Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

I know some of you guys have really studied food plots and have some good knowledge you've developed already... I've never investigated it too much as I've never owned any land to do anything with.

But... tonight, the landowner in Illinois who owns the main farm I've hunted for the past decade or so called me up and wanted to know what I would suggest to him for putting in as far as food plots. He said he'd like to put in several for me and wanted to know if I had any ideas...

What do you guys suggest? If you guys use a particular brand that's a mixture of different seeds, what all does it contain? He was thinking if something like that was the most popular, he could just probably buy all the ingredients and mix it up himself.

Thanks so much gang!

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

anything works, corn, turnups, oats, clover. It's what you think would grow best, we do turnups and oats

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

Soil type? High/low ground? Sunny shaded?

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

YAY!!!

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

Woah, that is awesome!:)

I always like alfalfa early on, and oats or standing corn later on in the late fall. bit late for corn probably.

Ive never hunted over brassicas or turnips though, and here they are killer come late season.

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

I've had real good luck with Antler King. We have a total of 11 food plots in this year, and Antler King has come up the best, thus far.

TeeJay asked the real important questions! Also will need to test the Ph.

Our best plots consist of Buck Forage Oats with Antler King "Honey Hole" broadcasted in. Good both early, and late season, that way.

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

A lot of what's been said here already is very true. To get the best plots out of your ground, you need to do the early work of getting soil samples, and checking your pH levels to see what the ground needs first to be productive. Once you get that done, you'll be on your way to choosing which brand of seeds as well as what mixes you wish to use for your particular hunting needs. Once all that is done the dirt work begins and the excitement of seeing what comes in both the plants and of course...DEER!

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

Not sure about pH levels, but this is prime Illinois farmland backing up to a river bottom... crop rotation has been beans and corn for years, and the landowner employs no-till farming. Very fertile ground.

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

i have always liked oats and wheat

RE: Calling all food-plot specialists... need help!
 

Wheat and oats will still do good. If your deer are used to eating turnips you could try that too. I don't think it would be too late to get good growth. But if they have never been grown in the area, your deer may not eat them. I tried some at home last year and they were still there in the spring. At my farm they love them, I may not have any left by the time the season opens.


Talk to Rick James, he is the site plot master.;)