Food Plots...Advice Please

Slooshark1

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I'm considering planting a food plot for rifle hunting deer in November. I live in Northern Ontario. I was thinking of raking away the leaves in a section of hardwood forest where I hunt and planting some mixed seed. I know that you can buy food plot "kits" at some hunting stores but I was wondering if anyone has any experience making these in Ontario.
 
Make sure the area has sun and is free of leaves.... turn the soil over.... bring in some black earth if you have to... get yourself some clover, timothy or alfalfa seed.....

Thanks me later.... :)
 
Please excuse my ignorance, but what and where is the tsc store? And by the way, thank you very much for your help. I'll be sure to thank you again when I'm hanging up my deer next Fall, too.
 
No listing at the TSC.... here is Cabelas...

http://ww w.cabelas.ca/store/?section=1190&section2=1706&section3=2083#productanchor

Just remove the space between the w's.....

You can likely find alfalfa, timothy or clover seed at your local feed store also....
 
+1 for TSC...but any farm feed store will have it. If you have the option, pick a spot that is near a water source...for one, its easier to water your plot if there is a dry spell, and two, deer need water too!!

How big are you planning on going?? Deer eat a lot, especially when they find a food source like that.
 
+1 for TSC...but any farm feed store will have it. If you have the option, pick a spot that is near a water source...for one, its easier to water your plot if there is a dry spell, and two, deer need water too!!

How big are you planning on going?? Deer eat a lot, especially when they find a food source like that.

Yes.... thanks for mentioning water source... very important... You can add a salt and mineral block to the mix if you have a water source nearby.....
 
I bought seeds from the local Co-op and a local hunting store. The Co-op's seeds were a bit cheaper. Both were mixes of annuals and perennials. White/red clover,timothy, alfalfa, turnips, kale, rape, chicory, and a bunch of stuff I've never heard of. We planted three mini plots of Rack Stacker SuperBuck, Sweet Success and Coop seeds.

I did my plot in a field that has been fallow for the last 15+ years (nothing planted, hay cut occasionally).

It was alot of work. First we mowed the grass then tried to use a large roto-tiller. The roto-tiller nearly ripped our arms off the soil was so compacted. We then borrowed a plot mule from the Co-op and pulled that behind a Jeep and an ATV. It didn't have enough weight to do much to the already fairly dry, compacted soil. We piled cinder blocks and sand bags on top of the damn thing and still never got the 6-8" of penetration we wanted. 3" was probably the average and this is after spending a couple weekends driving in circles.

Eventually we figured enough was enough and we threw the seeds down and ran the roller over everything. I learned not to over seed, otherwise everything grows tiny because of over competition. The Rack Stacker Seeds started growing alot faster but half of the plot was over seeded so it didn't end up doing much. We didn't roundup/fertilize so our results weren't that great.

There was suprisingly little animal activity in the plot. Deer seemed to walk through more than stay and feast. The whole experience was dissapointing. I'm going to give it one more go this spring but if things don't improve I'm going to abandon the idea. I suspect the deer may have too many other options nearby that they know and prefer. The turnips didn't even get touched unless I pulled them and tossed them in the bait pile.

You may have better luck if local food sources are limited.
 
I bought seeds from the local Co-op and a local hunting store. The Co-op's seeds were a bit cheaper. Both were mixes of annuals and perennials. White/red clover,timothy, alfalfa, turnips, kale, rape, chicory, and a bunch of stuff I've never heard of. We planted three mini plots of Rack Stacker SuperBuck, Sweet Success and Coop seeds.

I did my plot in a field that has been fallow for the last 15+ years (nothing planted, hay cut occasionally).

It was alot of work. First we mowed the grass then tried to use a large roto-tiller. The roto-tiller nearly ripped our arms off the soil was so compacted. We then borrowed a plot mule from the Co-op and pulled that behind a Jeep and an ATV. It didn't have enough weight to do much to the already fairly dry, compacted soil. We piled cinder blocks and sand bags on top of the damn thing and still never got the 6-8" of penetration we wanted. 3" was probably the average and this is after spending a couple weekends driving in circles.

Eventually we figured enough was enough and we threw the seeds down and ran the roller over everything. I learned not to over seed, otherwise everything grows tiny because of over competition. The Rack Stacker Seeds started growing alot faster but half of the plot was over seeded so it didn't end up doing much. We didn't roundup/fertilize so our results weren't that great.

There was suprisingly little animal activity in the plot. Deer seemed to walk through more than stay and feast. The whole experience was dissapointing. I'm going to give it one more go this spring but if things don't improve I'm going to abandon the idea. I suspect the deer may have too many other options nearby that they know and prefer. The turnips didn't even get touched unless I pulled them and tossed them in the bait pile.

You may have better luck if local food sources are limited.

If your local fields are like around here, its beans and corn. Come the fall, there is next to nothing around other than scraps left behind. You will see a huge difference in population once the food sources start being harvested.

With the tougher soil, I would try to stick more with the clovers than anything else...a lot less maintenance and the deer love em. Stick with it, everyone has hic-ups their first year playing farmer.
 
Just a tip, keep it simple you don't need any major equipment, I started my food plot with a round up sprayer, a weed wacker and a steel rake. It was all tall grass in the middle of pine mixed with hard woods surrounding a small pond. cut the grass Down, sprayed what was left came back a week later and raked it up. Raked up the soil to mix it up and spread my seed, and god dam everything is coming up fine after I was told I need to do a soil test and haul back all kinds of soil and fertilizer. I'm sure it helps but it really isn't necessary. I'll be sure to post some pics when I'm done building the tree stand.
 
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