Food Plots

[ILL BUCK]

I know here in Illinois for the late season you cant beat corn and beans left standing. For the early bow season the deer on my property love the oats sold for whitetail fod plots. If you have enough ground then I would plant some of it all including whitetail clover. Then the deer can pick what ever they want when ever they want.Good luck.

 

[mottspur]

hear in pa. the hunting group i belong to,we have been doing deer and land managmentthe past four years.we have had great results with biologic summer blend for spring and fall.we also use strut& rut clover mix from the national wild turkey fed. for late season we plant corn & beans and let it stand. plant it and they will come.
mottspur

 

[AJ]

Call one of the DNR Private Lands Biologists or Wildlife Specialists in your area. These people are assigned to work with landowners like yourself and will gladly give you suggestions to improve your land for wildlife. They can also help you find funding for your projects.

Here is the link
http://www.state.ia.us/government/dnr/organiza/fwb/wildlife/pages/plbios.htm

Good Luck
AJ

 

[NWBuck]

Just checked our foodplot last night and the soybeans are full of deer. By winter's end they'll eat stems and all. A mixture of corn, soybeans and clover should cover you for all seasons. Should make for some good late muzzleloader hunting, as well as some video if I'm lucky.

 

[Old Buck]

The main goal for most of the areas I've worked on is to provide optimal nutrition for the deer and turkey. Doing this will also take care of lots of other species of wildlife.

Basically deer need a high protein diet spring and summer and a high carbohydrate diet fall and winter. Clovers, alfalfa provide good spring nutrition. Later soybeans add another high protein option that is very popular with deer. Early fall I plant winter wheat which will stay green late in the fall and provide a green food sorce early in the spring. It is a great cover crop when doing fall establishment of legumes. Corn and soybeans are tough to beat for fall/winter, carbohydrate sorces in Iowa. The colder the winter the more wildlife will need them. Ideally they will last through February and March into the green up of spring food sources.

For our feathered friends I'd add sorgum. It works great for pheasant, quail, turkey and songbirds.

I also agree with AJ, check with your local DNR biologist for help. These people are trained to work with wildlife and can provide valuable input.

Also contact your local county Pheasants Forever chapter. These are hard working people trying to raise money to help wildlife and wildlife habitat in their county. They may be able to provide free seed for your food plots. They are also great to work with on other aspects of habitat developement including establishing switch grass and tree and shrub plantings.

If you are like me, in the long run, you will find that planting food plots, developing habitat and getting new people into hunting are just as much fun or even more fun than the hunt itself. Good luck, get out there and have some fun!

 

[trper]

Thank you so much for the valuable information. Does anyone know by chance what restriction there is to how much of your crp you can put into food plots. I have about 100 acres of crp that borders my 150 acres of timber. Would food plots inside the timber be beneficial at all?

 

[MO-Antlertips]

Thanks for the good imput to Trper on this matter. If I get lucky in '02 and draw a tag, I just might get to hunt somewhere near this food plot!

Oh, and Trper, I figure they'll be gobbling and strutting in about another 3 1/2 months, so plan on making another trip south. Merry Christmas to you and your girls....MO

 

[rutnbuck]

You can put up to, but not exceeding 10% of your CRP acreage into food plots. I believe there is a stipulation that this is not to exceed ten acres on any one contiguous piece of property.

 

[trper]

Thanks for the infor runtnbuck. Welcome to the sight. Hey Mo, Same to you and your girls. Need to set a day to get the blind headed your way before the big hunt. Will be in the hunting ground area the next several days. Will let ya know if something happens. Merry Xmas. Stay safe.

 

[BOWDUDE]

I have tried biologic, had decent results. I tried Imperial Whitetail Clover this fall. With the proper PH and fert. it came up fantastic. The plot is full of deer. I would also plant some corn and soybeans for real cold weather.