My New Food Plot

[dhayse32]

Well I have decided to put some hardcore time in and make a great food plot to keep deer and turkey roaming my even after my crops are cut. I am in the process of clearing out a section, 70yds x 160yds that I will be planting some imperial clover as well as turnips and other grasses. This has not been an easy task. Most of the this section is covered with volleyball sized poplars, which I have been cutting down and stacking, much of the undergrowth has been pushed aside and burned. I am hoping to have the plot ready to be planted by mid-late August. If anyone has any food plot information that would like to share, I would love to hear it. What have you planted? What has worked the best?

Also I don't have much help so if any of you have a free weekend and would want to come up, i'll buy lunch!

[woodyh30]

I heard food plots bring deer and turkeys in.

I might be able to come up friday morning and help..if you are going to be able to do that..just let me know.

[pointerman]

If you are going to plant any cover grasses be sure to plant warm season grasses I can give you some info on these. STAY AWAY FROM FESCUE!! Fescue has no nutritional value to wildlife at all wi will eventually take over and choke all your other good stuff out. Little bluestem and big bluestem are good ones. you might also consider putting in a few strips of sorgum. Being a bird hunter this food plot might also attrack a covery or 2 of quail that would be a real bonus. Plus it will attrack several species of song birds and other wildlife that make your time pass in the stand waiting for Mr. Big more enjoyable. I have a tractor (small 8N) bushhog, disc and plow so I might be able to shake free for an afternoon you would just have to let me know. Where is this secret plot located. I don't have a way to haul my equipment so if it is to far from Lost river I would be stuck. Just drop me Priveate message and let me know.

Jim Beasley
AKA Pointerman

[dhayse32]

Thanks Jim for the offer.

It has been a lot of work, Chitwood and I spent last sat. cutting down big poplars and cutting them up, hard to do with a dull chainsaw but didn't have time to get it sharpened before we left. Since I am putting this plot in the woods, it is going to take some time as most of the big stumps are still in the ground, I am shooting to plant in August. I believe I am going to go with Whitetail Institute for the plot, might try some others for the edges as they will receive less sunlight. I have no doubt that this will prove to be well worth while, it might take a year to pattern the deer but whatever it takes. Now I just need to find some good trees well off the plot to setup stands in. Catch them going in and out.

[Woodsman74]

There is a great book on the market put out by the QDMA about food plots. I bought one on line from Cabelas and would recommend it to anyone interested in food plots. Its what I would consider essential material to the beginner. It covers all the different types of forage that you can plant in complete detail such as soil Ph, light needs, moisture needs, drainage and productivity. Has plenty of good usefull info!

[aarons]

Good luck with your plot dhayse. I currently have 6 plots which average 1/2 acre each and I honestly have as much fun planting and maintaining them as I do hunting. I have 3 that I keep in perennials (clover/chicory mix) and 3 in annuals (RR beans, winter wheat and rye, brassicas.....whatever seems to work out at the time).

Based on your measurements, your plot will be around 2.31 acres in size. For a plot that size, you might consider breaking it up by planting more than one type of plant. I'd look at about 1.5 acres of clover/chicory, and the remainder in an annual. Probably a mix of brassicas and winter rye in the fall and RR beans in spring.

Once you get it cleared, hit it with gly a couple of times this summer. A mix of 3 ounces per gallon will kill everything there. Are you going to dig out the stumps or leave them? If you can cut them at ground level, you can just disk over them and they will rot in 2 to 3 years. I've done it that way and it works well. Also, be sure to take a soil sample. A plot in the woods is likely to be acidic and need lime.

Good luck and let us know if you have any questions. Oh, and take plenty of pics! We love pics!

[dhayse32]

Thanks Aarons for the advice.

I plan on mixing it up some, since I am not planting until august I might throw some grasses out for turkey then kill it all after season. What do you think about oats and turnips?

Shoot me a PM Aarons