food plot question

[pseshooter300]

I have a 70 acre farm what is a food plot I could do for this farm I don't have access to a tractor only a tiller to plow the ground what would be something I could plant?

 

[BSK]

It all depends on what you expect to accomplish. Will you imporve herd health with what can be done with a hand-tiller? Nope. Can you produce some small attractant plots to help draw deer to the property and/or to the gun or bow? Yup.

Look at fall annuals, especially the "easy to grow ones" such as cereal grains (wheat, oats and grain rye [not ryegrass]).

 

[jmb4wd]

I do some food plot work on the side of my regular job. Just hollar if you have any questions.

 

[BSK]

pseshooter300,

If you want serious food plot work done, contact jmb4wd. I have him work my plots and he's done an exceptional job on VERY difficult plots.

 

[tn droptine]

pseshooter300,

If you want serious food plot work done, contact jmb4wd. I have him work my plots and he's done an exceptional job on VERY difficult plots.

x2 - I also utilize jmb4wd's services. Highly recommended

 

[pseshooter300]

Well this farm is up in va so prolly to far for him

 

[BSK]

Well this farm is up in va so prolly to far for him

Probably true!

For man years I worked about 5 acres of plots with just a pull-behind ATV mower, an ATV sprayer, and ATV seeder. Now these weren't highly productive plots, but they were attractive plots. They certainly did draw deer.

Small, attractant plots that draw deer can be worked "by hand," but don't expect them to alter herd health or grow larger antlers.

 

[cdave89]

BSK, Just curious but why cant smaller plots improve the health of the deer herd. I am asking because I am about to work a couple smaller plots (2acres total). There is very little food on my 44 acres.

 

[Football Hunter]

BSK, Just curious but why cant smaller plots improve the health of the deer herd. I am asking because I am about to work a couple smaller plots (2acres total). There is very little food on my 44 acres.

Because it would make up such a small percentage of what they eat,kind of like eating one or 2 beans a year,not gonna change much.

 

[BSK]

BSK, Just curious but why cant smaller plots improve the health of the deer herd. I am asking because I am about to work a couple smaller plots (2acres total). There is very little food on my 44 acres.

Because it would make up such a small percentage of what they eat,kind of like eating one or 2 beans a year,not gonna change much.

Exactly. Considering the large range of deer, many deer are feeding in a single plot. WELL MAINTAINED plots rarely produce more than a ton or two of food per year, and a single deer requires a ton of food per year. Now spread the food for one or two deer between 30 to 50 deer, and the percent of each deer's diet that is "high quality food plot plants" is tiny, hence not influencing their health much.