Food Plots?

[esox49]

Just was wondering if anyone planted any food plots this year and if you had any luck with them. What brands worked and what did not work?

[Mark Christianson]

Ahhhh

Food plots.

Well, for me I can't say any one type I tried was bad. Locations where I put some plots were bad.

I planted (at last count), 9 different blends/brands of food plot seed.

All the plots I put in the woods turned out fantastic. The ones out in the old field area, all stunk it up bad. But, the lack of success could be attributed to my lack of soil testing too.

Bottom line, this is my first year doing any food plot work, and I would give it a thumbs up!

My favorite seeds this year:

Natures Own Trophy Grazin Buck Mix

MDHA Wildlife Blend

MDHA Annual Blend

Whitetail Institute Imperial Clover

I monitored plots all spring, summer and fall with trail cameras, and I got loads of great pics. Does with young fawns, bucks with every stage of antler development, and even some turkeys and a coyote.

Will I continue with what I have started? ABSOLUTELY!

Will I expand the plot sizes and start new ones? ABSOLUTELY!

[Lip RIPPER!]

If you really want your plots to shine, do yourself a favor and make sure to fertilize them. This is probably one of the biggest factors in making an ordinary food plot great.

[Mark Christianson]

I fertilized. And I limed. And I fertilized again.

Soil tests are a must in order to get the right nutrients to the soil.

As one seed company told me, "You can't generalize on fertilizer and just expect it to make things grow. You have to know what to apply and in what amounts."

So yes, fertilizer is a must, but if you want optimal food plot performance, there is a little more work involved, and next year I am doing that next step as well.

[Dan Wood]

We are hoping to do some testing and reporting on this subject in the future at FishingMinnesota. Biglakeba$$ and perchjerker are very knowledgeable in this area.

[PerchJerker]

I plant several different types of seed each year. I do a lot of experimenting and even though I've got my favorites, I still try at least 1 or 2 new seeds each year to see what grows the best and what the deer like the best.

In terms of what works, it really depends on what you can grow in your soil AND what your deer want. It also depends on what you want the food plot to do - provide nutrition and food all year long, provide attraction during the bow season, provide attraction and food during the late season, etc. There's not really any plantings that do a good job of everything.

And not everything you could plant will work as good as you want it to. I've tried seeds that are supposed to be great and not got them to grow, and I've tried seeds that grew awesome but had the deer pass over them for other stuff I planted. I am a firm believer in experimenting and finding out what works best in your area. Especially if you're planting in farm country (like Owatanna) where you have to compete with agricultural crops.

It's hard to beat clover if you have the right soil for it, especially white or ladino clovers. Imperial Clover from the Whitetail Institute is my favorite but I've also had great success with other varieties of landino and white clovers. Depending on your soil you may need to go with red clover or even alfalfa. There's lots of good clover blends out there and that would be an ideal way to start. Clover is a great spring/summer/fall food source and nutrition, but is not a big attractant in the fall.

Better fall attractants are cereal grains like oats, wheat, rye and triticale, but they need to be planted in the fall to do what you want them to do. Another great fall choice is brassicas like rape, turnips, and kale. These get planted in the spring and grow all year long, but the deer don't touch them until after there's been a few freezes. With these types of fall attractant food plots, the deer will only use them for a relatively short time period each year.

Personally, I have 5 food plots and have most of them split into sections, and I plant things to provide fast green-up and nutrition in the spring, food in the summer, attraction in the hunting season, and a food source before winter. It's not easy, it's not cheap, and it takes a lot of time, but I love doing it. And it really draws in the deer.

[BLACKJACK]

In the past I've planted mostly red clover and by this time of year its eaten down to the ground. This year I've tried a couple of deer mixes that have turnips and canola(rape) in them, plus one spot is a solid rape stand. So far the jury is still out, I haven't really seen much deer activity or eating on the rape stands. Also planted some winter rye, the deer are still eating it, and have been for the last month. I'd plant it again.

Going to try and fertilize some of my clover stands next spring, anyone know what kind to use? Someone told me that clover doesn't need much nitrogen so I was thinking of going with a 0-10-10 mix. Your thoughts?

