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New at Food Plots ?'s (Pics Added)

jjohnson

jjohnson

Well-Known Member
I recently bought an atv disc and want to get into doing some food plots on a few of the farms I hunt. I figured I would wait until August to plant (spray with roundup in July). I want these to be hunting plots this year and then plan on frost seeding with clover next winter.

One area is a narrow bottom (maybe 50yds) with small creek running through it. In past years it has been pastured but not anymore. I'm thinking I can get at least a half acre, if not a full acre plot in there.

I've been thinking of planting Evolved Habitats Shot Plot (variety of rapeseeds and turnips) or Antler Kings Hot Spot (also rape and turnips). Actually was going to plant a bag of both to see which one turned out better. Talked to a guy that planted Biologic Full Draw and Shot Plot last fall with good results.

Or should I plant some winter wheat and rye of some kind. Not very familiar with these so any adv. or disadv. would be helpful.


Thanks Justin
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

I would keep it mowed short this summer (the taller the grass the harder it is to get a good kill with RU). Spray it with Round up around August 1. Wait three weeks for RU to work then till it up. Seed clover/alfalfa blend with forage oats for cover crop the last week of August/first week of September. The oats will be a good attractant come the first couple weeks of October or until a hard frost. I would buy my clover/alfalfa seed from Welter seed company. You can have them mix a seed blend for you like jumbo ladino white clover, ladino clover, grazer brand alfalfa, ect. Buy the oats from your local elevator (cheaper than paying the shipping on the oats). The prices will be half what biologic or those other "Hunting" plot mixes cost you. I'm of the belief that more is better so I like to seed on the heavy side. So if they recommend 8lbs per acre I like to seed 12lbs. Don't forget to do soil sample and fert./lime as called for. I learned the hard way. I bought 6 acres worth of a name brand seed and got really poor germination despite ideal growing conditions (temp & moisture). I had added the recommended fertilizer and lime before seeding. Needless to say I was disappointed, plus out a $300-$400. I then tilled it back under after 4 months of mowing weeds. I then reseeded with seed from Welter seed company and forage oats from the elevator and it looked like a brochure cover in 3-4 weeks after planting. I think my seed bill from Welter was like $180 to my door. The oats were really cheap. I think that half the problem is you don't know how the seed has been stored, transported or how old it is when you buy from some of the bigger companies like biologic. The bag will have an innoculant date on it but that doesn't mean a thing if not stored properly. I think this is why some people have good luck and others don't. When I ordered from Welter seed they sent it UPS and it was at my house in three days. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. I will no doubt do business with them again. Plus it is a family owned business right here in Iowa which makes the choice a no brainer. I heard about them on IW and I believe it was from dbltree. The best part is if you mow a couple times a year and fert/lime as needed you will get 3-5 years from this seeding which makes the investment more appealing to me than an annual food plot. I like the fact that the deer have access to forage with over 20% protein 365 days a year for 3-5 years. An added bonus is clover/alfalfa is excellent for turkey/pheasant/quail broods due to the number of insects it attracts. One of my best plots is just like you have described. It is bottom next to a creek and it always has lush clover/alfalfa due too always being moist. That plot has timber to the south of it and corn/soybean to the north. The deer come out early afternoon and feed on the clover in the shade and then work into the crop fields. It is fun to watch the deer feed on clover/alfalfa for 15-20 minutes then disappear into the corn for 15-20 minutes. Then come back out for more clover/alfalfa and then return to the corn. They do this over and over. Reminds me of Rosie O'donnell working a buffet line.
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Here is the link: www.welterseed.com
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

I second the Welter idea. I joined up with Paul(Dbltree) earlier this spring and bought some seed with him. I went to get it myself, it was worth the drive because of all seed that we bought, mostly Paul!
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Super good advice above guys!
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Don't forget the soil sample above all else!!!
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Kill the WEEDS NOW!!!! Disc 2 weeks later, spray again and do a no till white clover plot. Plant in July right before RAIN!! Dont wait for FROST planting !!!
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Thanks guys. I'm kind of leary about just putting clover in because next summer I'm not sure if I will be able to mow it as needed.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Only reason to mow is if you have weed problems. If you seed heavily around Sept. 1 and get decent moisture to allow for good germination you shouldn't have much for weed problems. That is if you get a good kill on the grass. Koba made a good point. If you can and are willing to spray twice and have access to a no till planter that would be ideal. Once established the clover will out compete the weeds. The first year or two is the most important for weed control. The only thing I have found more attractive to deer than white clover is alfalfa. But alfalfa requires more maintanance (cutting 2-3 times a year) so I would not seed straight alfalfa.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Well we got the plot mowed last weekend and plan on spraying this weekend.

