deer00

Hi everyone. I'm new to food plots, and don't know much about them, so I hope someone can help me. Let me first explain what I have to work with. I've got 110 acres predominantly hardwoods, beech, maple, cherry, with an area .25 acre in size open for a plot. For equipment I have an ATV with snow plow, 13HP lawn tractor, and homemade drag harrow (chain link fence), plus various hand tools. My questions are:

1. Is a plot .25 acre in size enough? Do I need to worry about dominant bucks pushing other bucks out?

2. With only the equipment I have, not much time to work on it, and a couple hundred bucks for seed, etc, what can I do to attract more deer and provide nutrition? Anyone here of No Plow or Secret Spot from Whitetail Institute? Will these work for me?

3. How often to plant? Cool season, warm season, or both?

I don't know my soil PH, or how its even done. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Campbery

Maybe take that couple hundred bucks you would be spending on seed and buy a ATV disc, we've had good luck with the King Kutter from TSC, $300-$400. Go to the local co-op and a blend of clover andalfalfa that will cover 1/4 acre for $5.
Your main problem may be overgrazing.
Where are you located? How many deer in your area? When do you plan on hunting it? Aerial pics such as those you get for free on google earth would be helpful.
DO A SOIL SAMPLE!
Failing to plan is planning to fail

Jackson Bowner

This question is is very broad and encompassing a lot of information that would be difficult to discuss in the detail you need here. There are books available to help you out. I suggest you visit the QDMA website and look at some of their resources. I personally used a book called Ultimate Deer Food Plot by Ed Spinazzola. You can find it at the Michigan QDMA site here http://www.miqdma.com/habitat.phpHe also has a video available. He is kind of the guru on food plots.

haystack

1. Is .25 acre enough. Depends on your deer population and what is planted. Dominate bucks and subordinate bucks travel and feed together spring and summer.

2. I would consider woodlot management. If you have oaks and soft mast trees, fertilize and lime would help, some selective cutting could help. The seeds you mentioned can work as well as oats and other mixes.

3. Depends on what you decide to plant. Some crops last years, some are seasonal.

Lastly and very importantly soil test. It is best to take several samplings from your plot, say 4 or 5 and place in a plastic container and mix together to get an accurate idea of what the needs of that ground is.
Soil probes are the way to as far as collecting your samples. A trowel will work, but try to get a sample that is 5 to 7 inches deep. Send your samples to a lab in your region. These are just my opinions, consider many.