To Plot or Not To Plot?
08-07-2010, 03:09 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Stonewall, Louisana
Posts: 34
To Plot or Not To Plot?
I lease about 52 acres that I hunt. Surrounded entirely by Pines plantations (very thick woods). There are a few stands on the perimeter that belong to other hunters. There is no water source near by that Im aware of at least none on my lease. The area that I hunt has one access lane that goes down the middle and a couple of fire lanes off that. A few yrs back a fire came through and burnt some of the underbrush in about 5 acre area. The terrain is very hilly w/wash outs. The timber is mostly mature pines on the entire property except for a few hard wood timber bottoms that I have stands on.
So heres my ?? The section that burnt out a few yrs back has thin underbrush and gets a descent amount of light, the native brouse is thin enough where w/a good days work I could push it back enough to possible make a food plot underneath the pines. There are no other food plots in the area that Im aware of. The access or old logging road goes right down the middle of this area. Would you do a food plot here, and if so how would you do it and what type of plot would you do? I know I should lime it with all the pines but I need the rest of the story.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. Billy
So heres my ?? The section that burnt out a few yrs back has thin underbrush and gets a descent amount of light, the native brouse is thin enough where w/a good days work I could push it back enough to possible make a food plot underneath the pines. There are no other food plots in the area that Im aware of. The access or old logging road goes right down the middle of this area. Would you do a food plot here, and if so how would you do it and what type of plot would you do? I know I should lime it with all the pines but I need the rest of the story.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. Billy
08-10-2010, 07:06 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coffeyville KS USA
Posts: 931
^ that guy has a good idea.
Turnips, kale, rape, or any other brassica would be good. The seeds are about the size of the ball in a ball point pen. I'd spray the whole area down with roundup (or glyphosate), wait a day then broadcast some fert, lime, and your seeds. The seeds should make some soil contact, and when the existing vegatation falls over to die it will cover the seed. The seeds don't cost much either, and you don't need any major ground engaging equipment like a plow or disk.
Turnips, kale, rape, or any other brassica would be good. The seeds are about the size of the ball in a ball point pen. I'd spray the whole area down with roundup (or glyphosate), wait a day then broadcast some fert, lime, and your seeds. The seeds should make some soil contact, and when the existing vegatation falls over to die it will cover the seed. The seeds don't cost much either, and you don't need any major ground engaging equipment like a plow or disk.
08-10-2010, 02:30 PM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Stonewall, Louisana
Posts: 34
Thanks for the info. I do have a Summit ATV pull behind w/disc, spreader and culivator all built into one. I can get it into this area. Would you still spay all the native brouse w/round up then push up the dead debri and disc. If so how soon would you plant. Im thinking middle of Sept. I live in La. & right now its in the 100s. So nothing growing and no rain in site.
I also have a front end loader that im going to dig a mud holeout w/and try to make it more of a pond. (Right now its about 5x6 ft and has no water in it and the deer are still trying to come to it to get water out of it) But the prob w/this is its not on my lease its on my access road to the lease. The access road dead ends in my lease and no one else uses this old logging road but me. Any thougts on this? However I have made a new road around this mud hole.
I also have a front end loader that im going to dig a mud holeout w/and try to make it more of a pond. (Right now its about 5x6 ft and has no water in it and the deer are still trying to come to it to get water out of it) But the prob w/this is its not on my lease its on my access road to the lease. The access road dead ends in my lease and no one else uses this old logging road but me. Any thougts on this? However I have made a new road around this mud hole.
08-10-2010, 04:04 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coffeyville KS USA
Posts: 931
I'd spray it with roundup the next opportunity you have, then wait until the vegatation is completely dead (a week to maybe 14 days), then broadcast a little fertilizer (12-12-12 or anything you can get that's balanced) and lime and disk it all in. I'm not really sure what mid Sept is like in La, but here in Kansas that time of the year would be pushing it for being a little too late. So I guess you'd be OK in La.
08-10-2010, 05:11 PM
#6
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Stonewall, Louisana
Posts: 34
Thx, sounds like a good plan. Mid Sept. in La can still be in the 90s and very little rain. Last yrs opening day of rifle season Nov. 1st it was about 70 and I killed a water mocassin on my trail that I had walked in on that mornin. The yr b4 I was bow hunting and had a copper head come w/in 3 ft of my ground blind I was hunting. So thats why I say mid Sept. to try & get some rain and cooler weather.
08-19-2010, 06:09 AM
#7
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: North Central Kansas
Posts: 18
If you have the area available I would also dig a modest watering hole. We've done them before on some of our properties and I like them almost better than a food plot because you have the underbrush for the deer to browse on.
If you have a skid-steer this will be really easy but it can also be done the old fashioned way, by hand. The hole can be about 6' to 8' in diameter and doesn't have to be any more than 3' deep. It's even better if you have some good plastic or tin to line the bottom with the help prevent the water from seaping into the ground.
Good luck!
If you have a skid-steer this will be really easy but it can also be done the old fashioned way, by hand. The hole can be about 6' to 8' in diameter and doesn't have to be any more than 3' deep. It's even better if you have some good plastic or tin to line the bottom with the help prevent the water from seaping into the ground.
Good luck!
08-19-2010, 06:19 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: central and east texas
Posts: 4,894
#1 did you get a soil test?
#2 what did the soil test say?
#3 the loggin road is your best bet..imo..nothing grows under pine tree's..too sappy..as i hunt Lake O' the Pines in E. TX on a pine tree farm.
#4 talk to your nearest Lesco guy, show them your soil test results..the seeds you want to use....he will tell you what you need fer each one..might all be the same..might not need any fertilizer at all..or lime...we didnt need lime, and everyone around us said we would...our plots are fine, and now they say how they never had a plot
#2 what did the soil test say?
#3 the loggin road is your best bet..imo..nothing grows under pine tree's..too sappy..as i hunt Lake O' the Pines in E. TX on a pine tree farm.
#4 talk to your nearest Lesco guy, show them your soil test results..the seeds you want to use....he will tell you what you need fer each one..might all be the same..might not need any fertilizer at all..or lime...we didnt need lime, and everyone around us said we would...our plots are fine, and now they say how they never had a plot
08-19-2010, 06:23 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: central and east texas
Posts: 4,894
If you have the area available I would also dig a modest watering hole. We've done them before on some of our properties and I like them almost better than a food plot because you have the underbrush for the deer to browse on.
If you have a skid-steer this will be really easy but it can also be done the old fashioned way, by hand. The hole can be about 6' to 8' in diameter and doesn't have to be any more than 3' deep. It's even better if you have some good plastic or tin to line the bottom with the help prevent the water from seaping into the ground.
Good luck!
If you have a skid-steer this will be really easy but it can also be done the old fashioned way, by hand. The hole can be about 6' to 8' in diameter and doesn't have to be any more than 3' deep. It's even better if you have some good plastic or tin to line the bottom with the help prevent the water from seaping into the ground.
Good luck!
08-19-2010, 07:14 AM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: North Central Kansas
Posts: 18
Water gets there from rain, dew or any other source of moisture. These water pits are fairly common in western KS, eastern CO where there is much less moisture.
This guy said there wasn't any water close to his property so adding water is just as good as adding food.
This guy said there wasn't any water close to his property so adding water is just as good as adding food.