After attending a meeting last night in mason city where Iowas head deer biologist made it clear that there are no plans to increase the deer herd in this area i have decided to try and help the ones we have left. In this neck of the woods we are lucky if we have 500 deer in the county. The terrain is mainly wide open fields. Im fortunate enough to have a couple of 30 acre hardwoods. My plan is to make a food plot in basically a wooded pasture 100 yds or so south east of one of the woods. The pasture is 20 acres but I can only use 5 or so acres. The property is basically a pasture with some oak trees scattered throughout. To start things out, I plan on planting pine trees along the west and north sides, to hopefully help with the blowing snow over time. My question is what type of pine trees should I plant? I have noticed deer will eat some and not others. Id like for them to be able to eat on them if nessacary and also make a good wind block. I want this to be a harvest plot and more importantly a plot that helps them through the winters. There are no food plots in 5 miles around me. They have nothing to eat except browse. I plan on planting corn and brassica. Any other suggestions or combinations that would help achieve my goal? Sorry for this being so long, hard to describe in few words. Thanks
Fence in those pine trees or they will get killed really fast!
If you plant corn, just make sure you plant PLENTY! 5 acres would not be too much. Just imagine 10-30 deer in it every evening day after day during fall and especially all winter long. I'd also plant it heavy & with plenty of nitrogen, especially if there's no other corn for them to eat and they focus on yours. An acre of clover would be a good addition to food plots as well (alfalfa if you can bale it?). Just do each plot right and plant more than you think you'll need if possible.
If you plant corn, just make sure you plant PLENTY! 5 acres would not be too much. Just imagine 10-30 deer in it every evening day after day during fall and especially all winter long. I'd also plant it heavy & with plenty of nitrogen, especially if there's no other corn for them to eat and they focus on yours. An acre of clover would be a good addition to food plots as well (alfalfa if you can bale it?). Just do each plot right and plant more than you think you'll need if possible.
dbltree
Super Moderator
I like a combination of shrubs and conifers with red cedars being my favorite simpley because deer love them and they don't kill them like pines or spruces.
If you want to hold deer, concentrate on creating thick cover more then food sources.
Take a look at the Tree Planting thread in dbltree's corner for more ideas...:way:
If you want to hold deer, concentrate on creating thick cover more then food sources.
Take a look at the Tree Planting thread in dbltree's corner for more ideas...:way: