2021 Food Plots

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SuperKirby

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It’s probably a bit early, but I figure this year I’ll start a thread about my food plots. I’ve been doing them for about 5 or 6 years now and they’ve become a big part of my summer plans. Seems to be a way that I’ve been able to expand my deer obsession to a little bit more of a year around project.

Yesterday I picked up most of my seeds for the year. I have one big plot that I use to produce tonnage. It’s about 2 acres. If I have the ability and time this year I’ll expand it some. This plot will be primarily brassicas and probably throw some oats in to allow the brassicas to get a good start. I have two other small plots totaling 1/2 - 3/4 of an acre. One will be clover as it always does real well and makes a good nursery plot. It’s small and secluded. The other Is a little bigger, a little more open and will be mostly chicory with some clover and maybe a little alfalfa mixed in.

I’ll try to keep this updated as I go. Maybe I’ll get some of the pictures of previous plots up as well. I don’t know if anyone here does much with them but figured maybe There would be interest.
 
Hard to say for sure because I hunt more and differently now as well. I can say that my deer sightings have definitely gone up over the past few years. Last year due to circumstances beyond my control I didn’t get them in the ground. It was the worst year I’ve had for hunting. A couple years ago I got everything in, weather cooperated and all was good. I ended up seeing an average of 12-14 a night through the season. Never did shoot one but sure was fun to watch. I definitely get more deer on camera.
I think as much as anything is it gives them better nutrition for most of the year and I can say that Over a few years of doing it I’ve seen that pay off for overall herd quality.
As for water, I’m in MN so there’s water everywhere. I’ve debated putting in a small pond to be of help to animals besides deer but just not sure I’m there yet and equipment access is a bit of an issue as well. Things have a tendency to get stuck getting back there.
There is a county ditch that runs along the south edge of the big plot and there’s water in that year around most years.
 
Have you notice some of the bucks using that ditch to sneak in or out of your plots? Ive seen that a couple times in a couple of the drains on the farm where i hunt. Cant seem to pattern the deer doing it tho.
 
I’ve see them a couple times hanging out around the ditch but not using them as travel routes per se. seems most of the bigger bucks hang out to the north where it’s thicker. I shot my biggest deer ever 2 years ago in the “Back 40.” It’s thick back there.

B7A394BB-1B05-489D-9CBA-D43736DBCA12.jpeg
 
Superb! That is a nice buck. I plant a plot of turnips every year, with an elevated blind for my wife overlooking it. Most definantly helps her see a bunch of deer, and helps her stay calm...it's a bit easier to shoot the 12th deer you see than the only one you see all day. Keep up the great work.
 
I graze cattle where I usually plant/sow my food plots and I utilize the fall planting schedule to put mine in.
I am thinking about not planting anything new but spread fertilizer over established white clover and assorted grasses in the area.
 
If you have an established clover plot I would think you might do well just to fertilize it. Depending on size possibly mow it?

3 or 4 years ago somebody trespassed on our land during firearms season. They went through a gate and didn't close it behind them. The cows got out into my plots. In the two weeks between the firearms season and muzzleloader opener they destroyed everything. Boy that was a frustrating opener when I got out to get seated and everything was chewed down to the dirt.
 
We're in a program with the NRCS that mandates we put in cool season grasses in out cropfields after harvest. These 200 acre food plots make for plenty of sightings 👌
 
That's the way to do it. The lady next to us had about 20 acres of alfalfa put in late last year. There have been some happy deer this spring. I

I wish i had that kind of acreage to plant. We only have about 30 acres of tillable land. The rest is too wet and swampy. Gives the cows a place to graze though. I found a few acres out back I can get 4 wheelers into for food plots, otherwise it's all trees and swamp.
 
