Need some help with some food plot ideas.

Joe_Singer

Joe_Singer

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Princeton, Ont
Ok well my parents own 25 acres and its half bush. I do see deer wondering around the bush line and in the garden where they do tend to have a meal every so often. Also I do see a group of at least 11 turkey that come about 1 hour after sun rise that walk along the tree line behind the house.
Now I would like to start a food plot and just not sure where the best spot would be. I do have a few ideas but would like some input.
The open fields dont have anything growing in them other then weeds and the bush is thick in some parts and between the property line there is a little swamp area.

I think i will be planting a Rack Stacker product.

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cheaper alternitive for ya, id do some corn, and have clover or soy between the bush and the corn. you can grow the corn in such a way that you have "paths" that the deer would use as atrail and you can basicaly use those to direct the deer to cross right by your blind or stand
 
I have a 3acre food plot done in Rackstacker superbuck cost $140 in seed.

I also put in some walk n toss under a big apple tree and the deer love the clover while they eat apples.

In my experience many small plots are better then one huge plot it gives you multiple locations to hunt depending on weather and wind.

Here is my recommendation on food plot locations in red are ones that you don't need to clear bush for and in green is one you would have to clear the bush for.
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srt4u2nv said:
I have a 3acre food plot done in Rackstacker superbuck cost $140 in seed.

I also put in some walk n toss under a big apple tree and the deer love the clover while they eat apples.

In my experience many small plots are better then one huge plot it gives you multiple locations to hunt depending on weather and wind.

Here is my recommendation on food plot locations in red are ones that you don't need to clear bush for and in green is one you would have to clear the bush for.
Click to expand...

Perfect thanks
Ok so for spraying for weeds do I do this early spring and should I do a soil test asap ?
 
Spray round up in the late spring after the seeds from the weeds have sprouted you want about 1 week between spraying and planting and a good rain helps too.

Try to seed right before its going to rain in early June.

Do a soil test now so you can make plans over the winter for what your going to need.... i.e. Lime and Fertilizer....

Plan out what plots your going to do now and if you are going to clear bush do it now while its cool and not muddy like it may be in the spring.

This will also get deer used to the opening you just created you can also bait your new clearing in the woods so they associate that area with a place to feed. Some times the first year you do a food plot the deer don't even notice its there because for the 10yrs+ prior its hasn't been there.

For the plots that do not require clearing you might want to till or disc the soil up now and spread some lime so when the snow melt's is washes the lime into the soil.
 
srt4u2nv said:
Spray round up in the late spring after the seeds from the weeds have sprouted you want about 1 week between spraying and planting and a good rain helps too.

Try to seed right before its going to rain in early June.

Do a soil test now so you can make plans over the winter for what your going to need.... i.e. Lime and Fertilizer....

Plan out what plots your going to do now and if you are going to clear bush do it now while its cool and not muddy like it may be in the spring.

This will also get deer used to the opening you just created you can also bait your new clearing in the woods so they associate that area with a place to feed. Some times the first year you do a food plot the deer don't even notice its there because for the 10yrs+ prior its hasn't been there.

For the plots that do not require clearing you might want to till or disc the soil up now and spread some lime so when the snow melt's is washes the lime into the soil.
Click to expand...

Alright so for the soil test can I just use the kit that I can buy at any local garden supply store?
I have already started clearing some areas and will till the areas in the field that you marked out.
 
Go to your local farm supply to get your seed. Get a mix of red clover, white clover, timothy, and alfalfa.

I have seeded differend deer mixture stuff, and this works as well, or better than any of it.
 
captonion said:
Go to your local farm supply to get your seed. Get a mix of red clover, white clover, timothy, and alfalfa.

I have seeded differend deer mixture stuff, and this works as well, or better than any of it.
Click to expand...

And make sure you ask for Common #1 seed, not Certified seed...saves $$$, same results.

Get a bag of whole barley/or oats to spread along with your mix, as a cover crop.
 
Peas, turnips, beets, clover, corn. Whatever you can get your hands on. Some winter veggies are always a good idea because it gives the deer options when the peas and clover are gone. It stretches out the feeding season as well. The crisp, green stuff in August and September, then the kale and other brassicas in October followed by the root veggies in November.

As we speak, the deer are digging up the beets in my friends food plot. Fun to watch.
 
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Alright over the weekend I got a nice area cleaned out of the bush and raked and burnt all the leaves and all of the smaller brush I put along the edge . Now looking at it doesn't seem like I will get much sunlight in when the bigger trees get their leaves.
So what are my options for seed for low light conditions. I was looking at the rack stacker walk and toss.
As I dont hunt my bush or walk in it much but it was nice to see lots of interesting stuff as in lots of tracks in the area of the plot, scrapes, ruts, and what I think were grouse while spending my weekend in there. Also found some nice buck tracks about the size of my hand. Got the trail camera out there to catch the big boy...
 
Walk n Toss is a good choice for low light I have it under apple trees in very little direct light and it worked well......You can also go to your local co-op and ask for a clover that would be good in low light might save a few bucks....or buy the rackstacker as its proven to give good results.

I like the mineral fountain as well lop off a tree 8ft up and nail the bucket on top poke the holes and the mineral runs down the tree deer lick the crap out of mine. I also put salt on the ground and mineral mixed in the dirt for them to paw at.
 
srt4u2nv said:
Walk n Toss is a good choice for low light I have it under apple trees in very little direct light and it worked well......You can also go to your local co-op and ask for a clover that would be good in low light might save a few bucks....or buy the rackstacker as its proven to give good results.

I like the mineral fountain as well lop off a tree 8ft up and nail the bucket on top poke the holes and the mineral runs down the tree deer lick the crap out of mine. I also put salt on the ground and mineral mixed in the dirt for them to paw at.
Click to expand...

I think I may just stick with the rackstaker but I will see what else i can find.
I was looking into the fountains as well and im sure I will make it a part of my plot. Also for ground salt would water softener salt work?
 
Go to a cattle supply store and just get some salt licks. You can get the big ones or the little ones and they're fairly cheap. We use the ones that look like bricks. They''re easier to carry around since we don't have a quad.... yet.
 
casterpollox said:
Go to a cattle supply store and just get some salt licks. You can get the big ones or the little ones and they're fairly cheap. We use the ones that look like bricks. They''re easier to carry around since we don't have a quad.... yet.
Click to expand...

When is the best time to put out salt licks or should i just keep them out all year round?
I got 2 mineral rocks from bass pro and had my trail cams on them and i just had the deer walking right by them. I have had them out for the past 2 months.
 
casterpollox said:
Go to a cattle supply store and just get some salt licks. You can get the big ones or the little ones and they're fairly cheap. We use the ones that look like bricks. They''re easier to carry around since we don't have a quad.... yet.
Click to expand...

From what I have seen deer wont lick blocks but will eat the dirt around the block.

Water softener salt works great dissolves fast you can also mix minerals in like the Blaze or Glory from rack-stacker. Just dig up a 2ftx2ft area turn the soil a couple times then mix in a few good handfuls of softener salt. Then put a cup of the mineral in a watering can add warm water mix it up and water over the area you just turned.
 
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