Hunting & Fishing White Tail Food Plots

[Jigstick]

I’m putting in some smaller kill plots for the first time on a 120 acre property here in PA. It is heavily wooded with just 2-3 locations that opened up as our Ash trees died off. I have some questions about what to plant.

Oct-Dec is primarily when we hunt. We have a realitively small local deer herd. Cameras capturing around 15 deer routinely. We do get heavy buck action during the rut. Adjacent property is primarily hay fields / field grass.

we prepped the kill plots located in the woods with glyphosate. Took some soil samples. Plan to add lime, fertilizer, etc and mix it in. Plant then colipack it down.

I had planned to plant a mix of white clover and chicory but now I’m second guessing. I’m starting to wonder if I need to plant some type of annual in the fall like brassica, radish, turnips, or Beets

any of you guys have expierence in planting food plots?

 

[Jrb572]

They like turnips. They seem to eat them the most out of my food plot.

 

[Jigstick]

Spring and summer food sources are plentiful on the property. But fall / winter sources aren’t. Surely planting perenneal clover and chicory will help grow deer. But I think I need to provide some winter food sources as well.

 

[TriggerJerk!]

Depends on soil type and amount of shade. But clover is never bad. I typically plant one blade wide around all fences and roads with a mix if sorghum, cream peas or black eyed peas, and maybe some millet. Peas will produce throughout summer, and they will eat the plant as well. Grains are for Quail.

 

[Heretoimproveforhunting]

oats

 

[Missalot]

On small plots in wooded areas, wheat 2/3, and oats 1/3 is a solid bet with the cheapest cost. The oats will get beat back in hard freezes but are preferred over wheat. White clover is good too, but you may be unlikely to get a good stand by this fall if it hasn't already been planted. Radish, brassicas, kale, winter peas, etc, will be hit hard with pressure after the first frost on a small plot and be devastated leaving you with nothing. Wheat/oats will continue to grow. Use a lot of fertilizer, like 400#/ac of 10-10-10 when you plant and then another 200# in Dec/Jan. You can hunt a wheat field 10 days after planting if it rains right after you get the seed down.

You can add some clover, white, red, and crimson, to the mix for next year. You are hitting it a bit early for glyphosate and will probably need to reapply this fall. Now is the time to be clearing for stands.

There is an excellent book, Quality Food Plots, Your Guide to Better Deer and Better Deer Hunting, by Kammermeyer, Miller, and Thomas you may want to buy. It details various seed mixtures based on your location, size of plot, and goals with a plethora of additional information on deer management.

 

[MtnCreek]

For fall annual I like crimson clover w/ wheat. I plant it for cover/livestock, but the deer get in it and like it. Here (GA) it will stop growing ~late Dec through ~mid Feb, but doesn't winter kill. I've planted austrian winter peas before and they winter kill, even here.

A friend is about to plant a large field of roundup ready soybeans that are a forage type. They're supposed to get up about shoulder high if I remember correctly. If interested I will get the name of the co.

Problem with small areas is if the deer like it, they'll keep it mowed down and it'll never produce much.

 

[MtnCreek]

Something else for cool weather is plain ryegrass. Easy to get a good stand, cheap and outperforms most things at lower temps. Not going to get the protein that you would out of a legume, but it will be green and the deer will eat it after acorns are gone.

 

[300zx_tt]

What part of PA are you in? A fella I know near state college plants a mix of rye, triticale and clover in his plots. Triticale is a rye-wheat hybrid so it’s the best of both worlds. He said the deer demolish his clover plots first though

 

[BullGear]

Clover is a good foraging food for them. It will do you well in December.

 

[Jigstick]

We’re in western PA. I’m going to be tilling the plots this weekend. I sent some soil samples in to Whitetail institute and should have those results in a week.

Both of the plots located more in the woods I would consider “kill plots” more than food plots. Probably 1/3 -1/2 acre in size each. On those I’m leaning towards AntlerKing Trophy Clover which is a mixture of clover and chicory.

we have one plot located in a field which is 1 acre in size. That plot is like to plant in the fall. To provide fall and winter food. I’m thinking turnips, sugar beets, brassicas, oats. But I need it to withstand high grazing pressure because there aren’t other food plots anywhere close by on adjacent property

 

[Texasflyer]

Where was i reading that they love new growth oak tree sprouts? I never plant anything, but i have a nice little hideout spot for em thats pretty wooded. I used to throw out corn but i think it just attracted squirels and possums and rabbits which in turn brought coyotes. I went back to just letting nature do and i have about 10 deer that frequent my property.

