will put him in my scent stream.

So, am I being anal? I don't think so...it's a system based on logic and practicality.

Let's not forget the real reason behind why we want wind detectors. If we don't learn and understand wind patterns we're often going to choose the wrong stands, and we're gonna educate more deer more often.
And even if you believe that your odor control is bomb-proof (which is unlikely but it might very well be), understanding wind patterns will help better understand and predict deer patterns .
Wind indicators are essential gear. And there's no better wind indicator than milkweed right out of the pod.
 
Okay, I know I'm gonna sound anal about handling milkweed, but if there's a good reason for doing something a certain way, then it ain't being anal.
I have a long history of using milkweed and I've tried all sorts of ways to handle it. My method has evolved thru trial and error into what I feel is the best way.
In the very beginning I just shoved a pod in my pocket. That plan didn't last long because the pods open and all the floaters become a mess in the pocket, not to mention that they are damaged and wasted.
Then I tried the container method. It just doesn't make any sense to me to remove them from their perfect little cocoon that's the size of my thumb and stuff them into another container that's twice as large. Meanwhile the floaters get damaged and don't fly as well.
So I went back to the pod in the pocket but I added the rubber band. Problem solved, but the system still wasn't perfect.
I can't tell you how many times the "pod in the pocket" ended up being the "pod on the ground"...20 feet down.
So I added the clip and I haven't dropped a pod in 8 years.

But there's another good reason for the clip. I can release floaters one handed. With a container, you need one hand to grab and hold the bottle and pop the lid (possibly dropping the lid) and the other hand to grab a floater to release it. That's twice as much movement and both hands are occupied.
With the clip, I can have the pod located just outside my right pocket...and there's a couple reasons for that location.

1st... I usually have my right hand in my pocket to keep my fingers warm (I shoot fingers with a tab). I barely have any movement to slip just one hand out of the pocket and pinch a floater from the pod that's hanging right there. (And the pod on the right side will never interfere with bow string clearance.)

2nd...The reason I don't keep the pod next to my left pocket is because I may be holding or reaching for my bow. I want to be able to pluck a floater with my right fingers while I'm holding my bow in my left hand. My draw hand that's pinching a floater is just a couple inches away from grabbing my bow string...once again, less movement. And the reason for that is that I'm often releasing floaters as deer are approaching. I have my bow ready, but I may also worry about the deer that I may want to shoot possibly getting down wind. I might have a couple (or more) openings on my down wind-ish side. I want to know exactly where "down wind" is when deer are approaching. Knowing where down-wind was 10 minutes earlier when I last released a floater doesn't necessarily mean that's where down wind still is. Knowing exactly where I risk getting winded can mean all the difference in which shot the deer presents that I may choose to take. Yeah, it's nice to be able to wait for that perfect quartering away shot, but sometimes waiting until the deer walks another 5 yards will put him in my scent stream.

So, am I being anal? I don't think so...it's a system based on logic and practicality.

Let's not forget the real reason behind why we want wind detectors. If we don't learn and understand wind patterns we're often going to choose the wrong stands, and we're gonna educate more deer more often.
And even if you believe that your odor control is bomb-proof (which is unlikely but it might very well be), understanding wind patterns will help better understand and predict deer patterns .
Wind indicators are essential gear. And there's no better wind indicator than milkweed right out of the pod.

Sounds like you've got it figured out. My comment was just a humorous aside to Ikeman's comment. It wasn't supposed to be a suggestion to anyone.
 
Sounds like you've got it figured out. My comment was just a humorous aside to Ikeman's comment. It wasn't supposed to be a suggestion to anyone.

I didn't take your comment as a suggestion. But when I can be helpful to someone because I know I have a better way of doing something, I have a hard time not speaking up...it's just my nature to share helpful tips.
 
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