Food Plots UTV sprayer

I use a boom sprayer like the one TN Song Dog linked to (although mine was a pretty cheap version I think I bought from the Co-op).

Boom sprayers take a lot of heat because the booms can easily be bent, especially when working on rough ground, but I still prefer the boom systems because I can be more precise with my spraying than with a single wide-broadcast nozzle.
 
TSC sells a good Fimco brand boom type that a couple of our guys have, 45 gal I think. I've got a Great Days 40 gal boomless one, but like @BSK mentioned, the boom ones are more precise
 
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I'm using the fimco 25 gal 3 nozzle boom sprayer with optional wand spot sprayer on my 4 Wheeler. It's been great so far like @BSK said its precise but with 25 gallon one you are looking at only spraying a acre at a time on most applications then having to refill/mix. Utv would hold bigger tank for more coverage if doing bigger plots.
The Fimco brand has gotten pretty pricey over the past few years and as others have said there are definitely cheaper versions that will serve you well. Think it's almost triple now what I paid for mine 6 years ago.
 
Livin2hunt said:
The Fimco brand has gotten pretty pricey over the past few years and as others have said there are definitely cheaper versions that will serve you well. Think it's almost triple now what I paid for mine 6 years ago.
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I'd have to look at the brand I have, but it's a 25-gallon tank with 7-nozzle 10' boom. Yup, tank only lasts for an acre but then I've only got 7 acres to spray, so no big deal. And I think I paid around $79 when I bought it 20+ years ago. Now they're a lot more expensive than that!
 
BSK said:
I'd have to look at the brand I have, but it's a 25-gallon tank with 7-nozzle 10' boom. Yup, tank only lasts for an acre but then I've only got 7 acres to spray, so no big deal. And I think I paid around $79 when I bought it 20+ years ago. Now they're a lot more expensive than that!
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You ain't touching one for that these days!!! Mine are several years old and cost around $250/ea I think. Sounds like you got the same ones I've got with the foldout boom. It works real well though and for my small plots it's plenty. I only have one plot that requires more than one full tank. I'd love to have a nice big open area to put a big plot but that's just not how my property lays out, so I have several smaller plots.
 
Ski said:
You ain't touching one for that these days!!! Mine are several years old and cost around $250/ea I think. Sounds like you got the same ones I've got with the foldout boom. It works real well though and for my small plots it's plenty. I only have one plot that requires more than one full tank. I'd love to have a nice big open area to put a big plot but that's just not how my property lays out, so I have several smaller plots.
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Yup, fold out boom. Works great and folding it up makes travelling down wooded roads from plot to plot much easier.
 
A friend gave me a 110 gallon tank. I built a frame, plumbed it with a Hamilton boomless nozzle. Anyone have any experience with this brand of nozzle? It will cover about 45 ft per pass.
 
Definitely in- bed over a tow behind. I like the fimco wet boom. It will cover 40ish feet and all fits within the fender, meaning I have to really try to break it. Booms will give you a little more even coverage generally.
 
UT-longbeard said:
Thanks for the replies. What about the boomless
nozzle setup vs. a boom? I'm sure there's pros and cons for each.
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I'd suggest watching some YouTube videos to get a good feel for it. I have boomless, and it's easier to handle but I know it dumps a lot of liquid fast and doesn't get precise coverage. Both have trade offs. Booms can be bulky, fragile, and hang on stuff, but the spray is more precise and less wasteful.
 
TN Song Dog said:
I'd suggest watching some YouTube videos to get a good feel for it. I have boomless, and it's easier to handle but I know it dumps a lot of liquid fast and doesn't get precise coverage. Both have trade offs. Booms can be bulky, fragile, and hang on stuff, but the spray is more precise and less wasteful.
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Thank you
 
TN Song Dog said:
I'd suggest watching some YouTube videos to get a good feel for it. I have boomless, and it's easier to handle but I know it dumps a lot of liquid fast and doesn't get precise coverage. Both have trade offs. Booms can be bulky, fragile, and hang on stuff, but the spray is more precise and less wasteful.
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I agree with this. If the ground you are spraying is very rough or uneven, booms will hit the ground and bend (ask me how I know!). However, on more level ground, they waste less and are more precise.
 
I use a boomless nozzle on our big tractor when spraying rough ground or burning down fire breaks that have gotten out of control.
** Wear your PPE ** if using a boomless or "Flood" nozzle!!! Just a little wind shift and that lofted mist is falling on you!

Commonly when running your flood nozzle you want to use the smallest nozzle you can get to reduce waste and tune the pressure up so to make the droplets smaller which is far more efficient. Drive faster! Yes faster is better with a flood nozzle as you get better distribution and a more even drift.
Finally reduce your mix rate with flood tips! Most mix rates are based on 20 gallons of liquid per acre distribution but if you know you are putting down 40 gallons per acre then reduce the chemical input by half.
I know it sounds backwards but if you are putting out twice as much as needed then cut the chemical in half and you will have still put out the correct amount of chemicals out in twice as much water. It also helps to use a surfactant which helps chemicals blend and remain well mixed in the water as well as helps the chemicals cling to the plants
 
I have taken my last fimco spray pump back to the store.
I dropped the bucks on a professional grade 25 gallon rig with a 5 nozzle 8 foot boom set plus the wand set up. I am about to salvage the tiny fimco booms from my last sprayer mistake and add them to my rig for double folding 12 ft of spray with ball valves so I can choose to use or not.

I much prefer the accuracy and efficiency of boom sprayers over flood nozzles and use both. Our big pull type rig has 28 ft of boom or flood nozzle and a hydraulic driven pump. We don't pull it out for a few acres as it takes a lot of labor to correctly do a clean out after use.
 

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