Playing with a new food plot.
 

Last year I kinda fell into an awesome property to hunt really close to home. Although it has a huge field on it, planted by a farmer who rents it, there is also an abandoned field that looked like it hadn't been planted in 5 to 10 years. I asked my landowner if he minded if I cleared and planted it and he had to problem. It helps that the landowner is my best friend's father-in-law.

Here is an aerial view of the property: The plot is on the right. Notice my house on the left of the screen. I lived there for almost a year without knowing that he owned this land.



This abandoned field was filled with small trees and jaggers. I did take a pic from a treestand in the middle of it, but I can't find it now. Here are a few shots of what was growing it there.





At the one end it was kind of wet and smushy in one spot from a little spring. (propably one of the reasons the farmer gave up on it) I decided that I was gonna make a nice little water hole. I took two 8 to 10 foot logs and made a V at the bottom of the area and then put my rubber boots on and went to work digging the slop out and piling it on the logs. Here is the before and after. (In the after photo it's just starting to fill. After the fact, I thought about reinforcing the back with sandbags, but we will see.)





Here is how every food plot day should start out, deer bologna and Vitamin Water.



That's because you need to have something to munch on while you wait on the tractor to stop giving us fits.



Leading up to yesterday, I had spent the last two Saturdays with my chainsaw and bare hands cutting and dragging most of the saplings and briars out of the field. Mike just got to come and do the fun stuff with the tractor, brush hog and beatup old discs. I also had another buddy their running my fourwheeler with an old spiketooth harrow on it. He was having too much fun.(it was muddy in few spots.











By the end of the day, we had a cleared, somewhat disced field, ready to be limed.I am not planting until August, but it's nice to have this stuff ready to go.

Here's a shot from either end.





After we were all done we went down in the little bottome in the low side of the plot where a small stream runs to send Pat through on my quad to wash it off. We ended up finding a dead head. A small four pointer that Mike and I saw in rifle season in just about this same spot. (He was alive then) He had been hit by a car. We cut of the antlers and decorated the Vinson.




All in all, it was a pretty fun, productive day. Now in a few weeks it's on to Rob's and the cabin land next.

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

Nice pics. I spent the weekend doing the same work. Wore the chain saw, atv, and 3 friends out:D.

Keep us updated

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

I tried to wear the friends out but I think next time I won't let them ride the quad and tractor while I run the rake and shovel.:([8D]

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

Ben and I swung by the spot after shooting a round of 3D today. I was shocked at how big the plot actually was. I saw it this past fall all grown up and I couldn't tell how big it was. I said to Ben then, if he planted this he will have the best archery season ever. I think now after seeing it, if he does it right, which I'm sure he will with a great start he as already, He will have a great season!

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

That looks like a great spot. I agree with Rob judging from your photos , the layout and all the hard work, i think you will have a great season! What are you going to plant?

Shane

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

Damn, there are a lot of houses around there. Thats usually where the biggest bucks come from !!

Good luck this season. Good looking area for a plot.

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

nice plot. is it best to plant a plot on an already cleared field, or an area you have to clear brush out of?

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

that looks like a pretty huge field you got there. i have to get out sometime in the next couple weeks and get our plots planted

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

Ben, I'd say you got an early start. Up here the feilds are all muddy and is some places snow still covers one of my plots. I can't wait to get the tractor and cultivator out and begin my 2009 plots.

RE: Playing with a new food plot.
 

Great story, now you hae me wanting to get out there still got frost in the ground here though