Food Plots Any suggestions

[Grizzly Johnson]

Wondering what your thoughts are about some type of late fall/winter foodplot… Ground is pretty rocky and many old little stumps at ground level where cedars were cut to clear it… layer of woody material on top where cut trees were chipped and then dispersed over the cleared area. There is dirt but lots of big and smaller rocks at or near surface.

Or should I just leave it alone for some thicket areas to grow? I have seen several does munching the cedar limbs within reach and whatever browse that's in the woods on the ground.

Turkeys seem to like the open areas.

 

[deerhunter10]

Pretty late but you may get lucky with winter wheat. Depends on property. Hard to beat cover but depends on how much food you already have. Why did you clear it?

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Was thinking about for next year. The property is owned by someone else who is letting me hunt it. The owner cleared some of it at some point… then I opened up some shooting lanes… 200 yds in one direction and 250 yds in the opposite. No food source in the immediate vicinity that I know of unless one of the neighbors is feeding them….

 

[deerhunter10]

Was thinking about for next year. The property is owned by someone else who is letting me hunt it. The owner cleared some of it at some point… then I opened up some shooting lanes… 200 yds in one direction and 250 yds in the opposite. No food source in the immediate vicinity that I know of unless one of the neighbors is feeding them….

Oh in that case we only do wheat oats and clover on our places. Going more to grain this year. But above has been used with great success. I would pull some soil samples may be a little wierd depending what was there. If no food and you have cover would add food for sure.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

I'm not sure if there would be much of a seed bed because of the rock and tree stumps, disking may not be an option. If you look at the second pic, it used to be solid cedar woods like what the shooting lanes are cut through… I have mineral sites put out… just trying to give them some better winter eating options and hopefully keep them around…

 

[Popcorn]

I see a great opportunity here. I see lots of small game cover and a lot of edge to grow native browse. I see long winding strips of potential for clover plots that deer and turkey will spend a lot of time in. I see small pockets of blends like eagles seeds summer buffalo blend which provides soil building, cover and food.
To start I would throw down a clover blend before the end of February and I would lime ASAP even if it was a small amount. Cedar thickets are commonly acidic thin soiled areas.
Next I would throw down cereal rye and wheat (yes both) just after last frost. Since it's a spring planting they will not tiller so they will be single stem and not look thick. The rye is for root development and a little soil protection. The wheat is for a quick flush of very palatable food that will help protect the emerging clovers. This mix will provide a place rabbits flourish in and deer spend a lot of time at. Lastly the areas (pockets & edges) for the seed blend will fare much better with a little tillage after last frost. I use the Eagle seed summer buffalo blend and add sun hemp. (I am a big fan of this blend). Do t forget do not fertilize at planting as you will not get full use of your nitrogen and will be fertilizing the weeds. Wait till after germination and the fertilize in small doses. Early September go back in with more clover blend, rye and wheat. This will thicken and cover weak spots and really help out compete weeds. Check for weeds early and often spot spray where needed but throw down a handful of wheat to get that spot covered asap. Pull and remove weeds that get away from the spray. Add the rye and wheat every September and a little clover seed as needed and this will keep going for years. It is not as much work as it seems and will will produce an awesome plot system / wildlife oasis.!

 

[BSK]

That is some great stuff Popcorn!

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I see a great opportunity here. I see lots of small game cover and a lot of edge to grow native browse. I see long winding strips of potential for clover plots that deer and turkey will spend a lot of time in. I see small pockets of blends like eagles seeds summer buffalo blend which provides soil building, cover and food.
To start I would throw down a clover blend before the end of February and I would lime ASAP even if it was a small amount. Cedar thickets are commonly acidic thin soiled areas.
Next I would throw down cereal rye and wheat (yes both) just after last frost. Since it's a spring planting they will not tiller so they will be single stem and not look thick. The rye is for root development and a little soil protection. The wheat is for a quick flush of very palatable food that will help protect the emerging clovers. This mix will provide a place rabbits flourish in and deer spend a lot of time at. Lastly the areas (pockets & edges) for the seed blend will fare much better with a little tillage after last frost. I use the Eagle seed summer buffalo blend and add sun hemp. (I am a big fan of this blend). Do t forget do not fertilize at planting as you will not get full use of your nitrogen and will be fertilizing the weeds. Wait till after germination and the fertilize in small doses. Early September go back in with more clover blend, rye and wheat. This will thicken and cover weak spots and really help out compete weeds. Check for weeds early and often spot spray where needed but throw down a handful of wheat to get that spot covered asap. Pull and remove weeds that get away from the spray. Add the rye and wheat every September and a little clover seed as needed and this will keep going for years. It is not as much work as it seems and will will produce an awesome plot system / wildlife oasis.!

Great info!

 

[TNTreeman]

Anyway they would let you burn? Popcorn pretty nailed it IMO . You can get something going between now and next fall. Cedar indicates rock and acidity but that can be a lush oasis if handled correctly.

 

[348Winchester]

Follow Popcorn's advice. Maybe add some chicory when you frost seed the clover.

 

[redblood]

Cover beats food for mature bucks. Save your money and let nature take over

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Anyway they would let you burn? Popcorn pretty nailed it IMO . You can get something going between now and next fall. Cedar indicates rock and acidity but that can be a lush oasis if handled correctly.

I don't think burning is possible

 

[Kelljp]

Lime is the cheapest thing you can do to this type of property. Soil test will give you a better idea. May be to late but turnips ( sow them with fertilizer mixed in preferably before rain or snow). The deer and other wildlife will feed on it all winter and is cheap and easy to grow in winter months. I would talk to game warden / forestry people about control burn before spring.

 

[DeerCamp]

Pretty everything popcorn said.

I'd add, may go a little heavier on the Rye in the big open areas. That place has mulch method written all over it.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Thanks to all who replied with information… will see what can be done

 

[BSK]

Honestly, I like what I see now. I would try and use cereal grains and annual clover to fill in the roadbeds (throw and mow planting) and just let the rest of it go in brush. Long linear plots in the midst of thick cover can be hunting hotspots. The trick will be keeping the brushy sections in brush and not letting it return to woods.