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Tall_Tines

Tall_Tines

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I have about a 1 acre section that I want to plant into a food plot this year. My question is this: I want something that will bring the deer in and give nutrition in the summer, but I also want something that is going to bring them in in the fall and winter. I was thinking something like a clover blend for summer, but what is a good choice for fall/winter? I know that I could probably leave the clover, but I was thinking something like a turnip blend. I have read that they are a very good fall choice. So if I do choose something else for the fall, should I simply plant over the clover, plant half the plot with clover initially and wait with the other half until the fall planting, or plant it all with clover and then work it up and replant in the fall?
 
Little bit of a challenge in your plan, especially with only one acre. Clover is a little pricey to be plowing it down just after it get's going.
If your looking for a foodplot that will last thru the rut period then clover or alfalfa really should work. Either should last thru the summer until we get very hard freezes...lately that has been pretty late in the fall.
Deer already have plenty of access to high quality feed so I wouldn't worry so much about that aspect but rather the draw when you want to hunt them...again if you had a larger number of acres you could have a real effect on nutrition, but one acre will just be "candy" (nothing wrong with that either!
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If your not sure about legumes doing the trick, I would plant something cheap and easy to grow like buckwheat in late spring and then in mid August plant brassicas (forage turnips). I wouldn't plant regular turnips unless your looking fora draw during the late muzzy/antlerless seasons.
With a small plot...plant something different and make sure it can stand being hammered or it may be bare when you want to hunt!
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Might make a difference what is grown around you and your soils. If you don't have much for ag fields close by I could see using this spring to get your plot prepped- spray it and use no-till beans for the summer plot then come in later and seed turnips or rye for the fall. Frost seed clover next February or March for a full year plot.
 
thanks for the quick responses guys. plenty of agriculture around. my plot will be along a river bottom that is surrounded on both sides by crops. thanks for the responses guys. also the plot will be semi exposed, the plot will be visible from a road 1/3 mile away, and i dont want that, maybe just plant 6-10 rows of corn on the opening of the plot? would that do the trick to keep it a little more secure for them?
 
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Also the plot will be semi exposed, the plot will be visible from a road 1/3 mile away, and i dont want that, maybe just plant 6-10 rows of corn on the opening of the plot? would that do the trick to keep it a little more secure for them?

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Great idea (assuming there is enough crops adjacent to keep them from eating the corn off as it comes up...) You might consider adding some forage sorghum to the rows of standing corn for a better "screen". Not only do you want your deer to feel safe...you want them to BE safe! Somebody will be watching your deer otherwise....
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so is it best to plant everything as one mix or plant a few sections of each type?

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I think among the items discussed you would want to plant one variety in the whole plot. You can mix clover and chicory but not clover and brassicas or soybeans and turnips.
You only have one acre and even though you have other ag crops around you...I'm afraid whatever you plant may be mowed to the ground, for that reason I would think you need to plant one variety. What ever variety you choose must be able to stand intense grazing.
Perhaps you don't have high deer densities and it wouldn't be a problem?
I have planted one acre of RR soys and the deer ate them off right to the ground. I replanted them and they mowed them again! All this with a huge alfalfa field right across the fence and hundreds of acres of both corn and soys in any direction. The difference is that my soys were "protected/hidden" and the deer simply stepped out of the woods and chowed down!
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I have had that same plot into clover in years past and it was able to withstand the intense grazing, so I have re-planted it to clover.
In my case I don't want the deer hopping the fence to that alfalfa field which is wide open to the road and leaves them vulnerable to poachers.
Without seeing your situation, I can only relate what has happened to me and my plots.
I hope I'm not just leaving you more confused on what to do?
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