dstubb

I recently gained permission to 42 acreas of private hardwoods to bowhunt only on. The property is all hardwoods not really thick enough for bedding areas. The property borders a wheat field, cow pasture and a junkyard. It has a ton of cornfields and soybean fields within 1/2 mile of the property. I have only been out there a couple of times to do some scouting and have noticed a few lightly traveled trails and some fresh tracks. The the oldman that owns the property probably would not like me to plant a large food plot. Could i get away with a 10 yard patch or would that just get eaten up to quickly?

timbercruiser

IMHO it is a waste of time.

dstubb

What would'nt you waste your time with? A food plot, small food plot or the property?

timbercruiser

The 10 yard food plot. If you have a good deer population, and they like the plot, it won't handle the grazing pressure. That's not but about 2/10's of an acre. I would ask him about the possibility of a larger plot, but the wheat field and the trails to it, may be the best setup. Spend time and walk the perimeter looking for trails, old scrapes or rubs along the perimeter.

IL-Cornfed

I would also shy away from a "10 yard plot", it just wouldn't be worth the effort. In fact, a "small" hunting plot would be a 1/4 acre and that would only be 25 x 50 yards, still far larger than what you are mentioning.

RackLuster

My buddy planted a plot the size of a truck and shot a doe out of it the first time he hunted it. He brought his 11 year old daughter. The plot is tiny. He also has trail cam pics of 3-4 different bucks in the plot.The trick is to plant it so it first becomes attractive to the deer right around bow hunting season opener. He was completely surrounded by corn and beans except for the little 15 acre swampy/wooded area he was in. Yet the deer used his plot.

This wasn't a fluke either. The year before he had another plot in another area about the same size and shot a doe out of it on opener. There were6 does and a 6pt in and around the plot at the same time. As he was gutting out the doe more deer went back to the plot!

Last year, I had a plot about 15 yards by 10 yards and had deer in it every night I hunted it.

A summer plot WOULD be a waste oftime. Our opener is around the middle of september and we plant around august 15th or a bit earlier. Definitely not a waste of time!

StrutNtom

What state are you in?

dstubb

Im in Ohio. Just last night I received a call from another land owner that i had tried to contact for hunting permission. He has 53 acres of thick hardwoods surrounded by corn and soybeans. He game permission and said that I can do whatever i want to out there he just doesn't want any nails in his trees. So it looks like a bigger food plot is in the near future. I don't know how your state is but in Ohio if you contact your local DNR and ask for a list of the cooperative hunting program by county they mail it out in a few days. This is the first year that I have tried this and I have already claimed 2 farms to hunt on. I have only called maybe 10 of 75 contacts. It's amazing that these people are not getting many calls from hunters.

IL-Cornfed

That sounds like a great deal for hunters anda programmore states need to offer!

Best of luck to ya with that larger foodplot. Remember, the ideal time here in the Midwest to plant a Fall/Hunting plot is from Aug 15 to Sept 15. Species such as Oats, Brassicas, Wheat, etc., or a blend of these will be a fantastic attractant during the hunting season.

I've tried many different blends and plantings in my foodplots over the past few years and one of the cheapest and fastest growing has actually be Bio-Logic Green Patch Plus. The Bio GPP is a blend of Brassicas (forage turnips and such) as well as Oats and Wheat and it grows in less than ideal PH and soil conditions. I've honestly been very impressed with some of the loactions I've had results with it!

Bio-logic GPP, planted Sept '06 - photo 10/22/06



Forage Oats, also planted Sept '06 - photo 10/30/06



Good luck and good huntin' this season

dstubb

Thanks for those tips.