MichaelHunsucker

Guys, i thought i would check with some of you that have more experience than i with foot plots. I have a farm that is entirely Hay, it is all bailed several times each year and there are NO crops in the area.

What do you think would be the best thing to plant. There are a couple smaller fields that i was planing on planting instead of haying. Do you think i should just plant soy beans or go with a mixture of clovers and what not...

What do you all think?

beaverdamva

If you already have an established hay operation on your place there is one ag crop that you could plant and keep that field in hay production. Alfalfa. A pure stand of Alfalfa is hard for the average food plotter to keep due to the need to cut it for hay a number of times during the summer, but you have that covered. Alfalfa can be smothered easily which is why it needs to be hayed. Also you would see a return on your initial outlay for stand establishment.

I have 8 acres of alfalfa on my cattle farm and I often see deer in it during the middle of the day. I saw 9 deer in it 2 evenings ago. Deer love alfalfa.

Just a thought.

timbercruiser

I would plant Buck Forage Oats in Sept.

farm hunter

clover for sure - especially on good soil - it only requires mowing to provide 30% protein for up to 5 years.

Soybeans are a great mid-summer to late-summer forage, with a 2-4 week peak in the fall when the beans "crack open" - but is only beneficial 4-5 months out of 12. I use beans as a summer supplement to the clover staple plots.

FH

IL-Cornfed

I have numerous plots every season, as you know, but my most effective "hunting" plots always have RR Soybeans in 'em. The deer will feed on the leaves all summer and and then smack the beans during hunting season as well as revisit the bean plots during the late season. If you're speaking of planting this late than soybeans or a species of forage soybean would be a great choice in my humble opinion. If it was a bit earlier than I'd have strongly suggest you try a RR soybean and a RR Corn mixture like Bio-Maxx, it's quickly becoming my favaorite food plot forage! Not only does the mix provide awesome nutrition and attrcation with it's forage soybeans but the cornacts as an awesome screening cover that allowthe deer to feel totally confident to feed whenever they like.

I've tried numerous Forage Oats plots but never felt like my areas deer were as attrcated as what they should have been, especially compared to others reports on the fourms. In other words, Icertainly never thought it was awesome enough to rename "The Kill Plot".

I'm also a fan of clover but other than being an awesome healthy treat for my animals to get them through the Spring and Summer stress periods they seem to abandon it's usuage shortly after the season opens in favor of the more traditional Ag crops.

It's clear that everyone will have different experiences and preferences from their local herds so the best thing you can do is experiement some.

Good luck

beaverdamva

I really wish you had been with me this evening;you would know what I was talking about.
I really wish I had the kind of camera that can reach out to 350 yards which is how far my driveway is from my alfalfa field. I realize that after the first hard frost alfalfa is done but from spring to fall it is golden. Particularly if you are a real farmer rather than a hobby farmer.