BillyMack

Ok couple of questions here:

1. How "small" is too small for a food plot? (1/4 acre, 3/4, etc.) Avg. size herd btw.

2. Do shapes seem to have any advantages over others? (long strip vs. square or rect.)

I know it' too late for this year, so Im already planning for next year. I plan to put atleast a small plot just above my stand (@ 50yds) for next year. I've used a couple samples from WTI. No plow, and Alpha Rack in this spot already. With minimal raking, lime, fert., it's coming up "ok". Considering we've not had a lot of rain. Good amount of shoots.

This will be just inside some timber on a field edge. I know I'll need to do some "thinning" to let some more sun in. BTW, this spot is at the top of a hollar "funnel" where it runs into an open grass field. I plan to be between the plot and their bedding area. There's also a spring that surfaces just beside the bedding area. Also, a pond VERY close by. Water for them to drink is pretty plentiful. I plan to be in the middle somewhere.

Am I on the right track here?

THANKS!

BM

timbercruiser

Sounds good to me. I've sat on 1/4 acre plots, but I'm not fond of them. If you have the room, go for a bigger food plot of an acre or so. Some people like long plots, but use whatever you have. I like to leave a few trees in the plot when pushing them out if possible.

kevin1

What you plant in it and what you hope to accomplish with it has a lot to do with it . I have a very small plot , 20'x30' , and there are already tracks in it . The plot was planted in early September and consists of a greens mix for late season . My property is small and wooded , so little hot spots like this are good for getting deer to pause for just long enough to cap off a shot .

KSbowman

I would recomend putting about 10% of the land into food plots. It will maximize the available forage for whitetail and other herbivores.

hossdaniels

I've had really good luck with planting a very small (1/8 to 1/4 acre) plot between bedding areas and the main plots. The bucks seem to like them better than the larger plots (daytime atleast)

Rebel Hog

The only advantage of a larger plot is that they will have more to browse on and keep themcoming back to it. Don't get me wrong, a plot 20'X20' will also bring them in, but they will deplete it quick! You are better off with 1/2 an acre, 104'X104', etc.,etc,etc.

jd3006

Bigger plots don't get eaten down as fast but any plot can be a plus. As far as shape , a V shaped or one shaped like the spokes of a wagon wheel with a stand at the center works very well. I've read some of the more well known biologists recommend long, narrow or irregular shaped plots as ideal. They say that bucks especially feel safer stepping into a narrow plot where cover is close by as opposed to a larger field. I personally have had great luck with the wagon wheel plots. I've had deer step into one spoke, feed across it and into the cover on the other side and a few minutes later step into another spoke and eventually feed almost all the way around me. I like to place a stand at the center of the "wheel" and I have shooting lanes all around me or as many as I care to create.

doughboysigep

I made one ~.1 ac. and have gotten 100s of pics of deer on it. plant what area presents itself or is available. mine just happened to be an area that had been logged and was "open" (after I cleaned it up).