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Started By
Message
Learn me about food plotting
Posted on 1/5/18 at 11:14 pm
Posted on 1/5/18 at 11:14 pm
Going to develop ~100 acres of our property for family hunting, specifically deer and dove
About half is Pine/hardwood bottomland with two ponds and creek running down the middle, the rest is NWSG pasture and overgrown pasture.
There are about 5 4-6 acre hollows surrounded by thick cover that I think would make perfect deer food plot areas. All are currently covered in NWSG and I'd like to plant some crops to bring in and hold more deer.
I plan on putting out oats and clover for the deer and millet for dove, but is there anything else I should put down as well? When should I start planting to be ready for bow season(sept. 30)?
thanks!
About half is Pine/hardwood bottomland with two ponds and creek running down the middle, the rest is NWSG pasture and overgrown pasture.
There are about 5 4-6 acre hollows surrounded by thick cover that I think would make perfect deer food plot areas. All are currently covered in NWSG and I'd like to plant some crops to bring in and hold more deer.
I plan on putting out oats and clover for the deer and millet for dove, but is there anything else I should put down as well? When should I start planting to be ready for bow season(sept. 30)?
thanks!
This post was edited on 1/5/18 at 11:16 pm
11
Posted on 1/6/18 at 12:01 am to Masterag
Go to growingdeer.tv and watch some of the videos by Dr. Grant Woods
Posted on 1/6/18 at 12:03 am to Masterag
Got a soil test completed? Start there. Then, I'd kill off what is growing if I could afford to. If not, plow it up and let it die. The soil test will probably tell you you need lime. At least it would here, so have that ready to spread before planting. Well before would be best. Then you can plant what you'd like and fertilize. Clover will take a fertilizer that's low in nitrogen. No idea about anything else you'd be planting. Have fun!
Our hunting location isn't suitable for much food plot growing. All hardwoods with just a few micro clearings. We tried the first year or so but the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. May try again sometime if we clear out a larger area.
Our hunting location isn't suitable for much food plot growing. All hardwoods with just a few micro clearings. We tried the first year or so but the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. May try again sometime if we clear out a larger area.
Posted on 1/6/18 at 1:00 am to Coomdaddy
quote:
Got a soil test completed?
not yet, plan to do that soon. we've grown good hay in all those areas, so i know for sure clover will grow in them. now broomsedge and little bluestem have taken over and killed the clover.
Posted on 1/6/18 at 4:44 am to Masterag
Where are you located?
Some may disagree, but I’m not sure why you would want the plots ready for sept. 30. If you plant that early there is a decent chance that they won’t survive - too hot and/or too dry. Add to it that, assuming you’re in Louisiana/Texas/MS, there is plenty natural food sources for the deer in October/November.
We like to plant in mid to late October after the first cool down. The deer don’t really start hitting the plots till the acorns and other briars, grasses, etc die off.
Just something else to consider.
Some may disagree, but I’m not sure why you would want the plots ready for sept. 30. If you plant that early there is a decent chance that they won’t survive - too hot and/or too dry. Add to it that, assuming you’re in Louisiana/Texas/MS, there is plenty natural food sources for the deer in October/November.
We like to plant in mid to late October after the first cool down. The deer don’t really start hitting the plots till the acorns and other briars, grasses, etc die off.
Just something else to consider.
Posted on 1/6/18 at 8:14 am to lsufishnhunt
Does anyone know of something that is good to plant and attracts deer for early season?
Posted on 1/6/18 at 9:51 am to lsufishnhunt
quote:
Where are you located?
East TX... typical sandy loam and clay soil
Posted on 1/6/18 at 10:13 am to lsufishnhunt
quote:
there is plenty natural food sources for the deer in October/November
Yeah, but at the moment I’m not seeing much deer activity at all on my property. I want to bring em in.
ETA... they are probably there, but in the really thick stuff I can’t access without spooking them. I want to give em a reason to come out of hiding.
quote:
The deer don’t really start hitting the plots till the acorns and other briars, grasses,
So you’re saying they’d pass up a plot with clover, oats, etc until late in the season?
This post was edited on 1/6/18 at 10:16 am
Posted on 1/6/18 at 10:19 am to Masterag
You aren't going to get clover or oats growing in September September/October are the driest months of the year
Posted on 1/6/18 at 10:22 am to Masterag
That’s what I’ve seen around my place - but everywhere is different
Posted on 1/6/18 at 10:36 am to lsufishnhunt
Gotcha.... thanks!
Posted on 1/6/18 at 11:37 am to Masterag
From what I’ve been told, heard, read, it’s all about the pH.
If the pH is off, then you’re throwing away a lot of $ on the ground.
The dilemma can be getting enough lime to the plot depending on it’s access.
If the pH is off, then you’re throwing away a lot of $ on the ground.
The dilemma can be getting enough lime to the plot depending on it’s access.
Posted on 1/7/18 at 8:07 am to Volt
Agritech International has a liquid fertilizer that we’re gonna try on our hard to reach areas. Supposed to be cheaper and faster results in improving PH
Posted on 1/7/18 at 8:24 am to Masterag
You want sunflowers for the doves. The deer will eat it during the summer, also.
Clover is great for the deer.
On your place, I’d plant one clover plot and one sunflower field. Replant the sunflower field in a wild game mix in October.
If you plant too early, army worms can wipe it out in a day.
Clover is great for the deer.
On your place, I’d plant one clover plot and one sunflower field. Replant the sunflower field in a wild game mix in October.
If you plant too early, army worms can wipe it out in a day.
Posted on 1/7/18 at 8:26 am to Masterag
If your goal is to attract deer into the open to shoot, the oats amd clover will work but wouldn't plant until October. In the meantime you should try to enhance what you have. Those thickets are probably loaded with food (briars). Fertilize those areas and also look into opening up some more areas so sunlight can hit the ground. Look up hinge cutting. You are basically creatung small openings that will provide food and cover for the deer and it will be available year round which is better than a typical food plot A couple acres of oats and clover won't provide much nutrition for a deer It will pull them out onto the open to be shot, but don't do much for overall herd health.
I've tried several things for doves in sandy loam soils and found browntop millet works best for me. It's easy and cheap. Cut strips in it or burn it. You can disk it or burn it before second split and have another good shoot
I've tried several things for doves in sandy loam soils and found browntop millet works best for me. It's easy and cheap. Cut strips in it or burn it. You can disk it or burn it before second split and have another good shoot
Posted on 1/7/18 at 8:29 am to Masterag
Iron clay peas, peanuts, buckwheat, several varieties of clover are great sources for foraging during the summer. Fall food plots don’t grow antlers. They help deer maintain body weight during the winter.
Posted on 1/7/18 at 9:18 am to Masterag
If you really want to make a difference look into hinge-cutting. Nows the time to do it.
Posted on 1/7/18 at 9:24 am to Masterag
I'd consider planting some fruit tree orchards in a clearing or two. May be your best best for early season, though it may be a couple of years
Posted on 1/7/18 at 1:23 pm to Ron Cheramie
quote:
Those thickets are probably loaded with food (briars)
yeah, full of briars
quote:
Fertilize those areas and also look into opening up some more areas so sunlight can hit the ground. Look up hinge cutting. You are basically creatung small openings that will provide food and cover for the deer and it will be available year round which is better than a typical food plot A couple acres of oats and clover won't provide much nutrition for a deer It will pull them out onto the open to be shot, but don't do much for overall herd health.
good to know, i'd never heard of hinge cutting.
Posted on 1/7/18 at 2:00 pm to Masterag
Those 4-6 acre hollows with nwsg don't happen to be remnant prairie by chance?
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