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Plotting....Back To Basics?

at1010

*Supporting Member*
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I am (like many on here) involve with plotting! Who doesn't love to play farmer!

My question to many of you, do you feel the more years you plot the more you end up going back to your basics? This year I tried some beans/peas it was ok but not great. I did one plot in clover, did fantastic. What I continue to find is that the more I plant, the more I want to go back to the basics and focus on rotation.

I never have had much of a draw to clover. However i know Legumes are essential to soil. I am really thinking about keeping my plots like below.

1. clover (keep for few years, overseed in fall with oats, WW, WR)
2. not in clover plant brassicas/WW/WR/Oats


I know it doesn't sound great, but I buy cheap oat seed at a co-op and the deer hammer them, and they tend to last. Anyone else feel this way?
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
You need to plant to your deers palate. There is always some risk that a big mast crop will make a plot ineffective. We like to take our worst plot nutrient wise and topsoil depth wise and stabilize it with clover for 5 years. That lets the organics from cutting it build up in the top soil as well as releasing natural nitrogen into it. We will generally turn our clover iver then plant corn in it. Cover is way more important than people put emphasis on. They need to feel comfortable coming to the food.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Great post and looking forward to new ideas. I only have 2 years experience of planting food plots.
My thoughts from 2 years of deer watching in the food plot.

1. WT Forage Oats has drawn deer both years and will always plant 1.0 ac. as 1/2 gets eat off in no time.
2. In 2013 I planted clover in two 1/2 plots and both have done well but no food available the 1st year. I notice that the deer all year go straight through the food plot and feed on the clover 1st. At this time of the year the clover is ate down to the ground. But it will be the 1st plant to start growing come warm weather. The deer still go to it 1st but feed in the other plots also.
I consider clover a 2nd year crop and from all research everyone does also.
3. 2014 I planted WT Winter Greens and after freezing weather the deer are hitting it 1st since the clover is gone.
I will plant it in 2105.
4. I planted beets, radishes, turnips in 2013 and the deer didn't touch them until late winter and everything else was ate off. At that time the deer eat every green top of 1.0 ac. planted but never eat even 1 turnip. I only planted 1/2 ac. in 2014 and some type of grass took over and smothered out 99% of the planting except along the edges. I notice now the deer are eating the bulbs. I will plant 1/2 ac. each year as myself and the family just love turnips and something for the deer to. But the Groundhog radishes are so damn hot they can't be eaten. But boy did they sure loosen up the soil.

Food plots are a great deer draw. I feel one of my problems is that my neighbor behind me about 5 years ago turned his whole 110 ac, farm into a high quality horse hay operation. It's damn tough drawing the deer off the hay but the deer have benefitted from the year around feed.
Since buying the farm in 1991 I've never seen over 3 deer in a group. Now I'm seeing 8 group almost ever day. I bad weather I have up to 15 deer in the 3.0 ac. plot. I also notice the deer will come out of the neighbors brush walk straight nonstop through the adjoining hay field and hit my food plot 1st. Not that's a good food plot planting and shows me it's working well. It's drawing the deer to my property.

My plans are to plant about the same plantings for 2015.
In 2015 I'm putting a new 1.0 ac. plot on the West side of the farm. I had planted 1/4 ac. there in 2104 and it didn't last long come fall and it's just too small. This food plot is on a main N-S trail that crosses the road goes through my grown up pasture and crosses the creek and goes onto the next neighbor's property. The nice thing about this area as it's only 100 yds. from the house but is brushed in the whole way. And it will be a good late
minute stand. It must be a fawning area as I always see fawns bedded there every spring.

I'm sure more thoughts will come later.
Great post.

Food plots work even in farm country. I guess it's like candy to kids and the deer just like something different.

One last thought is that 2014 is the 1st year that I've used corn to draw deer. It sure works as the deer walk through the hay field and food plot and hit the corn 1st. I will improve on the corn delivery system in 2015. Some type of feeder will be installed and probably a gravity feeder. I have a NIB motorized feeder also.

Comments.

Milo mentioned border cover but I'm very lucky there as my 2 plots are 100% surrounded by woods and brush. Good idea.

Forgot the all important soil test. Mine tested great and needed no lime. If the PH isn't correct or near correct the plant can't take in the soil fertilizer correctly.
 
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at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
You need to plant to your deers palate. There is always some risk that a big mast crop will make a plot ineffective. We like to take our worst plot nutrient wise and topsoil depth wise and stabilize it with clover for 5 years. That lets the organics from cutting it build up in the top soil as well as releasing natural nitrogen into it. We will generally turn our clover iver then plant corn in it. Cover is way more important than people put emphasis on. They need to feel comfortable coming to the food.

