talexander72

I am new to hunting and bowhunting this season. I live in the southeastern part of SC and have a 12 acre track of wooded land that is surrounded by 400+ acres that noone can hunt on. I am looking to create a small deep woods hunting plot. Looking for suggestions on what to use, product wise, and how to go about creating it since I will not be able to get any type of machinery to this area for creating the food plot. I am also looking to start this early spring so the deer get use to having this food plot around and continuing it throughout the year.

Any and all suggestion are welcome.

timbercruiser

Hang a feeder.

talexander72

I have thought about getting one, but I am looking to create a place that they will come to all year round and support other wild life as well. I also want to attract turkeys to the site as well. Will a feed hanger work for that as well.

ronman1

With no machinery you've got a huge challenge. I would suggest fertilizing the existing habitat. Find out what they eat naturally and go from there. People say to fertilize any honeysuckles. I would also suggest fertilizing any oak trees you can on your tract. I don't think you've got much of a chance at a plot without at least a 4wheeler and a disk. I would concentrate on patterning the deer and finding well used trails between bedding and feeding areas. You're not really going to have enough food in one plot to hold them anyway. Good luck!

timbercruiser

Fertilizing native foods is a great idea. The problem with a small spot in the woods is that you can't get enough sunlight to the plot and if you have many deer a small spot won't provide much grazing for them.

Hawgnman

What size food plot are you planning? It sounds like you will have a hard time keeping the deer from mowing down what ever you plant unless it is a sizable plot. Without some equipment to create the plot, I think it would be a waste of time and money.

Remnard

If its your property, go in and release any hardwoods you can that are of nut bearing age(16-20"+) fertilize native browse in the released area where you have improved sunlight penetration and leave the treetops intact. This will provide cover and will also deter the deer from browsing on some of the saplings for a few years so they can get established.

BuckAlley

Its pretty much impossible to grow a good sized perenial foodplot in the woods, unless you plan on clear cutting a area, pulling the stumps, and weed killing rest. Sunlight is the main issue, and woods soil is usually more acidic, and would need lots of liming in amount of several tons per acre.
Other than what others have mentioned my only other possible thought is a small area that you find fairly open, like a log trail or log landing. You can use hand tools or a atv w/implements to clear the soil of debris. Spread lime, let sit for a few wks. Fertilize, and spread either a seed like Secret Spot, or No Plow. It'll be more of a hunting setup plot, than a year round nutritional plot. Buts its something.

EFH

I agree with the fertilizing natural vegetation. Ive tried to make my own small plots in hardwoods when we had bad acorn drops. its a lot of work with garden rakes for the result. My grass would shoot up, but when the leaves fall they choke the plot out. Have you tried mineral licks or salt, know its not a plot but anything to draw them in can help.

slnk311

Antler King has a new seed this year called "no sweat." you do not have to till the ground , you can go in and spread it by hand or a hand spreader before a rain. it only requires 5 hours of sunlight a day and is good for deer and turkeys.