Who plants food plots for deer/turkey??

[Wheezy50]

I'm helping a hunting buddy put out some food plots this year @ his family farm(Putnam Co.). He's got an area to plant, it's a bit of a South facing slope, should get plenty of sun. It's much larger than we need, i think his dad will be planting corn on a few acres, we'll be using the leftover couple acres. We're probably going to go down and do a little bush hogging and planning this weekend.

I'd like to get some ideas of things to plant. There's so many choices, clover,alfalfa, chickory, etc. etc. We're planning to split it up into probably 3 plots so we can expirment with what grows best/animals like.

Any ideas?? What have you guys used that has worked well, or the deer have really liked??

 

[42769vette]

i have a buddy who is huge into food plots. he plants 50ish acre a year and says the first few years to plant somthing called rape. i tried plots once but i planted some kind of sunflower, and the deer picked the standing corn over that and after harvest it was dead. the rape is somthing that gets really good after the first frost

 

[JetGirl]

The guys I know are planting corn and beans and putting that mineral stuff in the ground for them (Lucky Buck).

 

[Bazooka Joe]

Food Plot Journal Page , they have a monthly email letter about what their doing and lots of info on their site about how to do it. I found this site last year, and have thought it was a pretty good site.

 

[Ashkelon]

I;m getting ready to plant 600 seedlings in a few weeks and have a feeling they will be a regarded as food plots. Planted almost a thousand last summer and lucky to have about 500 or so make it through the rut.

Alfalfa field right next to trees that we bale might as well be considered a food plot.

 

[tom1025]

Just remember. Don't hunt over your plots. If you have food, water and shelter on your land the does will stay and draw in the big bucks. If you have all three then the deer will have no reason to leave the property. If you manage your propery right you don't want more than one hunter to every 25 acres.

 

[hickuleas]

I plant Ladino red clover on a 13 acre field. The red clover is good for turkeys and deer.

 

[Mitch B]

Eagle Seed Forage

I was amazed with the results of these beans!!

 

[jsr77]

I typically plant 5-15 acres of food plots each year. It's always a good idea to pull soil samples and drop off at the local Co-Op for analysis. Doesn't mean you'll pay alot in lime or fertilizer, but will prevent you from ruining your crop. I would evaluate topography, estimated deer/acre, and if you can plant multiple plots. From experience I've learned that hillsides are harder to plant year after year and a high tonage forgage that is a perenial may save you alot of work. There's so many brands and blends to choose from...it's good to figure out if this will be a santuary style plot to be left alone or one to hunt near and if so what season! Turnips, rape, brassicas, winter barley and winter peas are good late season due to the starch turning to sugar as frost sets in. I would recommend a blend of clover, brassicas, and rape as an all-a-round great mix that produces high tonnage w/ tolerance to browse pressure and climate. Good luck! They pay off and is a good conservation practice!