[jlm]

Food plots you say? Yes, I planted several again this year and all turned out very well. I have planted about everything there is known to man (there are a few exceptions of course). Again, as in the past couple of years, my late season rye by far out produced everything. I have seen approximately 30 deer in a 2 acre plot in one evening of hunting! It is important to remember that food plots will be better in certain places in our state. Here is a prime example; Clover is and has been known as a great food plot in many areas. I have a rather large food plot that has several varieties of clover. It was a beautiful plot that I have kept up great. However, it rarely gets used by the deer in my area. My theory is that there are too many alternatives in the area because this is an agricultural area. Soy beans, alfalfa, etc. Next year I will eliminate this from my plots as it does not produce for me. I have had that plot in for I think 4 years. Next year I will plant corn (round-up ready), alfalfa, turnips, and of course rye. Soy beans are also an option but they get over grazed and I am not sure I want to fence them in. Someone mentioned that fertilizing is the key and I would agree. You will get much more forage per acre if you fertilize it!! Liming is also important but in some areas it will require an awful lot of money and work. I think it is better to find a crop that will grow in the conditions you have. Most seed companies will provide a chart of conditions in which a crop will grow best. Match that with your soil tests and you should be good to go. Anyway, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. We will be having a couple of seed companies doing demos at our QDM meeting this Spring, I will be sure to post when and where if you are interested. Good luck all!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ok.. all you food plott semi quazi masters... I have been thinking about trying to grow stuff as well. But the soil I have at my cabin totally stinks.. its all sand. I cant believe trees grow even. Anyway, The question....

at what point is it just not worth it. How small is too small a food plot. I have about an acre that I could plant something but like people said, I would need to get the soil tested to see what kind of lime or others fertilizer would be needed to get anything to grow... Is an acre not worth it... or are there food plot ideas for just getting stuff to grow in and with the trees? Then I guess its not really much of a plot. I have an area that might be closer to 2 acres that was cut down and re-planted and now has quite tall pines all in nice durdy rows.. but I am not sure the light penetration would be all that great. Even though the lowest branches are about 25 foot from the ground.

Ideas?

[Deitz Dittrich]

oooops double post

[BLACKJACK]

JLM, winter rye is an annual, correct? I'll have to replant next year, right? When do you usually plant your rye?

I'm surprised you don't have luck with the clover, I live south of Brooten in an ag area and the deer eat it up. But there isn't much alfalfa or small grain grown around here, its all corn and soybeans, maybe that why the deer like it.

Tell me about the round up ready corn. I've been planting sorghum for the pheasants the last couple of years and its a good thing that I don't farm for a living because it looks like $hit, weedy and not much for heads. I've been thinking about round up ready corn or beans but I don't have a planter, but I do have a grain drill, been wondering if I could plant corn or beans with it and then spray with round up....

When do the deer start eating the brassicas, the turnips and rape and such? Will the eat it if they've never seen it before?

[jlm]

Exude-

Great questions and I suspect your situation is the most common in the food plot world. My answer is yes, it is well worth it. However, if you have a large number of deer in your area, I would make a couple of suggestions. If I were you, I would plant whatever it is you would like to plant and fence it in! About a week to two weeks prior to season, take the fence down and get ready for a great atractant food plot. Sandy soil is always a risk so be sure to select something that does well in dry conditions to be on the safe side. The rye that I plant is an annual and does need to be replanted every year. It does best in a well prepared seed bed so be sure to work it up well. On the other hand, you could also fertilize the existing vegitation in the woods and create "hidy holes" throughout your forest stand. It is best to mow it all down first and you could even broadcast some seed such as clover or rye into it for some new growth. Anyplace that you fertilize will be hit by the deer because the vegitation will be more lush.

BlackJack-

Yes, rye is an annual that needs to be planted every year. Round up ready corn and soy beans is the cat meow, particularly if you have weedy conditions. You can spray round up without effecting the corn or beans. The weeds will be killed however. Great product. Corn takes a lot of fertilizer though so be sure to get enough on or you will be disappointed with your results. It is a great food plot for late season, particularly when there is a lot of snow! Will writer more later, good luck all!

[Deitz Dittrich]

thanks for all the advise, I may give a little clover or something.. thanks again. I'll report next fall on how it worked out for me..

and yes JLM, there are quite a few deer in the area.. mostly does...

[jlm]

Look me up this Spring Exude, I will come out and give you a hand. Good luck!

[Deitz Dittrich]

jlm, I may just take you up on that some time... however, it would be quite a drive for you, and I surely dont expect that(the land is about 10 miles north of Grantsburg, WI). However, I may be e-mailing you some time for advise now and then.

[Mark Christianson]

Hey exude

Do it! Make food plots that is.

Don't worry about making the plot, the "best" plot in the world in your first year. Just get things rolling, get something planted, and learn from your successes and mistakes. I am not saying disregard any education about what/how to do it, but don't get wrapped around the axle trying to make a plot looking like the ones you might see in magazines.

I did some research last year, and got a lot of input from a couple people, and I just went out and did some stuff.

I planted several kinds of seeds in various soils, and some did wonderful, and some quite honestly sucked.

But, this spring, I have a baseline to try to improve upon, and to work at making the next steps to better what I have.

Just do it!!!!!

