BUCKEYEhunter140

hi i have been lookin at puttin in a food plot it is a 4 acre area that use to be farmed. i plan on usein the brands of Whitetail institute and biologice i would like t use a mix. i want to use primum perannial so if anyone has used it please let me know on how it works. Also i was wondering if you could mix annuals and pernnials?? please let me knowwhat type of seeds you like best out of these companies. if you ahve any other sugestions please let me knwo

BUCKEYEhunter140

CAN ANY ONE HELP ME?????????

USFWC

I make my own mixes...hardly use brand-name mixes anymore unless they're on sale. The local co-op and seed/feed store has all I want...except for chicory and I can pick that up pretty cheap at Wal-Mart usually. Can't go wrong with a clover/chicory perennial mix. In the fall before the season, you can broadcast or drill wheat/oats/Austrian Winter Peas into the plot with pretty good results...although I'd still rather have an entirely separateplot for my annuals and perennials. There are all kinds of summer plots you can plant, but it somewhat depends on your site and what is available in your area. What can you tell me about your property and surrounding properties as far as food sources and cover go?

answerguy

My first comment would be a 4 acre food plot is too big. The deer aren't likely to use the middle of it because they won't feel safe that far away from the woods. Assuming it is a square opening I would plant an 'X' or '+' of sorghum or corn as a visual barrier for the deer. Then you will have 4 one acre food plots that you can put different plants in. One extra benefit is that you will be able to gauge what the deer in your area prefer.

timbercruiser

Regardless of what you want to plant, do a soil test now and apply the recommended amount of lime now.

BUCKEYEhunter140

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Have u nvr seen deer out in the middle of a corn or soibean field i know of a field thats about 25 acres n they are all over it n it's a cut corn field!!!!

BUCKEYEhunter140

USFWC it will b near a farm that has corn soibean and afalpha. but there is so much presure on that place it's rediculas. i have Great cover tons of spoils n EXtremely thick stuff

farm hunter

Unless you want to go to the next level an rotate crops/plots every few years - I'd suggest planting RR Soybeans on the 4 acres- and leave them standing. Assuming your neighbors harvest all theirs - then you'll have the only real game in town - and right in hunting season. Sounds to me like thats what you want, an "in season draw".

If you get a lot of snow in deer season - Standing corn might be a better choice than soybeans.

You might even be able to pay the farmer to plant & fertilize it for you.

As far a mixes go -Imperial Whitetal CLover & Biologic are both good choices. Clovers require mowing 2-3 times per year and possible topdressing fertilizer each year and you can realistically get 4 years out of most plots before weeds become too big a factor to control by mowing alone. Some people mixannuals in with their perenial plantings (most mixes have both) - because perenials are slow to establish, and the annual gen get good deer use the first year. The Annual can also act like a nurse crop for a hillside clover plot. Just understand that it will be gone next year, and the perenial part of the plot will keep going for at least 3 more years.


FH

answerguy

Well, of course I've seen deer in the middle of a large field before. It's just that generally deer prefer edges. And you can create edges by doing what I suggested with the sorghum or corn. This is especially helpful if you are a bowhunter.