ORIGINAL: M.Hensler/PA
ORIGINAL: Rick James
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I read a D&DH article over the weekend RE: food plots. The article gave clear instructions on how to keep deer OUT of your plot......(2-4 months) leading up to the hunting season.
Just wondering ........
What is the REAL intent with such a plot? Does this attitude change your outlook on why "some" plant food plots?
I can say one thing out of experience, if you are planting the right seed types, at the right time, in the right sized plot.........you won't have to keep them out of the plot ever.
I agree. We time our plantings so that there's food provided from late spring on through mid February. We will often plant two rotations, or split the plot up into two plantings to accomplish this. We planted rye/clover in the spring last year while discing and liming the other half. About August, we planted turnips/clover in the second half of the plot. Provided both a good summer nutritional base, and then a fall/winter suppliment. We actually had our plot hit the hardest from December to February.
Exactly. IMHO the most important part of a plot is to make it big enough to stagger seed types in the same plot. For several reasons, one is to provide the deer with something seasonal that is always there no matter what time of year. The other is in case one seed type doesn't like the plot for some reason at least you have a good chance of the other doing well. My biggest plot has 3 strips in it, each about half an acre. Clover/Chicory that they are already eating now and will till about mid October, Maximum that will get eaten from mid Oct till mid Nov, and Full Draw that will get eaten from early November till March.