info on foodplot
 

I'm thinking about making a food plot inside the woods by my stand so i'll have a lil advantage for pulling the big bucks off my neighbors landand wondering what would be the best to plant and how to do it can't get a tiller in there or anything to break up the ground cause tree roots are evrywhere.
THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!
RODNEY C.

RE: info on foodplot
 

If there is some room in the tree's canopy for a decent amount of sunlight to shine through you may have a chance getting something to grow and take root...if not you may be fighting an up-hill battle all the way?There is several new products out on the market that claim to grow in less sunlight like "Throw and Gro" and "Secret Spot".You will need to take2 types of good yard rake's with you (the flimsy wide metal type for raking leaves and the stiff metal rake with the steel teeth for breaking up the soil and covering the seeds).Use the flimsy wide raketo pull away the old dead leafs in a large area for plantingthen use the stiff metal rake to break up the soil a little,spread your seeds and then lightly cover them up.I would also suggest trying to plant some turnips because they are for late season planting and will grow into the winter time and hopefully some leaves will be off the tree's so sunlight can help them grow?I've had better luck growing clover,wheat.foraging oats etc. on old logging roads then setting up my climber along the edges of the road and hunting from there.

RE: info on foodplot
 

Imperial Whitetail "NO PLOW".......thats what its made for........

RE: info on foodplot
 

The part in bold is not really possible. IMO, food plots are over-rated as far as people thinking they are providing their herd with food. Do you have any idea how much food a herd of deer can eat? You would have to have a very large food plot in order to compete with crop fields, as well as other natural forage such as acorns. With that being said, a small plot inside the woods is great for stopping deer that are passing thru and getting them to put their heads down and take their attention away from you up in the tree. I would look at the no-plow products on the market, but stay away from Secret Spot. I grew this a couple of years in a row and the deer paid no attention to it at all, it was a complete waste of money. Clover is always a good bet, as are turnips. Good luck!

RE: info on foodplot
 

First things first. You need a soil sample no matter what you plat to get an idea of what the PH of the soil is and if you'll need to add lime and what nutrients levels you have in the soil. With that said I have tried Imperial Whitetail Alfa Rack Plus and would recommend it, it will have something for the deer to eat year round and is drought tolerant and lasts for up to 3-5 years. Now that's if you can get the soil tilled up some how. If not go with the No Plow, you still have to slightly till the soil though. The No Plow will only last a year so you'll have to replant every season. Hope this helps.

RE: info on foodplot
 

kickin buck where my stand is its nothing but acorns but the thicket goes to my neighbors and he don't plant nothing over on his land so im thinking about planting something to draw them to my side ofthe fence. the land i lease has big feild but we tried to plant something in them but hte johnson grass took the feild back over any help on what to do about this?

RE: info on foodplot
 

Get a soil sample,use Roundup to kill all vegetation, wait a week and add whatever nutrients are needed for your soil, rake in, and then plant the seed. It would be advisable to mulch the seedlings to keep in moisture as well as keep the summer sun from harming new sprouts. If its near an area deer frequently walk by, I'd fence it off to feep critters away until it's growing good.

RE: info on foodplot
 

i hunt for a living and am a lic guide bringing in and holding deer is my no1 priority. i do custom plowing and food plots for various clients and here is what i do for them and myself. Here in western ny between roch. and buff. it is grain country. acres and acres of corn, wheat, soybeans, peas you name it. only a idiot would plant those items you must put in what the deer do not have readily available. You will have to do some clearing but only the trees with the largest canopys or pick an area with scrub that you can easily work in. You will be changing the deer activity so you need not take into consideration your present set ups. I put in alfalfa / timothy and here is why. 1st there was none, mow it 3 times a year and it will last 5-7 years, it stays green well into november and the deer go nuts for it. oh ya ground prep will be done while you remove the trees all you do with it is broadcast it ands roll it down on loose dirt and let the seed do the rest. next spring around june 6th mow it and it will take over the plot choking out all other grasses and weeds. Now you can and will drive yourself nuts with soil tests you dont need unless your farming and need optimum yeilds, and all this high dollar seed there is out there or you can keep it as simple as i have explained. good luck Tom Baker ny state lic guide ,stay away from high dollar seed
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RE: info on foodplot
 

I often see these threads about pulling bucks off neighboring property. This is very wishful thinking. Deer are VERY territorial. There is a defined pecking order and the food sources are not going to pull deer off adjacent property unless the foodsource isworth fighting for. Typically you will only see this in the wintering yards during very tough times. The only thing that will pull bucks off adjacent property is does, during the rut, which are always worth fighting for.

Feed the animals on your property, don't shoot them beforethey are matureand they will grow and become desirable shooter bucks. There is no magic bullet here. Shoot does that have young bucks with them and more times than not they will stay on the property longer. The antlers are in the soil. time is your friend.

RE: info on foodplot
 

I think you will have better luck with a food plot if you take the time and do the work needed to get it out in the field. I have seen a bunch of people try to get something going inside timber and very few of them have any luck with it at all. As far as the johnson grass goes, I would spray the area with roundup, wait until everything is dead and then turn the soil over (you may have to rake the dead grass out of the area). Once you turned the soil over wait another week or two and then respray with round up again to make sure all new grass growth is taken care of. At this point you may need to add lime (your soil sample results will let you know exactly what needs to be added). Turn you soil over again, spread fertilizer and your seed. I would suggest going with an annual seed, it costs a little more money but you get better/cleaner plots when they are reworked each year. Good luck and I hope you get on a tank!