Food Plot Basics

[Bowhunter]

Sorta been quiet on this subject. Thought I'd share my learning experience so far this year. Plots have been so so at best. Early on they were great but lack of rain and my small plots can't compare to larger wheat fields. Next year I won't waste my time unless I plant at least 2-3 acres plus per plot.


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[Okie4570]

I'm surrounded by milo, corn, beans during the summer, wheat in the winter. Food plots for me are just about pointless. Considered a big turnip and wheat plot a couple of times though. I kind of enjoy helping others with theirs.

 

[retrieverman]

I wanted to plant this year, but time (away from work) wasn't in my favor. I'm going to try again this fall.

I agree with Bowhunter that big plots are the way to go. My "idea" for this project is several plots with a couple being 5-10 acres, but planting on that level isn't cheap.

 

[Deer Slayer]

Bowhunter - you are going thru a learning curve and you are partially right. Several 1 acre plots scattered around the property work well for hunting plots. 2-3 acre plots work well for feeding plots. I am working on diversifying my plantings and the blend contains some perennial seeds which are relished by deer but are not considered by the established companies that sell food plot mixes to the public. Some were incorporated into my fall planting this year and additional ones will be added this spring. In the long run it will be worth it and the annual savings in labor, seed and possible reduction in fertilizer costs will more than pay for itself, not to mention the increase in quality forage. Stay tuned or retrieverman and bowhunter drop me a pm with your cell # for further discussions.

 

[DEER 24/7]

Fellows this food plot business isn't that hard I have tried a many a things over the years in spring time plant catjang cow peas if drilling 20 bls a acre if broadcasting 25 lbs acre then broadcast 2 lb acre milo on top of it and disc both in. If you have a good deer population around you for 2 mile radius better have at least 5 acres or they will eat them all up but this como will pull deer for a long ways you will have all your neighbors deer unless he is doing the same thing. in fall broadcast 100 lb acre rye,oats or wheat(rye easier to get up and deer prefer oats over the other 2) into your cowpeas there will be enough deer kicking dirt around to so they will come up. so now you have the green stuff and pea pods & milo the deer will hammer this plot. And if there is any farmers on here they will tell you I am correct about this wheat deal I am fixing to tell you the secret to hunting where there is a lot of wheat fields around is to fertilize your wheat real heavy I am talking like 300 lb 13/13/13 acre. I learn this as a farm boy fertilizing our places where say I had a strip where I had it set wrong and put out double that where you would always see cows grazing or doing the turn rows I would get it down heavy there. same thing that's where cattle would eat most. I have experimented with this on wheat fields if I would hunt a big field like 30 acres and I want the deer come to a current spot I would would fertilize a couple acres heavy that where deer would come to feed. I am not sure this would be as effective in good dirt as it is in the poor sandy soil like where I hunt.

 

[dennishoddy]

Fellows this food plot business isn't that hard I have tried a many a things over the years in spring time plant catjang cow peas if drilling 20 bls a acre if broadcasting 25 lbs acre then broadcast 2 lb acre milo on top of it and disc both in. If you have a good deer population around you for 2 mile radius better have at least 5 acres or they will eat them all up but this como will pull deer for a long ways you will have all your neighbors deer unless he is doing the same thing. in fall broadcast 100 lb acre rye,oats or wheat(rye easier to get up and deer prefer oats over the other 2) into your cowpeas there will be enough deer kicking dirt around to so they will come up. so now you have the green stuff and pea pods & milo the deer will hammer this plot. And if there is any farmers on here they will tell you I am correct about this wheat deal I am fixing to tell you the secret to hunting where there is a lot of wheat fields around is to fertilize your wheat real heavy I am talking like 300 lb 13/13/13 acre. I learn this as a farm boy fertilizing our 'veplaces where say I had a strip where I had it set wrong and put out double that where you would always see cows grazing or doing the turn rows I would get it down heavy there. same thing that's where cattle would eat most. I have experimented with this on wheat fields if I would hunt a big field like 30 acres and I want the deer come to a current spot I would would fertilize a couple acres heavy that where deer would come to feed. I am not sure this would be as effective in good dirt as it is in the poor sandy soil like where I hunt.

I've planted everything on the market at one time or another because I have enough land that I can.
Every variety of Brassica's, Rape, Oats, corn, milo, blah, blah.
The deer in your area will determine what they want to eat.
I've said this many times, deer have a need for nutrients just like we have a need for a balanced diet. They don't have a grocery store and will search out the food/nutrients they need, and that's where they will hang out.
Some areas are lacking in minerals, and some aren't. Once you find out that they don't need additional minerals, your wasting your money putting them out.

If your area doesn't get a freeze before archery season, your wasting your money on rape and brassica's.

FOR MY AREA, Milo is the great food plot planting. I put in 17 acres of it once and the deer had it stripped by Dec 1.

Planted oats and wheat in the same area for a couple of years. IN MY AREA they had no preference.
Plant something that will take a lot of browsing, and grow during the winter.
Oats or Wheat is the answer in my area. They get nipped down and grow back. Cheap to plant.

Plant a variety to prove it to yourself, and I think you will find out that wheat or oats are going to be your answer.

 

[Deer Slayer]

The higher the nutrients the more attractive it is. If you have a choice between a quarter pounder and prime rib for supper, what would you choose? Dennis and 24/7 are both right and I heartily agree. this is why I use Buck Forage Oats plus perenials.

 

[ImTheDude]

I have had very little luck with my deer hitting anything but the BFO's. We have 5 plots ranging from .5 to 2 acres, the deer hammer the oats all fall. This was also the first time in 4 seasons that te deer have eaten the corn from the feeders. It usually just piles up and the coons and squirrels eat all they can.

 

[Deer Slayer]

During January and up to mid February if you wish to plant clover in your existing food plots then overseed ladino clover at 2- 4 pounds per acre and the freeze/thaw cycle will allow the clover to make contact with the soil. When "green up" of the plots occurs in March then the clover will germinate and grow, providing a perrenial food source for the deer and fix nitrogen to assist the existing forage during the warm season.

 

[DEER 24/7]

did anyone BFO freeze out. I just planted plain feed oats and they froze out we had some 0 degree weather up north just wondering how the BFO did