Food Plots.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Does anyone on here do food plotting. I have been doing it for about 5 years now. I have a 4 acre field that I split up into different mixtures. Right now I have 2 acres of a clover mixutre, 1 acre of alfalfa and one acre of a turnip, oats, wheat mix. That last acre I plan on replanting in soybeans this year. I also have 7.5 acres that I rent to a farmer and he plants corn in. I feel that it helps hold deer on my land. Truthfully I just love doing it. I love working the land and then maintaining it and trying to improve every year.
I just thought I would try to get some conversations started on this topic. I havent seen much discussion on this topic around here.

[ICDUCKS]

Nope but I would love to come hunt your property to see if it something I want to do in the future!!!!Laffin

[NYDiamond-shooter]

As soon as the snow melts I will take my camera out and take some pics of my plot and my progress as the summer goes by. I will post them on here so you guys can check it out. Its alot of fun.

[ICDUCKS]

Thats not the same as actually hunting it though...

[NYDiamond-shooter]

yeah i didt actually say that in reply to your post... You snuck urs in there while I was typing. as for you hunting on my foodplot........ didnt I mention that my land is right on the PA border and there cant possibly any deer there.......uhhh yeah lol

[mikeymjr23]

I'm pretty sure I know where this land is...or the general whereabouts of the land....There are no deer in the area Ducks...don't bother.

So...NYD...when do I get to hunt with ya?! haha

[cwilliams]

i did a small plot in the woods last year that turned out awesome.... deer realy used it alot in the summer and early fall.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Cwilliams,
If you dont mind, could you elaborate more on your plot?
What did you plant? How did you plant it? Did you have the clear the area? What kind of equipment did you use?
This is the kind of thing I am looking for because my plot is much different. Larger scale and I have access to farm equipment. I want to let others know that plots of smaller scale can be very productive. Thanks

[cwilliams]

I used the wild game inovations backroads blend. it came with a free packet of deltag grow coat and that stuffs the real deal. it was a chore to dig were I planted it because of the ferns that were there but it was worth the effort i put into it. i just used a shovel, rake and hoe. tossed the seed out by hand and i toped it off with a minimal coating of some cheapo dollar general garden fertilizer. I put one hour into that plot and the deer used it so i was extreamly happy. went back in 10 days and it was 4 inches high. anyone can do this with minmal time...
im gonna start my plots this spring before the weeds grow this year. start of in the spring with beans and peas, then when there ate down in the summer ill put the backroad blends were the peas were at. the rye will stay for a couple years and if you dont want it to stay you just dig it up and use it as green fertilizer and plant there again. im gonna make two or three more of these plots were I want to put stands at..

I will take pics this spring when I do it...

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Very cool. That is exactly why i started this thread I think that people can learn alot from eachother. Especially what you did.

[cwilliams]

I got the idea for the beans when I was buying bean seed for my garden last spring. bulk bean seed is realy affordable at the local market and the deer will eat that beans as fast as they grow.
cant wait to get a trail cam to put over the plots also...

[SR1]

I have a friend that plants turnips every year for a food plot and after the first frost the deer invade the food plots he has they are after the greens.

[ICDUCKS]

I still think I better come hunt it just to make sure I like it......

[coalbedbuck]

Planted a small plot a few years back. Used a tiller to do up about 1/3acre. Planted Shot Plot, the stuff grows FAST. Limed and fertizied. Had around 50$ and 4 hours invested. The pounded it after the first frost. Literally chewed it to the ground in 2 days!

Good topic!

[mikeymjr23]

How was the hunting on that CBB? All gone before opening day?>

[coalbedbuck]

I Didnt hunt it. It was right in edge of Grandads yard.

[cwilliams]

did grandad hunt it ???

[coalbedbuck]

Yup, he's some old apple trees, and a couple pear trees too. We had 2 buck visit all day every day that year. On occaision we'd see what we though was a scrapper 9.
He ended up comin in lookin for food last day of gun season and gramps thumped him. We called him an 11pt, had 2 short extra brows and a split g2.

[cwilliams]

congrats to him...

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Cool. I wish I could say that I only had 50 bucks into my plots lol. Last year we plowed, limed, fertilized and seeded the whole 4 acres. Lets just say that it was alot more than 50 bucks.... lol. But like i said I love doing it and I feel that it really does hold deer on the property. Cool stories keep them coming and anyone that wants to start and has qestions I would be happy to try and help the best I can ( I am no expert) and it seems like there are a few other guys that have had some successfull "micro-plots". Much easier and cheaper. obviously effective as well.