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Breaking up a food plot

ArcherErl

ArcherErl

New Member
I want to diversify this 2+ acre area. I’ve had it in beans for 2 years now and it gets used very little in early season. I have a border of clover with switch grass inside of that. I am going to plant half in alfalfa and half in beans this year.

Should I just split it down the middle or do alfalfa bordering beans in the middle?

I’m open to suggestions.

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I have to access it from the SW corner of the field. I generally bow hunt and stand locations are not set in stone.
 
I would do alfalfa in that upper piece then rotate beans and corn between those two bottom pieces.Have a stand on that west side for evening hunts early when they come out in the shade to eat.
 
I'd do the L shape in alfalfa and I'd rotate out of the would be 3 year beans into rye. If you insist on the beans, I would broadcast some oats in with them after they dry down a bit.
 
A few thoughts..

I like an edge or a pinch where my stands are that would funnel traffic, maybe plant accordingly.

I think the beans, greens is a good strategy but that doesn’t leave you with many beans. Less than 1.5 acres? Most areas that wouldn’t last long.

Could keep entire plot in beans, then overseed come early September? Take a planter and put beans in on 30” or 36” rows. Could open things up a bit for sunlight.
 
how dense is your deer population? If its anything like mine in southern Iowa 2.5 acers of corn or beans won't get you to late season. I'm not a huge fan of smaller corn food plots. Between the coons and turkeys by the time December comes there won't be much food left.

What about doing half of it in Clover and chicory and the other half in Alfalfa? IF you can get a dozer in there and clear out another acre or two then I'd be confident in grains.

I can't see the whole area but the way the aerial looks I think clover, Alfalfa would be killer there up tight close to bedding. My best plots are green sources up tight to great bedding. A thick clover plot can be overlooked.
 
You are going to get a bunch of opinions here. I'd encourage keeping as much in beans/grain as possible. This will keep deer around as the fall progresses into winter. You have to have them.

If you are trying to increase October attractiveness - till up and plant 1/4 acre of radishes and cereal grains in front of your stand. Just a generic brassica blend would do as well. You will have the pick of the litter who's using that field in October if you manage your stand pressure and hunt the weather right.

And if your stand situation is fluid, just flip flop the location of that brassica plot every year to keep the soil rotation fresh
 
abell3 said:
What about doing half of it in Clover and chicory and the other half in Alfalfa? IF you can get a dozer in there and clear out another acre or two then I'd be confident in grains.

I can't see the whole area but the way the aerial looks I think clover, Alfalfa would be killer there up tight close to bedding. My best plots are green sources up tight to great bedding. A thick clover plot can be overlooked.
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Even though I'm in southern Iowa, my beans don't really get hit that hard. I usually plant heavily and have plenty of beans still hanging on come springtime. I'm guessing once my TSI takes off, that will be a different story. Because my winter habitat situation isn't ideal, the beans have really light pressure unless we get super cold temps and snow.

Brassicas have been hit-or-miss, but I'm going to attribute that to really dry conditions in the late summer and early fall. I've tried planting mid-July and early September without much success.

I have clover in other areas of my farm, but nothing larger than 3/4 acres.
 
ArcherErl said:
Even though I'm in southern Iowa, my beans don't really get hit that hard. I usually plant heavily and have plenty of beans still hanging on come springtime. I'm guessing once my TSI takes off, that will be a different story. Because my winter habitat situation isn't ideal, the beans have really light pressure unless we get super cold temps and snow.

Brassicas have been hit-or-miss, but I'm going to attribute that to really dry conditions in the late summer and early fall. I've tried planting mid-July and early September without much success.

I have clover in other areas of my farm, but nothing larger than 3/4 acres.
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Does a neighbor leave standing grain close by?
 
ArcherErl said:
Lol I have some neighbors with like 700 acres of food plots. I’m a drop in the bucket for the area I’m in…
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That makes sense then why your beans don't get hammered. Competitive areas are really tough. Work on the fundamentals to make your farm better. TSI, water holes and most of all no pressure. Plant non GMO beans. You ever plant brassicas in there? With it bein clover in the past brassicas should do well if we get the moisture. They hammer radish late October/early Nov. I've had luck with that. Put a white pine in middle of it.
 
abell3 said:
That makes sense then why your beans don't get hammered. Competitive areas are really tough. Work on the fundamentals to make your farm better. TSI, water holes and most of all no pressure. Plant non GMO beans. You ever plant brassicas in there? With it bein clover in the past brassicas should do well if we get the moisture. They hammer radish late October/early Nov. I've had luck with that. Put a white pine in middle of it.
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Brassicas have been a struggle in recent years with the dry conditions. They mow down what comes up, but I haven't had the bulb production as I've gotten in the past. I use Real World beans, and the deer will feed on them in summer. I've been doing a ton of TSI this winter and spring and will continue to work on the invasives throughout the summer. I have water holes on my list of things to do as well. I think larger patches of alfalfa will be a huge benefit.
 
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