Food Plots.

[dknappy]

For guys that don't have alot of ground or just want a small plot in the middle of the woods, they make a mat that you just rake the area and roll out the mat. Looks easy, but not sure of the price.

[carl milks]

For guys that don't have alot of ground or just want a small plot in the middle of the woods, they make a mat that you just rake the area and roll out the mat. Looks easy, but not sure of the price.

Where would I find this info? I've puttered around the past couple years throwing some "plots" on my 30 acres of woodland. Clover blend was given to me so I tried it, just rake and sow. It did'nt hardly get a chance to get above sprout stage- they eat it faster than it grows!!! I have a 4 wlr, but no equip for tilling, ect. But my neighbor has the tractor, plows, tills, ect, I'll have to strike up a deal with him. I'm interested in getting into this, but don't have the time/money to invest big time.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Carl,
I looked them up. They are called Monster Plots "Magic Carpet". It seems to me like its kind of a ripoff. Its 40 bucks for 40 square feet of this burlap mat that has seeds and stuff in it. Then you spread some dirt over top and water it and its done. I am thinking that its pretty small for $40. you can buy enough seed to plant 1-2 acres for 40 or less. There are many food plots that are made to plant in the woods. The best things is to try and find a somewhat open area with at least 1/2 a day of sunlight. And definately add lime and fertilizer. All the leaves decaying in the woods make the soil acidic so you need lime. I know Mossy oak biologic makes a plot called Secret spot and Evolved harvest makes a "Throw and Grow" plot as well. Good Luck.

[Snookman]

Already have a few acres of corn in the middle of my property. Neighbor has about 3 acres of clover out front. Have a two acre overgrown field where I considered turnips (heard they were excellent) but the resident doe herd decided to make it their permanent bedding area. Darn. Thinking about apple and pear trees just to give them some variety. Dont think I'm growing big horns but the deer really really taste delicious.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Snookman,
Good move on not cutting down that bedding area. I feel that a good bedding area is better than a food plot. If they had a way to grow those in a few months I would be doing that all over my woods lol. But It sounds like you have some good feeding areas established already. I also planted 8 apple trees about 4 or 5 years ago. We even but up a 10 foot barbed wire fence around them. It kept the deer out (for the most part) but we made a big mistake.... We put the black corregated pipe around the trunks as the trees were yound maybe 6 footers when we bought them. And we wanted to keep the rabbits and stuff out of there. The problem was, when the snow came mice got down inside the pipes and chewed all the bark off the lower 6 inches of the trees. Obviously this killed them. 1 looks like it will live and 2 are a maybe. So be careful. And keep close watch on them. It was a damn shame for me to pull out those dead trees last summer. The trees alone were $300 then we fertilized and watered them 2 times a week for 2 months after we planted them and building that damn fence. As you can see I am a bit bitter about the whole thing.

[mikeymjr23]

NYD...How old were you when you started this planning? Were you even hunting deer yet?

Sounds like you got a pretty good jump on it.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Mike,
I started all of this when I was about 18 or 19. I am 24 now. I eat sleep and breathe deer and deer hunting. I spend alot of time and do alot of research on foodplots and land management. I am also lucky to have a few good resources with my grandpa having farm equipment and I know a lot of farmers in the area. I have called them with many questions. The other person that has helped me alot is Dave Spann, he owns Willdlife Management Services. Its a land management company that is out of jamestown. I met him through a friend and he has been a great help. They do consulting services for food plots and forestry. He also mixes seed and sells it for food plots. So yeah I have had a pretty good jump on it so far. I am starting to see some good results so its pretty neat.

[mikeymjr23]

Thats pretty cool. Sorry, I thought you were a bit younger than me. I remember you from Merz. haha-sorry bout that.

[870Boy]

I have done some custom food plot installation over the past two summers. I have opted for a no-till system using clover/chicory.

1. spray to kill vegeation
2. brushhog about 1 week later
3. no-till 25 pounds to the acre one week later
4. fertilize with 150 # / acre of 10-20-20 after emergence
5. Apply lime whenever soil test dictates and you can get lime truck on the ground

Here is a picture of brushhogging and using a no-till drill. I rent the drill from the Chautauqua Soil and Water district. The other equipment I have (tractor, sprayer, brush hog, fertilizer spreader). Hire the lime spread.

[870Boy]

NYDiamond...you are right about Dave Spann and his business land management...good egg. I have known him and what he has been doing for several years now. He knows what he is doing. I have used his seed blends for a few years now and am very satisfied. I believe he actually lives in Westfield. His "day job" is in Jamestown.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

870,
Nice pics!! We have rented that tiller before too. It works pretty slick. Did you just mix your own seed? How did that clover chickory mix turnout? I have thought many times to try chicory but I just never have. Sometime I will I am sure. I am planning on using the roundup as well this year. But I plan to disc after it dies because I will be planting soybeans and I think it will work better if more soil is exposed. Thanks for the pics.

