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Food Plots?? How, When, Where??

bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
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Appalachia
bowtechexperience said:
Haha yea i know what you are saying. i have 1000 ideas running through my head on what i wanna do but i just need to wait and learn. There are these huge soybean fields l just a little south of my land and corn to the east so every time i drive past them i think how much i wish i had that in my fields. i think next year one of my fields may be soybean or something different.
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See, look at it like this: You don't need (a lot of) those 2 great food sources because they're already in rotation on ground close enough to matter. Micro-plots of those 2 might be good, but what about winter wheat and rye for when they're gone? You could be the only dinner in town if done right. Or maybe deer in your area love tubers, but no one plants them? No an acre of brassica and turnips becomes the hottest thing around.
 
bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,922
274
Appalachia
bowtechexperience said:
Yea I really need to figure out what's best for me to plant before I put a plot in. What would you recommend?
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From what I've read, I'd start with a plot of Buck Forage Oats or Pure Attraction for the Whitetail Institute, or I'd plant some variety of tuber or leafy green. Keep in mind however it can take a few plantings for deer to really develop a taste for turnips and radishes, so they might not get much use to start with. At our farm, anything other than clover, oats, or beans and corn is a waste of seed.
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
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SW Ohio
bowhunter1023 said:
From what I've read, I'd start with a plot of Buck Forage Oats or Pure Attraction for the Whitetail Institute, or I'd plant some variety of tuber or leafy green. Keep in mind however it can take a few plantings for deer to really develop a taste for turnips and radishes, so they might not get much use to start with. At our farm, anything other than clover, oats, or beans and corn is a waste of seed.
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1st year I planted turnip-radish mix only the tops were eaten.
2nd year all tops and few tublers were eaten.
3rd year all tops and all tublers was eaten in 1/2 ac.
Takes time for the deer to find out a new food is good for them.

I have great success with WTI forage Oats and would have a 80-90% over winter growth and have a full crop come spring that would mature out. Tried "Bobs' oats last year to save couple dollars and 80-90% died over winter and it was a very mild winter tempatures.
Only WTI Forage Oats in the future. I'm too old and grumpy to miss a growing season.
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
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SW Ohio
bowtechexperience said:
Ok next year I'm going to make a kick ass plot with the best seeds I can get so I'm not messing with seeds that won't do what they are supposed to. What exactly is a tuber? Like an onion?
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Turnip, radish. IMHO
The turnip and radish type they developed for food plot grow large leaves rich in protein. Tons of product per acre.

You opened up a real can of worms with your 'best seed' comment.
Some say buy the cheapest farm seed from your coops and like myself will spend 10-20% more on seeds from WTI and couple other well known food plot seed companies.
I've only planted food plots for 5 yrs now but I know I've had great luck with WTI seed and poor luck with off brands.
Our Dist even has Evolved Harvest seed and I can buy at dealer cost. I've tried them and won't touch them now because of poor results.
 
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Iowa_Buckeye

Iowa_Buckeye

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85
Linn County Iowa
bowtechexperience said:
Anyways I should be good to just plant beans and oats for now? Or should I add in Turnips and radishes and stuff like in the earlier comments. How big would you go?
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Sorry I am in the majority, but there is no time like the present!
I would at least get a kill plot (or two) on the inside of the timber, between what you feel is the bedding area and on the edge of the clover. Basically for evenings hunts only.
If it is 'small' (less 1/4 acre or less), I would go with planting beans (again broadcast heavy) about 6 weeks before season, or oats just a few weeks before season.
If you have a 'bigger' area, I would go with purple top turnips or rape (Bonar Forage is what we have the most luck with) and get it in in the next couple weeks. Turnips/rape are more late season while oats/beans are early season.

And most know I am not a fan of the buck in a bag stuff. Total marketing in my opinion/experience.
Not sure I will be able to get to our seed dealer, so for oats I just bought some horse feed on my way home from work today. It works great! We have planted it in the past.

IMG_6511 (3).jpg
 
bowtechexperience

bowtechexperience

Junior Member
222
0
Licking County OH
Iowa_Buckeye said:
Sorry I am in the majority, but there is no time like the present!
I would at least get a kill plot (or two) on the inside of the timber, between what you feel is the bedding area and on the edge of the clover. Basically for evenings hunts only.
If it is 'small' (less 1/4 acre or less), I would go with planting beans (again broadcast heavy) about 6 weeks before season, or oats just a few weeks before season.
If you have a 'bigger' area, I would go with purple top turnips or rape (Bonar Forage is what we have the most luck with) and get it in in the next couple weeks. Turnips/rape are more late season while oats/beans are early season.

And most know I am not a fan of the buck in a bag stuff. Total marketing in my opinion/experience.
Not sure I will be able to get to our seed dealer, so for oats I just bought some horse feed on my way home from work today. It works great! We have planted it in the past.

View attachment 55103
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Yea i may need to at least do something small like this even if it dont help me out a ton just because im so damn anxious to put something in the ground. Im going back and forth on what i wanna do haha. I understand both sides of what you guys are all saying.
 
Bigslam51

Bigslam51

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Do you deer hunt? Just messing with you. Sounds like you don't know what you want to do. Personally, like I've said before, I'd enjoy it this year and leave it alone. Take notes on deer activity, and plan accordingly next year. Scout immediately after the season.
 
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bowtechexperience

bowtechexperience

Junior Member
222
0
Licking County OH
Bigslam51 said:
Do you deer hunt? Just messing with you. Sounds like you don't know what you want to do. Personally, like I've said before, I'd enjoy it this year and leave it alone. Take notes on deer activity, and plan accordingly next year. Scout immediately after the season.
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Yes this is me haha never can make up my mind. I do know I want a food plot but I don't wanna take something that's good already and make it bad. That's where I understand your side. I can sit in a stand all day long but when it comes to patience on getting something to do with hunting/fishing or planting stuff for deer I'm terrible.
 
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