food plot location

[moosehunter]

Hey guys,

I'll be making my first attempt at a food plot on a new farm. I'm extremely indecisive on location, so I thought I'd enlist your input. Right now I am looking at the following:

There is a wooded finger ditch which juts out into a cornfield which surrounds the ditch on 3 sides, with about 25 yards of CRP between the finger and the corn the entire length of the finger. The length of the ditch from head to where it meets the woodline is about 200 yards. The cornfield around the ditch slopes into it, so that from the head of the ditch, all you can really see is about 100 yards uphill in all directions. This finger is situated in the middle of the property, so it's an ideal place to put the plot in that respect. I'm wondering if I'd be smart to place the plot in the bottom of this "bowl" at the end of the finger, or better to tuck it into the corner where the finger meets the rest of the woodline. This ditch is currently used somewhat by deer to cross the road, as it provides the shortest open path from the woodlot on my side to the woodlot across the road. What is everyone's thoughts here. My thinking is that putting the plot out at the end of the finger will allow me to hunt where it meets the woodline and get in and out undetected, and the plot being there should increase the deer traffic through there. I'd hate to put it out there though and have the deer feel too exposed in the plot for them to use it at all during daylight hours. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[petherss]

moose- just my 2 cents, but I think I would let the prevailing wind direction in your area determine where the plot went. Then look for the perfect tree for your stand and go from there. Sounds like a sweet deal you got going though!

 

[THEBAD]

The first thing I would try to factor is how can I place my stands so I can get in and out of them with out being busted by the deer. I would then put the food plot in a area that benefits those stand locations.

 

[moosehunter]

Thanks for the input guys. I never thought of approaching this from those angles. Of course I play the wind game, but I never thought about picking stand locations first, then planting to maximize the stands benefit. Rather, I was thinking place the plot, then find the best stand location around it. I may have to rethink more of this than I originally thought. Thanks again.

 

[iowabruce]

As long as the plot has more than a half day of sun. I've tried to push it on this subject and have just wasted seed. Sun is good .....shade be bad!

 

[Central Iowa]

Perry, Don't forget to match the plot to the wind as well. As an example you wouldn't want a Brassica plot where you couldn't hunt a northerly wind. Also match the plot to the time you plan on hunting the spot such as Brassicas late season and clovers, alfalfa, etc. early season.