Thought I'd bring this back up. Like most of the rest of the US, it was an abnormally hot and dry summer. Very dry. The first week of August came around and they were predicting rain. Up to this point I had all but ruled out food plots on account of it being so dry. Decided maybe it would actually rain and I already had the seeds so why not try it. I'm glad it did. It certainly hasn't been normal but it's been enough for things to grow.
cam2.JPG

And for whatever reason it seems like it always takes a little while for word to get around that the salad bar is open. Seems as of a few days ago that they got the message.
cam1.JPG

Of course the turkeys decided they should try it as well.
turkeys.JPG

Of course the turkeys can't have a nice meal without someone watching. (See the deer in the background?)
turkeys2.JPG

I think I like growing food plots and checking trail cams almost as much as I do hunting. Almost.
 
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It’s probably a bit early, but I figure this year I’ll start a thread about my food plots. I’ve been doing them for about 5 or 6 years now and they’ve become a big part of my summer plans. Seems to be a way that I’ve been able to expand my deer obsession to a little bit more of a year around project.

Yesterday I picked up most of my seeds for the year. I have one big plot that I use to produce tonnage. It’s about 2 acres. If I have the ability and time this year I’ll expand it some. This plot will be primarily brassicas and probably throw some oats in to allow the brassicas to get a good start. I have two other small plots totaling 1/2 - 3/4 of an acre. One will be clover as it always does real well and makes a good nursery plot. It’s small and secluded. The other Is a little bigger, a little more open and will be mostly chicory with some clover and maybe a little alfalfa mixed in.

I’ll try to keep this updated as I go. Maybe I’ll get some of the pictures of previous plots up as well. I don’t know if anyone here does much with them but figured maybe There would be interest.
Are you planting the deep rooting Daikon-style radishes to help break up any hardpan, and bring nutrients up towards the surface from the subsoil?
 
There are daikon in that, but more so because that's what was in the mix. This year I opted to move away from the name brand mixes and try out the local coop seeds. They had a 50/50 turnip/radish mix so I got that and mixed it with oats. The soil there is about as good of soil as one could ask for with a fair amount of peat already in it.
 
I have had excellent results with individual bags of Austrian Winter Peas for fall planting in the Piedmont, NC region (north central NC). Deer mow em down fast.

I try and time the planting around the start of the 3rd week of Sept to be "still there" for late Oct black powder season opener since they dont stick around long in my plots.

Co Op products have worked well also. I usually get the Southern States "Fall Wildlife Seed" and mix them in with Winter Peas. Fall Wildlife Seed has a mix of seeds. Not terribly expensive (big bag) and grow's well, everything gets eaten.

SE w/t deer are kind of like goats and like to wander and browse different menu items.
 
I mowed my foodplots three days ago and I had turkeys in one of them a day later. I was waiting on some rain in the forecast to apply some fertilizer but I am going to put it down regardless of the weather this weekend.
 
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I. Half a world away but for whatever it's worth I'm am agronomist and if you have any questions about your pastures I'll be happy to help.

I'll keep that in offer in my back pocket. I'd be willing to bet I can come up with some questions. This year is a surprise in every way. I had very low expectations between not getting to plant anything last year and the lack of rain to start the year.
 
I. Half a world away but for whatever it's worth I'm am agronomist and if you have any questions about your pastures I'll be happy to help.
Hello Bushfire, i have a question for you. Does the brassicas deplete alot of minerals and lime out of your soils. And if so what is a good ph for this kind of food plot..ty
 
Hello Bushfire, i have a question for you. Does the brassicas deplete alot of minerals and lime out of your soils. And if so what is a good ph for this kind of food plot..ty

They do suck up a fair amount of nutrient, they're particularly big users of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur.

I've never really thought of them as an acidifier though. If it's a long term pasture that will self sow I would periodically be applying nutrients to keep it going well. The cheapest option is urea and superphosphate. You may want to apply some traces every now and then but that would depend on the fertility of your soil.

On the note of acidity, pure legumes can do this. If you have a straight clover or lucerne/alfalfa plot for example, the excess nitrogen they fix can lead to acidification. You can address this by either liming or planting a grass to take up the excess. Bear in mind liming requires incorporation, top dressing has little impact because lime is so immobile.
 
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