I've got another question. As of now we're planning on spraying this weekend and then disking the following weekend if we get a good kill. Should we lime before we disk and then disk the lime into the ground? Then we plan on waiting until early or mid August and fertilizing and planting. Am I on the right track? Thanks Justin

Here's a few pics after we mowed.

FoodPlot002.jpg


FoodPlot003.jpg


FoodPlot004.jpg
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Justin,
I think I am correct here but you can put lime on at anytime. If it needed lime it should of had it before now.
It takes awhile for it to work into the ground.

Did you take a soil test to see if you even needed it??
Looks like a nice place for a plot.
I would be sitting right in that bottle neck.
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Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Will be doing a soil test this week. Hopefully we won't need it. I just figured till it in now and let it work for a month or so. If nothing else it will be helping us for next springs planting. Probably just throw an annual in it this year and see how it turns out.

That's really more of a bottleneck than you can see. To the right of the first pic is a real steep sidehill that drops off to the creek and just right of the tree they are coming down to drink. Really a neat area and this bottom has two more spots I could clean up and put plots in. Two the left there's two logging roads that lead up to the crop fields. I'm thinking late muzzleloader if there's anything left for them to eat.
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Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Justin,
I agree on the lime and it will not hurt anything in the meantime. I actually need to put some lime on mine.

I like to have more than one plot because it will keep the big boys cruising for the does checking out these areas. Also gives you more than one place to hunt.
Bottlenecks are nice right in the middle of a food plot because bucks will want to see the other side and will come right thru there to see what is on the other side.

You will be amazed how the food plots will draw them in. It will also give the deer the protein they need to survive after the rut. Sounds like you have a great plan. I will let some of the experts chime in.
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Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

I put lime out yesterday along with triple 12 ! Now I need RAIN !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

I would disc the lime into the ground. I personally would also apply some Supercal which is a fast acting lime that is good for one year to bridge the time it takes for your regular lime to start working.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

[ QUOTE ]
I would disc the lime into the ground. I personally would also apply some Supercal which is a fast acting lime that is good for one year to bridge the time it takes for your regular lime to start working.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pel lime is cheaper than Supercal, but works about the same.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

If time and roundup are not an issue, you may want to consider a double kill. You can apply your roundup now, but once you turn that soil, hang on to your hat because that field does not look like it's been touched for years. You will be exposing more seed to the sun then you can ever imagine. Once that pops, I would apply another round of roundup. Once that kills off, then you will have a much better success rate with whatever you plan to plant.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

[ QUOTE ]
If time and roundup are not an issue, you may want to consider a double kill. You can apply your roundup now, but once you turn that soil, hang on to your hat because that field does not look like it's been touched for years. You will be exposing more seed to the sun then you can ever imagine. Once that pops, I would apply another round of roundup. Once that kills off, then you will have a much better success rate with whatever you plan to plant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yesterday we really soaked her good with round-up. Got soil test and will be adding about 4 tons of lime later this week. Planned on dragging dead grass off and tilling ground this weekend. And then planting in about a month.

Should I do all of this and then in a couple weeks see if it needs another coat of roundup? That would give me two more weeks before planting.

Thank God for this sight!
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Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If time and roundup are not an issue, you may want to consider a double kill. You can apply your roundup now, but once you turn that soil, hang on to your hat because that field does not look like it's been touched for years. You will be exposing more seed to the sun then you can ever imagine. Once that pops, I would apply another round of roundup. Once that kills off, then you will have a much better success rate with whatever you plan to plant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yesterday we really soaked her good with round-up. Got soil test and will be adding about 4 tons of lime later this week. Planned on dragging dead grass off and tilling ground this weekend. And then planting in about a month.

Should I do all of this and then in a couple weeks see if it needs another coat of roundup? That would give me two more weeks before planting.

Thank God for this sight!
confused.gif
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I would definitly see if it needs another shot of round up. If you catch the weeds when they are young and growing good, it will not take much round up to kill them.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Yep...these guys are giving you great advice.Not much more to add.Good luck.
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

I think they like it.
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We've had too much rain the last couple weeks. Now I need some sun. We've got to have close to 20" of rain since August 1st.

FoodPlot044.jpg
 
Re: New at Food Plots ?'s

Looks like a food plot advertisement. Happy with the results? It looks darn good.
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