MACHINIST

My freind owns a 400 acre farm in Oswego county New York and he has given me some areas to do food plots on.I am plantingtwo 1/2 acrefall plots this weekend,both will have1/4 acre of buck forage oats and one will have 1/4 acre of full draw and the other will have 1/4 acre of secrect spot.My first question is should I get a perenial to plant with this so I have something coming up in the spring or leave it alone?My other questionsare about another area in the middle of the woods that I plan on gettingsome equiptment into clear in the spring.This spot is a small clearcut about 1/3 to 1/2 acrein an hourglass shape that has been alowed to grow up for about five or sixyears,the deer are now starting to skirt around the area instead of bedding in it so I want to do one of Neil's hourglass shape hunting food plots.My to questions are what type of spray will kill briars if any?And what should I plant in the plot for the first year while I am liming to get the ph up.I did a soil test withmy freindand it came back 5.4 after the clearcut was done.So I thought that I would just plant something that I could plant just to keep the place clear and I can mow it while I am liming it over the summer becuase I heard that it will take a long time for the lime to work into the soil.I have just bought Neil's book and am planning on going to one of his semminars in the spring.The book is awsome and I would recomend it to anyone,even though I am not even half way through it.Thanks for listening to my ramblings and I aprieciate your answers!

farm hunter

MACHINIST-

Welcome!

Good luck with your fall plots. First I'd suggest theat you do not mix a perennial in on you first go around. Try to make the best fall plot(s) you can - and read up on how to improve the plots areas the next spring with a spring planted summer plot - or a good clover plot. Perennial Plots can be tough 1st time around - and usually don't do well with a fall planted "huinting" mix - at least thats my experience.

For the woods plot - roundup will work (41%) - 22 oz per acre- on briars and just about anything else. again I'd look into a fall plot like rye or BFO 1st planting - and maybe consider clover for the next spring/summer planting. Rye does OK at 5.4 PH.

Good luck - post pictures -

FH

MACHINIST

I will get some pictures this weekend if the weather permits.I can also get some pictures of the area for my fall plot,it looks alittle thick right now but you know how it is.Thanks for the reply.

Criggster

I would suggest you get the lime out ASAP. As you pointed out it takes awhile to work. Why wait!? I planted some brassicas a few years ago in a 1/4 acre plot and the deer loved it, but it did not last long! If I had it to do over again, and I do, I would plant at least twice that much. So, if you have room the more the better. Good luck!