 

[TriggerJerk!]

Here is a study of food preferences done in Texas that you might find interesting:

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1017.pdf

 

[diggler1833]

Something to bear in mind as best plots and best mixes get thrown around...every area is different. To many that's a no-brainer, but some here are trying this for the first time. Climate, shade, soil, and land layout are going to have a huge impact on what you should plant and when.

My new huge hurdle this year is the group of Texans that cleared and planted a solid five acre plot, with two feeders right across the creek (property border) from where I had been hunting. Its knee deep in white clover right now. Their side is much more wooded, so I'm expecting a lot less traffic in my usual hunting area until 1. The weekend warriors spook them out of the plot, or 2. Hunting season (rifle) is over and everything is abandoned for the next six months. Which means that I'm transitioning my 1.25 acre plot that's 600 yards away to a winter plot with a lot more oats, wheat, and winter peas. I'm also trying to knock down a little more area in hopes for buck bedding on my side if the creek. I'm mostly ag field though as ranching is the priority. I have two thinly wooded sections for travel though, and a lot of rubs from last year. Those travel corridors are going to be my top priority the beginning of archery season.

 

[Jigstick]

Well I put in some spring kill plots. Planted a mixture of clover and chicory.

These two plots combined are about 1/3 of an acre. I plan on planting another acre of annual plants in the early fall. Probably oats, brassica, turnips, peas, maybe soy beans.

 

[MtnCreek]

Good looking dirt.

 

[RTH1800]

There are a lot of viable suggestons above.
Your testing and correcting soil is a great plan.
What you seem to be looking for is a fall attractant plot.
Your acerage is small and will likely be heavily browsed regardless of what you plant.
I suggest a combination of cereal rye, crimson clover, turnips, oats and Austrian winter peas.
Some combination of the above will serve you best. Do not leave out the winter peas. They will be the most favored.
Turnips are an aquired taste for deer and normally only utilized after freeze up which is most likely after your season ends.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Jigstick]

This was our soil sample results. We corrected with 11 bags of lime, 1 bag of potash, and I think 3 bags of 5-10-10 and 3 or 5-20-20. Had to go with what fertilizer we could source locally. Now we just need some dam rain. Hasn’t rained in 10 days

 

[Odysseus1911]

On our homestead here in Arkansas, we have a mix of white clover, crimson clover, butterfly peas, and rye grass that covers our fields naturally. We are overrun with deer. They come right up to the house. Right now, my problem is figuring out how to keep them out of the garden.

 

[Choid]

This kind of stuff is as close to it gets to a hanging offense in my part of the world.

 

[diggler1833]

This kind of stuff is as close to it gets to a hanging offense in my part of the world.

Wait...food plots are a "hanging offense ", or am I completely missing something?

 

[Jigstick]

Not sure. I’ve had Chode ignored for months. Food plots are an established method to grow bigger bucks. Nothing new

 

[Choid]

Wait...food plots are a "hanging offense ", or am I completely missing something?

In Montana it is totally illegal. Any bait for game is. I know it isn't elsewhere, but thems the laws here. That's not to say people don't do it.

 

[MtnCreek]

In Montana it is totally illegal. Any bait for game is. I know it isn't elsewhere, but thems the laws here. That's not to say people don't do it.

Planting clover or similar for the purpose of attracting game is considered baiting there?

That's different than anywhere I've lived. Planted brown top for bird fields yesterday. Will be legal to hunt them this fall. You do need to somewhat follow accepted ag practices; can't broadcast wheat on Sept 1st and hunt it (too early for wheat per UGA for my area).

 

[Jigstick]

It’s not considered baiting in PA. It’s common practice.

 

[Choid]

Planting clover or similar for the purpose of attracting game is considered baiting there?

That's different than anywhere I've lived. Planted brown top for bird fields yesterday. Will be legal to hunt them this fall. You do need to somewhat follow accepted ag practices; can't broadcast wheat on Sept 1st and hunt it (too early for wheat per UGA for my area).

Yeah, it sucks. Our FWP are kind of assholes, but on the other hand, our access to big game hunting without drawings and special areas is almost unparalleled, so people rarely complain.

 

[supercorndogs]

On our homestead here in Arkansas, we have a mix of white clover, crimson clover, butterfly peas, and rye grass that covers our fields naturally. We are overrun with deer. They come right up to the house. Right now, my problem is figuring out how to keep them out of the garden.

pew pew pew