I was hoping you'd chime in Milo! I agree with you. However I am in Northern Noble County. It is very rugged, and no room for corn on my farm. Biggest plot is 2 acres. I have done clover for several years, and last year just started putting in some other items. I tried brassicas 2 years ago into some old clover, my deer crushed them! I know other folks who have had 0 luck with those as well!

I try to plant all my roads/trails in clover as well.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
This post jogged my memory to due a seed inventory. Looks like I'm good to go. I always take advantage of the end of year WT Inst. sale with reduced prices and free shipping.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
This post jogged my memory to due a seed inventory. Looks like I'm good to go. I always take advantage of the end of year WT Inst. sale with reduced prices and free shipping.

I honestly have had good experience with their products! i normally am cheap and buy just clover seed at a co-op but when Ive planted their clover it has done very well!
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
I was hoping you'd chime in Milo! I agree with you. However I am in Northern Noble County. It is very rugged, and no room for corn on my farm. Biggest plot is 2 acres. I have done clover for several years, and last year just started putting in some other items. I tried brassicas 2 years ago into some old clover, my deer crushed them! I know other folks who have had 0 luck with those as well!

I try to plant all my roads/trails in clover as well.
a couple of things you must do to clover is cut regularly and generally you need a couple line additions throughout the year. Also a lot of people wait too long to cut it. It is very labor intensive. It's not for everyone. I would not do you trails with clover unless you are trying to stabilize. You want to limit the spots they have to eat. If they feel the slightest pressure they start holding back and using other sources.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
It is labor intensive and I mow mine couple times a year to keep the weeds down. You state "line additions' is that lime? My soil test out OK for lime and wasn't needed.


a couple of things you must do to clover is cut regularly and generally you need a couple line additions throughout the year. Also a lot of people wait too long to cut it. It is very labor intensive. It's not for everyone. I would not do you trails with clover unless you are trying to stabilize. You want to limit the spots they have to eat. If they feel the slightest pressure they start holding back and using other sources.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
It is labor intensive and I mow mine couple times a year to keep the weeds down. You state "line additions' is that lime? My soil test out OK for lime and wasn't needed.
Yes I meant lime.. Stupid iPhone ... Honestly you shouldn't rely on soil tests alone. After a few years of experience you will be able to tell what a plant needs to produce better. Were you fertilizing also frAnk? That needs to be done also a couple times a year. You should expect too now it to about 6 inches high about 3 times a year. Mowing is for more than weeds. It's also about clover head productions and so the plant doesn't fuzzle out. You want it to keep producing.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
Buddy asked me the other day, if you could only plant one thing for a food plot what would it be? I didn't have an answer as I'm not a food plot guy, but I know folks who are lol.... What would you plant if you only had 1/2 acre and the equipment?
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Buddy asked me the other day, if you could only plant one thing for a food plot what would it be? I didn't have an answer as I'm not a food plot guy, but I know folks who are lol.... What would you plant if you only had 1/2 acre and the equipment?

A corn pile
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
I'm thinking it'll be after gun season when they start calming down, just before muzzy season? After the main crops have been removed and acorns are scarce....
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I agree as 1/2 ac. is just too small. I found that out with my new 2014 plot of 1/4 ac. once the deer start using it it's gone. That's the reason I'm expanding that plot to 1.25 ac.
If 1/2 ac. is all there is I would plant into a brassica but it will only be good after couple hard freezes for a late season.

I fertilized only one time in 2014. Plus I guess I wasn't mowing short enough as I mowed to 12". Through new research I found out the clover plant spreads out through the roots and not the flower seed pod. I mowed after the flower pod dried up thinking I was getting more seeds for new plants but I was wrong. I'll correct that this year. Plus spread more fertilizer couple time. But in my defense I did have a bumper crop in both plots.
A farmer I'm not even though I lived on a farm most of my life we only lived in a rented house and never learned the farming part except the hard labor for neighbors.


A corn pile
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
I agree as 1/2 ac. is just too small. I found that out with my new 2014 plot of 1/4 ac. once the deer start using it it's gone. That's the reason I'm expanding that plot to 1.25 ac.
If 1/2 ac. is all there is I would plant into a brassica but it will only be good after couple hard freezes for a late season.

I fertilized only one time in 2014. Plus I guess I wasn't mowing short enough as I mowed to 12". Through new research I found out the clover plant spreads out through the roots and not the flower seed pod. I mowed after the flower pod dried up thinking I was getting more seeds for new plants but I was wrong. I'll correct that this year. Plus spread more fertilizer couple time. But in my defense I did have a bumper crop in both plots.
A farmer I'm not even though I lived on a farm most of my life we only lived in a rented house and never learned the farming part except the hard labor for neighbors.
The best time to cut it is when it is at its peak bloom.