food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

i have a small plot, about 1600sq.ft planted down in biologic green patch, along with some clover and winter rye mix as well. it all seems to be coming up well, i just am curious how long it will take before animals start to visit it . last year i had some rye grass with a little clover mixed in in the same spot, deer couldn't care less. also, i have heard that here in n.e., once the snow hits, they leave it alone, even if it is still green, anyone with some experience in my area have similar results? did i basically plant an archery only plot is what i am wondering, because of our geography?
Pat

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

Pat,

I'm in the southern part of Maine so what I see may not mirror what you'll see. Last spring I planted 1/2 ac of imperial clover and about 1000 sq' of imperial powerplant. I didn't see deer in the clover until after the first killing frost. Before that the deer were concentrating on that tiny little plot of powerplant. I planted to powerplant around memorial day and it was about a month or more before the deer were in it regularly. It got to be about shoulder high and then the deer found it and mowed it to about 3' high and that's about how it stayed all summer.

The clover really shined for the turkeys. I had 3 hens and about a dozen polts that were constantly out in the plot. :) They're cool critters to watch grow. It also was great after the frost killed the power plant and before spring green up. The deer hammers it this spring, eating virtually every bit of green as the snow melted off it.

I don't know what you land layout looks like but if you have another thousand sq' I'd suggest trying something along the lines of Powerplant. By trying a coupld of diffrent seeds you can see what the deer prefer and at what times of year. If you listed to the language and action of the deer they will tell you what they prefer.

As for how soon they'll untilize your plot? It depends if their are other prefered browse for the deer to feed on. If there are none prefered to your plot they'll eat you out of house and home as soon as they locate it. :D

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

Some times the deer just dont care to visit such plots. I had a friend plant biologic in a good area and the deer barely touched it. Personally I think biologic SUCKS but then some people have had luck with it. Ill stick with winter wheat, corn, maybe some kill plot, and maybe try tecomates mixes preferably lablab.

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

Psycho, I agree with you, I had very little usage in my Bioilogic plot. When I called them to ask why I really never got an answer.

I tested a couple bean pea etc mixes two years ago. The LabLab was the last thing they ate. I had great luck with the PowerPlant and my personal mix of beans and peas. I wish more people would post on their successes with the blends. It's interesting to hear the different opinions.

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

POP,

I'll give you my opinion. It is the same as yours and Psycho's. Biologic is the biggest failure I've planted. It was a joke. I called them too but I got an answer. They said wait until after a hard frost and the deer would tear it up. Well, it's 2 years later and they never did touch it that I could tell. One of the fields we planted it in was always one of our best fields except the year it was in biologic. It was again one of our best fields last year with our own mix.

The only name brands I've had luck with are Bfo and no plow.

I did call biologic and ask for my $200 back and they said I should try to plant it again because it takes some time for the deer to get used to it. YEA RIGHT. Oh well, maybe my $200 will show up one day.

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

The thing about biologic is they only tested it on red deer which are not native to our country and have different eating habits than whitetails. Maybe biologic should do testing on our deer and stop screwing the AMERICAN HUNTER. If they would just create an honestly working blend we would buy the hell out of it.

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

biologic brassica mixes do work very well for some deer herds - Usually most attractive in November after late frosts - but some people have success as a summer plot as well. - I think it has more to do with what else is available to the deer at each time of year.

Its never been a great plot for me - but I like the variety - and I'll put in another acre this spring/summer to mix up my standard plots.

understand - with a a 40ft x 40 ft plot is hard to judge the deer's usage - simply because they will not change their travel patterns much for such a small plot - any usage you observe will be from deer already passing by.

With plots 1-2 acres (40000-80000 sq ft) in size - you get a better idea of how the local herd prefer's the product.

FH

RE: food plot growing, how long before some use?
 

My results FWIW are that biologic is the most used plot I've ever planted.

I'm still trying to get alfalfa started to see what gives there. But have had 2 failures.

I had great luck with lab lab, but the deer never touched that.

They will eat the old fall standby oats though.

I'd like to try power plant but in the meantime have a peas/soybean mix to try from paymaster this summer if I can ever get it wet enough to disc again and plant.

Jeff