[870Boy]

I have been very satisfied with the clover/chicory mix. Bought it off of Dave Spann. Seed it in early August. It comes up that fall and provides some feed, but the following year is when you really get the tonnage out of it. I usually will clip it (brush hog) in late June, to keep the clover from going to seed. That way you get good regrowth and it stays lush. When I was clipping it this past summer the clovers were knee high. Nice forage for the deer. The doe I shot near the one plot this year was fat as hell.

The chicory seems to thin out after the first year, either that or the deer destroyed it. Spotlighting shows that the deer enjoy that feed.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Here is a few pics from this years plot. The first was taken a Jan 7th. As you can see by the tracks and the deer , they deer like diggin in the field getting the green clover and turnips out. and the other is a bear going through the plot in july. You can see the mix that he is walking through has turnips,oats, and different grasses. Its called Flash mix.

[cwilliams]

nice pics nydiamondshooter...

[Snookman]

NYD is that mix perennial or do you have to plant it every year?

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Flash mix is an annual planting. That is the first time I planted that mix and I was happy with the mix but not happy with how it grew. It was a first planting after being plowed from sod ground. I plowed late and alot of weeds were established already. It choked some of the plants out. This spring I plan on spraying roundup on the plot to kill everything off. Then I am thinking of planting soybeans in that one acre patch. If you are looking for a perennial plot I would reccomend Dave Spanns clover mix. The deer love it and it grew really well!

[Harecreek10]

In my few years of experience with food plots ive seen how beneficial they can be to deer nutrition and successful hunting. Ive seen woods that are deer haven's in archery season become totally unpopulated by December because there are no food sources around. After experimenting for a few years on a few 1 acre plots ive found soybeans, oats, and corn to be most desired before the snow falls. And once Dec rolls around brassicas/turnips and standing corn have been the deer's first choice. There are many products to choose from out there these are just the few ive been successful with. I also enjoy experimenting and working with fp's, they definetly keep you busy up until those fall days when hopefully they help you be successful.

[NYDiamond-shooter]

Harecreek,
Thanks for the input buddy. I agree. My foodplot is holding deer on my property right now. I have never seen my property hold deer in the deep winter months of jan and feb. The deer are hitting my plots like crazy. I attribute this totally to foodplots. I hope I can keep them coming. And by the way I found some new Soybeans that are supposed to be great for foodplots. They are called Eagle Seed Forage soybeans. I saw them on TV and I looked them up online. They are awesome. They are supposed to keep on growing all year even if the browse pressure is heavy from the deer. Seems like a great concept to me. I know you will be inerested in these with all the deer that your property holds. I sent an email to the company to try and get ordering info and pricing. I will let ya know what happens. Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out.
http://www.eagleseed.com/forage.html

[Lucky Strike]

I have 15 acres I rotate in food plots. Heres what I use: premium prennial clover, shot plot brassica and maximum, buckwheat, and corn. Buckwheat was a big surprise. No Fertilizer needed - could save some big $$! Deer fed heavy in summer and fall, but the turkeys went crazy over it. Depending on snow or ice cover it'll keep birds all winter.....and into spring to hunt. At one time I had 3 winter flocks fighting or roatating over the fields. Talking 90 birds. Our clover keeps alot of deer around through the summer and its my largest plot. Bought an ATV sprayer 2yrs ago. Best thing to buy. You could actually get away with just spraying the grass/weeds, wait for the die-off and seed. I have done just that at a lease I hunt. If your just starting plant premium prennial clover and some brassica. I went, thanks to Safari Club WNY, to Northern County Whitetails in stuben county. They test study for mossy oak seeds. Neil Dougherty led the tour. His book was a big help.
http://www.northcountrywhitetails.com/

[NYDiamond-shooter]

I had a sprayer that was set up with a wand for spot spraying only. This past week my grandfather and I devised a plan to build a boom to spray fields with it. I think while I was away at college this week he finished it. Its basically a 3/4 inch pipe with 3 spray nozzles built in. I am hoping it works out well. I am planting Eagle Seed forage soybeans and they need to be about 1" deep at least so after spraying and die off I plan to disc 2-3 times then broadcast the seed and run over with a cultipacker to cover the seed. I have heard this works well. Thanks for the info. I have checked out North country whitetails site before. Very cool I plan on getting Neils book for sure. Thanks.