food plot help
 

Hey all, I am new to the food plot planting. I have about 4 acres of fields that I will be planting in the spring. I know what I will be planting as far as main food source goes, what I am curious about is the clover type of food. I heard through a buddy that full draw is the best of the best. I am curious as to what your thoughts are. I am very interested in hearing what has worked for you guys and gals. I am in WI and where my land is it is kind of sandy soil. I have no problem liming and will be getting a PH test done early spring. I wont be planting a ton of clover but probably a acre total over a large area. Thanks for your input....

I use Whitetail Institute imperial clover. The deer are in it all spring and summer. I also plant Chicory.

Find the seed and feed store the farmers use and buy their clover by the pound. I save lots of money this way and have had excellent results. Picture of one of my small plots; I plant in the fall here in NC. I use a combo of oats, grazing rye, rape, and perinnael clovers. Deer eat oats and rape first, then the rye, than the clover. Clover comes in strong in spring and attracts turkey.

Good luck!

Do you mow the food plots to keep the clover short and fresh? I have had guys tell me to do that. Guys have also told me that the clover is very aggressive and will take over. Not sure what is true and what isn't... Thanks for the info. Great pic gm4511..

I do mow once in the spring and once before hot summer arrives. I've also found it very helpful to control grasses and weeds with herbicide. I read an online tip that you can use a diluted amount of roundup (glyphosate) which kills the grasses but only stuns the clover. I tried and it works great. Grasses and weeds die, clover comes back strong. I use 1 1/2 oz per gallon of water, spray it with an atv sprayer, and apply it about 2 weeks after I've cut field. If it's really dry, I wait until after we've had some rain and everything is growing well. I also give clover a shot of 0-20-20 fertilizer in the spring.

Keep in mind it takes about two weeks before you see the grasses and weeds turn brown so be patient. You will have to spray more than once, just use your own judgment on how often and when based on how your field is doing.

Thanks GM, dumb question but do you fertilize after or before you plant the food plots?? Like I said, i'm plumb new to this..

Here's what I do:
1. Get a soil sample in March, takes about 6 weeks to process
2. Mow and kill all vegetation in plot around June.
3. Apply required amount of lime July, disc or till into soil
4. If needed mow and kill weeds again first of September
5. Couple weeks later with rain in the forecast, thoroughly disc field, drag smooth, apply fertilizer
6. Spread oats, and winter rye, drag field again.
7. Spread clover and rape on top of smooth soil bed.
8. Pray for rain and no hurricanes.

Awesome, thanks for the info guys. I will be using your techniques this upcoming year.. Have you guys ever heard of full draw?? If so what have you heard??

Get some alvina clover (white) and mix chickory as some have said. Buy from a farm seed store and it is much cheaper. You will have deer climbing your tree!:wink:

I have used both the commercial blends you see at places like Gander Mountain, as well as mixing my own while buying seed from farm supply sources. There does appear to be a difference...sometimes....maybe some of the hybrids used in some of the mixes are better.

As for Full Draw, it is a great annual mix to put down in mid-August. I planted some a couple different times and the deer tore it up!

One other note....clover needs moisture to establish and to keep going. I planted a new plot of clover last spring and due to the heat and drought much of it died off. I had chicory and some brassica in it (the brassica as a sort of nurse crop), and even though the chicory and brassica made it, the deer weren't terribly interested in the field once the clover was gone. So just something to keep in mind...if you are planting in an area that tends to dry out fast, like a hilltop or some other area that drains fast, you might want to plant something that is more drought resistant. Maybe have a farmer drill in some alfalfa for you, for example.

I agree with TJD abot the moisture of the soil. Clover does really well in a clay loam or heavy soils. Doesn't work well in sandy soils, I have found. It also works great on trails in the woods if the PH is right and there is some sun.

I would go with Trophy King Trophy Clover mix or use their Red Zone or Honey Hole. Fertilize with Plot Max, and use their pH test kit before anything else to make sure your soil,pH is on. Check out all the awesome products by Antler King at www.antlerking.com

food plot
 

just remember you want to hunt over your plots. clover will not be that attractive in november, in northen states, like other things rape,turnips, corn,soybeans, wheat&rye oats ect, clover/alfalfa will be good in summer& early fall or till a hard frost. as for buying all the high priced seed out there, well i will say ladino clover is ladino clover?? they claim there clover has 39% protein well same stuff at your local co-op or feed store, cost less also, good hunting

We planted the new Durana Clover just last week,made 4 small Plots in the woods where the smaller trees were thinned out and the Sun shines thru much more!Cleaned out the leaves and debris and ran a small ATV disc across all the areas and spread down some granular lime and broadcasted the seed down!The Durana Clover is suppose to be more hardy and drought resistant.....will let You know how well it turns out.

When will you be hunting the food plots?

food plot
 

pyclub1-you have got a lot of good info so far, just remember what grows in the south might not work in the north, and as for all the high class seed out there your local farm store will have what you will need, much less money also, clover will be a good thing to have for summer & early fall but when it frost out it will be done! and deer will not go to it, if you want to hunt over it only go with rye,rape,turnips, corn, ect, you will get much better hunting from it much later in the season, if you would like some pic of some plots e-mail me and i will send some, i live in northen mich, i don't know everything about planting, only been doing it for 27+years. good luck in your hunting and plots

I plant soybeans in the spring.Then mid to late august just before leaves start to turn yellow i broadcast,winter rye,winter wheat,oats,peas,crimson clover and Ground hog radish into the beans.By the time the beans are brown you have a rich green fall/winter food plot.Then in spring the wheat and rye will start up again so you have food right away in spring till you work it up.