Feed Plots

[ThackMan]

Who here plants a "feed plot" for deer? And what do you plant?

[sgtkersh]

Clover mainly here. I have a 3 acre or so pasture on my 10 acre property. It also has a stream that runs though it providing the southern border between the pasture and the woods. The northern border is my driveway and east/west are woods. The deer hit the clover hard all summer. I have started trying other things, like brassicas. I am going to plant for fall season chickory over about a half an acre or so.

Some day I will get around to planing some persimmons as well. I have a few very small fruit trees already, apple and pears, and they really do hit those as well.

Back to the clover, during this time of year I get herds 10+ grazing my pasture, which outside of grass is clover. Lots of clover.

[Deaf jeff]

i have 6 total plots thru out my 80 acres. 3 perennial plots and the others annuals. the perennial plots are a clover mix. my annual plots change every year. i tend to use the imperial clover seed. it is more expensive but my plots are an acre or less so the expense is not to bad and i have one of the plots going on five years now and expect to get at least 1-2 more years out of it.
with clover plots do not use fertilizer that has much if any nitrogen. clover "makes" its own nitrogen so any nitrogen applied via fertilizer will do nothing for the clover but will cause the grass to go crazy and the grass can and will eventually take over the clover

[vixenmaster]

I am fixin to plant Sugar Beets n Purple top Turnips over on my lease. 2 plots 75'x75' each. I will see if'en that does anything for them

[wabi]

Just helped the landowner where I hunt plant 2 bushels of soybeans in 2 food plots yesterday evening. He tilled them Monday evening and we used a "broadcast seeder" to spread the seed, then a drag to cover them. Got a nice rain this morning (as predicted), so they should sprout soon!

The neighboring farm that used to plant soybeans one year and corn the next sold most of the cropland to the nature conservancy, so the deer should be looking for an easy meal, and we didn't want them to have to travel far in their search!

[vixenmaster]

Just helped the landowner where I hunt plant 2 bushels of soybeans in 2 food plots yesterday evening. He tilled them Monday evening and we used a "broadcast seeder" to spread the seed, then a drag to cover them. Got a nice rain this morning (as predicted), so they should sprout soon!

The neighboring farm that used to plant soybeans one year and corn the next sold most of the cropland to the nature conservancy, so the deer should be looking for an easy meal, and we didn't want them to have to travel far in their search!

Great thinkin Mike, y'all get'em

[Goose52]

IN WI we have 3 small plots, the one by the camp we put in beans which was quickly found n decimated. one by a swamp has whitetail institute's ambush and one on high ground has their tall tine tubers. both are growing great with all the rain we've had. on my 40 in the MI UP i used to plant rape at $1/lb in a small plot in the woods and again it was decimated. WI deer won't touch it unfortunately. between the hard winters, the wolves, high non-res license costs, and my wealthy neighbors now putting in big plots i haven't hunted the UP for a few years and quit planting there.

what are you planting TM or are you looking for ideas?

[BrotherRon]

We have a couple miles of trails through our approximately 180 acres of woods which we seed down with a clover mix. We also have a half acre plot seeded down with turnips that are very tasty cooked over a fire when wrapped in tin foil with a pat of butter. Most of the small farms have been going under around here, so next year I will be planting a mixture of beans, corn, and sugar beats in the small field next to my cabin. Deer love sugar beats and turnips, but usually not until they freeze in the fall.

[foofoo]

if your just curious to try something with minimal effort and quick results get down to a feed store and get a bag of winter rye cover crop.use to be a good bang for your buck.its been a while but i use to get a 50lb bag for like 20$ and covered a large area. just scratch the ground with a metal rake and throw. end of aug beginning of september was the time i used it. the seed would pop in less than 2 weeks.ive used it in deep woods just throwing it on top of the leaf scatter and it would grow on top.

[ThackMan]

I've got 5/8 of an acre at the farm that i hunt. It used to be a field previously but is between apple trees and the woods so the farmer says the deer used to hit it too hard to be worth planting it. Only problem at all is it is mostly sand. I'm gonna try a brassica, rape, and clover mix. Maby some daikon radish for good measure.

Just wondering what everyone else was doing.

[amythntr]

Clover mainly here. I have a 3 acre or so pasture on my 10 acre property. It also has a stream that runs though it providing the southern border between the pasture and the woods. The northern border is my driveway and east/west are woods. The deer hit the clover hard all summer. I have started trying other things, like brassicas. I am going to plant for fall season chickory over about a half an acre or so.

Some day I will get around to planing some persimmons as well. I have a few very small fruit trees already, apple and pears, and they really do hit those as well.

Back to the clover, during this time of year I get herds 10+ grazing my pasture, which outside of grass is clover. Lots of clover.

....Sgtkrersh....why no complete your registration and let us know where you hail from....it helps us...here is a good example...you mention clover...but where do you live so we know if it is something that would work by us!

Anthony

[8ptbuk]

if your just curious to try something with minimal effort and quick results get down to a feed store and get a bag of winter rye cover crop.use to be a good bang for your buck.its been a while but i use to get a 50lb bag for like 20$ and covered a large area. just scratch the ground with a metal rake and throw. end of aug beginning of september was the time i used it. the seed would pop in less than 2 weeks.ive used it in deep woods just throwing it on top of the leaf scatter and it would grow on top.

This is what I would recommend, Doesn't get any easier or cheaper than this !

[sdwjenson]

if your just curious to try something with minimal effort and quick results get down to a feed store and get a bag of winter rye cover crop.use to be a good bang for your buck.its been a while but i use to get a 50lb bag for like 20$ and covered a large area. just scratch the ground with a metal rake and throw. end of aug beginning of september was the time i used it. the seed would pop in less than 2 weeks.ive used it in deep woods just throwing it on top of the leaf scatter and it would grow on top.

That sounds like a great idea. I'm looking for something simple, and something I could plant in the woods. Will definitely look into winter rye. Thanks!

[Boo]

You should plant what isn't planted in your area. Having said that, not all deer like the same thing. One area they might eat brassicas and another they might not. Same goes for all food crops. Plant different crops in strips, find out what your deer like and rotate them. If you have lots of young trees, try hinging. One things for sure, you need water, even if it's a bathtub that you keep filled.
Here is a great site to check out.
http://www.outreachoutdoors.com/phpBB3/ ... 9dd8e1f93d

[ThackMan]

You should plant what isn't planted in your area. Having said that, not all deer like the same thing. One area they might eat brassicas and another they might not. Same goes for all food crops. Plant different crops in strips, find out what your deer like and rotate them. If you have lots of young trees, try hinging. One things for sure, you need water, even if it's a bathtub that you keep filled.
Here is a great site to check out.
http://www.outreachoutdoors.com/phpBB3/ ... 9dd8e1f93d

I've got a pond with swamps on this side of the property.