PS - Is one acre enough? YES!

There are publications that say you should have x acres of plots per y acres of property. Sure, in an ideal world that would be awesome, so take what you have and give it a shot.

[Cooter]

Deer are still hitting our oats and rye mix, haven't pounded the rape and turnips yet. The neighbor has Buck Forage Oats and they've been digging through the snow to get at them and they're still green. I believe they would be hitting ours harder but we need some better fencing as some young cattle have found a way in and mowed it down pretty good .

[jlm]

Hey Cooter, are you sure those are cows? They could be piebald deer....they are very tastey I hear LOL!

[Cooter]

I asked myself the same question several timew when those little SOBs were going to town on it! Was wondering what kind of penetration I'd get with my Xpress's and 100 Thunderheads on 350 lbs of hereford.

[Captain B.R.K]

My soon to be father n law has land that has potential for 2 areas within the woods that would dynamite for food plots.

Time- not worried about putting into. I would love to see my work grow.

I guess I would be interested in knowing how much $$ it could take for 2 smaller areas to be brought up. I don't know even know if they are an acre together. My father n law had something in there last year and the deer went nuts on the cabbage. This year, the weeds got to it and nothing but weed patches.

I'm all ears guys as this is new to.

[Mark Christianson]

Hey Cappy Tan BRK

The $$ for plots vary GREATLY.

Do you have access to equipment to work up the plots? If so, your $$ are obviously much smaller right off the get go.

After that, your costs are seed, fertilizer, and lime for the most part.

Last year, we had to buy a disc for our ATV, a 'digger' as we call it for the ATV(a 4 ft section of an old farm implement), a disc for a tractor, a 125lb spreader for lime/fertilizer, and an ATV sprayer.

Luckily we got an Oliver model 880 tractor from my Grandpa to reduce costs of our insane ideas for plots....

Anyway. Back to costs for plots.

If you remove costs of equipment from the equation, and just talk about supplies for plots, and how to make them grow, it is not that bad in most cases.

Seeds can vary in price. But even if you buy more expensive perennial seeds that can cost over $50+ per acre to plant, you can get 3 to 5 years out of those perennial type seeds. So basically your costs are not too bad over the long haul.

There are other more basic alternatives for seed that can cost far less, and quite honestly they can be very productive as well. A lot of it comes down to some trial and error.

Bottom line, my belief is that your initial investment in developing food plots is where you spend most of your money. After you get your methods and equipment required to develop and maintain plots; your investment should decrease significantly after the first couple years.

BUT, your return is potentially INCREDIBLE.

Try a plot. It's an addiction.

[BLACKJACK]

I agree with biglake, it can be addicting, especially when you start seeing deer using your plots. To cut down your costs, go to a local elevator or seed dealer, start out with a basic red clover, deer will love it, then later on you can go to some of the more expensive mixes like Imperial. Use some fertilizer too.

I tried some Imperial last year, planted 100 feet away from some straight red clover and the jury is still out, mainly becasue they've both been eaten to the roots! We'll see how they both come back in the spring and how long they last.

[jlm]

Great post guys and good information! Equipment is the most expensive. If you have small plots you could use a garden tiller or rent the equipment from the MDHA or your local rental outfit, it is very reasonable. If you want to start cheap, I would go with a Fall rye planting. Work it up and get a good seed bed all of next Summer. Rye seed is dirt cheap and will grow well without fertilizer or lime the first time you plant it (in most areas). You can broadcast it and rake it in. There is no weed competition in the Fall so no cost in spraying. Lots of elbow greese but low cost. Look me up anytime if you would like some help, its a lot of work but lots of fun! Good luck!

[Hotspotter]

Folks:

Hypothetical scenario.

Some guy just built a house and has an empty septic drain field with which to start a food plot. It's about an acre or two.

This guy wouldn't be so lucky as to have food plot AND septic experts monitoring the forum, would he?

The soil is on a terrace above a river bottom, with 18 inches thick black topsoil (was wooded), and below is very well-drained with about 6 feet of mostly sands with some silt lenses woven into the mix. Topsoil is very nutrient rich, with moderate pH (calcium carbonate is all over the place, so lime will probably not be needed).

I've heard it's bad to have deep rooted plants on the top of your drain field as it chokes the lines, so does anybody have seed mixes/species that would be preferable? I'm also trying to stick to native species, as it's in a clearing in the woods, and I'd prefer not to have some exotic running wild through my woodlands. I don't think I can till here, so I'll probably need a no-till mix I'm guessing? Any ideas? Straight clover the whole thing?

Joel

[Mark Christianson]

May as well show some examples of plots.

Here is a plot before construction:

No live trees were harmed in the making of this plot.

The same plot after construction:

The same plot in mid summer: