Deer Food plots v/s Deer Kill Plots

[MoCamo]

Guys, Need a little help, got 2000 acres and it has all hardwoods till the last 13 years so they come in and cut alittle at a time untill we are 70% cut over and planted pines and 30% hardwoods that are just reaching the age that they producing acorns.I got a gas line that runs through the property and we have several food plots on it.Some we have just annual and some we have clover this is mountain land and you dont have soil just everywhere.My question is do you plant some loading areas in cut over for killing plots or do you expand the more open gas line in core area of your property.In other words have bigger plots and not as many, or have alot of plots that are small and dont produce alot of tonage.Keep in mind that this gas line goes through the middle of the cut over areas and that the north and south end of the property does not have the soil on or off the pipe line to poduce a good food plot.

 

[Football Hunter]

Hmmmmm,oats are a great atrackant,with some annual and perinnial clover,hard to beat.

 

[BSK]

MoCamo,

I prefer both. I want some large plots for food production (which are off limits to hunting), and then I want a lot of small scattered plots for attraction.

 

[Truedouble]

If you could only do one or the other, I would plant less larger plots than a high number of small plots. We have mountain land as well, and have found that the little loading dock plots (1/8 of an acre of average) don't really do a lot for us. They can be ok in early bow season, but when we have a good acorn crop they don't really pay much attention to the small plots.

That being said, I would plant your big fields and maybe a couple small plots in what appears to be the best spots, just to see if the help your hunting. Keep in mind that around November leaves typically smother a good bit of these small plots, even making the tonage produced even less.

 

[megalomaniac]

What's your deer density/ sq mi?

Really small 1/4 acre food plots just won't produce much due to overgrazing if your density is high and those area the only openings around.

 

[String Music]

In my opinion, you need both.

First thing I would do is get an aerial map and strategically position your fields. Locate the bedding areas and areas with thick cover.

Also, think about the shape of your fields. You can have a large field but design in such a way that deer feel comfortable in it. An hourglass shape or even a clover leaf shape would be ideal. This way you can throw the tonnage to them but still have huntable plots.

 

[BSK]

If you have the space, I would highly recommend against hunting "feeder" plots. What is the point of planting highly nutritious food sources specifically for deer and then daring them at the risk of death from eating from them?

Have "feeder" plots and have "attractant/hunting" plots, but don't try to do both in one plot.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

If you have the space, I would highly recommend against hunting "feeder" plots. What is the point of planting highly nutritious food sources specifically for deer and then daring them at the risk of death from eating from them?

Have "feeder" plots and have "attractant/hunting" plots, but don't try to do both in one plot.

Can you go into details advantages/disadvantages of both?

 

[String Music]

If you have the space, I would highly recommend against hunting "feeder" plots. What is the point of planting highly nutritious food sources specifically for deer and then daring them at the risk of death from eating from them?

Have "feeder" plots and have "attractant/hunting" plots, but don't try to do both in one plot.

I don't see it in quite the dramatic fashion as you do. If the deer feel like they are risking death, they will simply feed in the field at night. Not to mention the fields feed the deer the other 9 months out of the year.

For me, the main reason not to hunt feeding/destination plots is b/c mature bucks rarely frequent them during shooting hours. This is where the smaller fields tucked up to thick cover come into play.

This is another reason why I recommended looking at an aerial and strategically placing the fields. If hunting big fields, its better to hunt the deer before they get to them.

A small field between a bedding area and a feeding field would be an ideal setup.

 

[BSK]

If you have the space, I would highly recommend against hunting "feeder" plots. What is the point of planting highly nutritious food sources specifically for deer and then daring them at the risk of death from eating from them?

Have "feeder" plots and have "attractant/hunting" plots, but don't try to do both in one plot.

I don't see it in quite the dramatic fashion as you do. If the deer feel like they are risking death, they will simply feed in the field at night.

You're assuming they will just feed in the field at night. However, my research indicates they will curtail evening night-time feeding once they realize that location is associated with danger.

Not to mention the fields feed the deer the other 9 months out of the year.

That is partially true, but how long does it take them to "forget" about the danger, and right at the time high-quality food sources are most critical (going into winter)?

For me, the main reason not to hunt feeding/destination plots is b/c mature bucks rarely frequent them during shooting hours. This is where the smaller fields tucked up to thick cover come into play.

I've seen no indication MATURE bucks will frequent small attractant plots in daylight during the hunting season either. MATURE bucks rarely use any open food source in daylight once hunting pressure begins.

This is another reason why I recommended looking at an aerial and strategically placing the fields. If hunting big fields, its better to hunt the deer before they get to them.

That I agree with.

 

[String Music]

If you have the space, I would highly recommend against hunting "feeder" plots. What is the point of planting highly nutritious food sources specifically for deer and then daring them at the risk of death from eating from them?

Have "feeder" plots and have "attractant/hunting" plots, but don't try to do both in one plot.

I don't see it in quite the dramatic fashion as you do. If the deer feel like they are risking death, they will simply feed in the field at night.

You're assuming they will just feed in the field at night. However, my research indicates they will curtail evening night-time feeding once they realize that location is associated with danger.

Not to mention the fields feed the deer the other 9 months out of the year.

That is partially true, but how long does it take them to "forget" about the danger, and right at the time high-quality food sources are most critical (going into winter)?

For me, the main reason not to hunt feeding/destination plots is b/c mature bucks rarely frequent them during shooting hours. This is where the smaller fields tucked up to thick cover come into play.

I've seen no indication MATURE bucks will frequent small attractant plots in daylight during the hunting season either. MATURE bucks rarely use any open food source in daylight once hunting pressure begins.

This is another reason why I recommended looking at an aerial and strategically placing the fields. If hunting big fields, its better to hunt the deer before they get to them.

That I agree with.

1 for 4...I'll take it!