Snook384

I am new to creating food plots and I have an area I would like to try to plant but I have a ton of questions. First let me explain the area that I will be planting and we can go from there. The area is in north Florida so when the summer comes it will get a lot of rain. It is also in an area where they manage pine trees for cultivation but there are still a lot of open areas. The ground seems to be constantly mushy and wet. I will have a hard time clearing this area and it is covered in small (about 12 inches high) pine trees. I could go to the edge of the planted pines near the other hardwoods but I am not sure if that is the best to go to. This land is a lease and I am hoping I will not have a bunch of locals get greedy and try to shoot over my spot so I want to keep it small. I have been reading on this site extensively and on others but I thought I would get some direct advice to direct questions. Here are the questions.


How small of a plot is effective in holding whitetail deer?
Is there a seed out there that can tolerate a lot of moisture?
Is there a seed that grows quickly and continually?
After a plot has been seeded can you go in and plant other types on top of it?
Is there any product that will keep the hogs off my food plot (other than a bullet)?
Which company makes a seed that I do not have to work the ground (whitetail institute)?
Is there an easy way to spread lime in an area you cannot take a machine into?[/ol]


I have downloaded the map from google earth and would not mind some pointers about the area in the picture you would plant. I am thinking of scraping the end of the road and planting there. Or do you think the other places are better?



Any help is appreciated.

Thank you,


Chris

pikecofoodplotter

To hold deer you will need at least an acre. An acre will feed 7-8 deer threw the summer.

Durana clover is probably the most tolerant that I know of. Contact Kent Krammermeyer at Pennington seed

Large seeded vining legumes would do such as forage soybeans, Lab Lab, cowpeas.

You ca use a no-till drill or planter to add something else in later.

Not that I know of. If you have to hoof it in, it will be a ton of work. If you can take a 4 wheeler in you can spread it with spreader, using pelletize lime.



Nothing I know of will keep hogs off of a food plots.

Any small seeded legumes like clover, alfalfa, or forb like chicory, can be planted with out tilling, but the ground needs to pe clear of any foilage.


My recommendation to you is to take a rake in to the woods. Rake out an area with some sunlight, and plant some hunting plots that highly attractive. Cereal grains, legumes, and brassicas. If you can talk to a biologist in your area, ask them what the deer are lacking in your part of the country at that time of year.

steve@myranchsite

Great questions!!! Consider reading my post "Food Plot Basics - Do's and Don'ts" for some thoughts on 10+ years of good and bad food plot learning.

I would consider the area left of the area that you have marked as #2 site as it seems to be more concealed and closer to escape areas. Deer like an area that is close to an escape. To keep it simple, you might consider going with NO-Plow from The Whitetail Institute. It is eay to plan (must be planted annually though) and a good overall forage for whitetail and wildlife in general. Do whatever amount of fertlizing and application of lime that you can (err on the side of more and more lime as your soil is very acidic - like mine). After you have put out fertilizer and lime, put out more lime, and then more lime. Here is an example picture of what you can achieve when you get the Ph to the 6.4 to 6.8 range.

Don't forget to read my lengthy post at "Food Plot Basics - Do's and Don'ts" - you will save time and money doing so................. Thanks, Steve