sbales83

My family has 720 acres out in Western Oklahoma that my dad and cousin have hunted on for years, and I'm just now catching the fever to start spending some time out there. We've got a pond in the middle of the place for deer to access. And I have staked my claim in the NW corner of our property, around 100 acres to use as my own. My family has a few food plots(I believe oats) here and there as well as a couple corn feeders. I've got a pretty good little section that's setup down in an old dried up creek bottom that my dad previously hunted years ago. We have some pretty decent bucks on the property, but no monsters. Most of the bucks over the years have stayed around the same size, tons of 8 point bucks, but not a ton of mass, I mean there's been a few great bucks over the years sparingly. I'm looking for some advice, I know there's no magical pill, but maybe something that we can start planting to draw in some bigger bucks, and maybe help the mass and quality of the bucks we do have? The biggest area of concern is that western Oklahoma is usually pretty dry, not tons of rain fall, but I'm hoping planting in the bottom of this old creek bed that the water table will still be close enough to get some good food plot growth. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks! I've attached a couple pictures, ones an overview of the land and area, the other is a more detailed picture of where I'll be hunting.

buckstop515

Try going to the conservation side of your Federa lfarm service agency (FSA)and ask for help. They usually will send a specialist out to make recommendations and even provide free seed if you're lucky. You might as well take advantage of your tax dollars.

falcon

Yeah, food plots are pretty iffy in western OK. i've tried and mostly failed to get good food plots in SW OK. Most folks plant wheat in their fall game plots. Some are now planting winter (grain) rye. Winter rye is more drought tolerant and cold tolerant than either oats or wheat and the deer love it.

Conservation of moisture is the big thing in western OK. In about June run tractor and subsoiler over the ground. This will allow water to soak into the ground rather than run off. If you don't have a subsoiler use a back blade with the rippers down. Plant the area after a rain and keep discing to a minimum. Planting with an old pasture drill helps to keep moisture in the soil.

It that a pond to the northwest of your stand? Good luck with your game plots.

sbales83

I'll check into the FSA and see what I can find out.

Theres not a pond very close to the area except for the one right in the middle of our place. It's in the top picture about the middle, southwest of my stand. I'm hoping that since I'm in the old creek bottom that the water table will be high enough to help crops grow. You can tell by looking in the pictures that the old creek bottoms that run into that middle pond area all a lot greener than everything else. I'm hoping this plays to my advantage.

864seller

Lots of protein blocks and mineral licks will do you a lot more good than food plots also fertilize the natural vegetation you already have. It will survive dry weather and the deer are already surviving on it, your oak and mesquite trees will produce twice the mast and brows leaves the year after you fertilize them not at the base but around the outer drip line

GTOHunter

If You have some low lying areas that hold moisture or even keep the morning dew a mixture of Rape,Brassicas,Raddishes and Turnips might grow really well there.As mentioned minerals and fertilizer on existing trees and plants help a lot too....always try different things to see what works in your area!