Food Plots New to food plots

[JDS]

This year I am going to try and do a few half acre plots. I have a couple of questions if you guys don't mind helping me. I am in Robertson county. I hunt a around 400 acres that are 70% pasture/hard wood hollows. However there is probably 100 acres in crop. Last fall it was corn, over the winter up till a month or 2 ago it was winter wheat. They just planted soybeans about 3 weeks ago. The reasons I have for planting these are to provide a place that can stop a deer for a stand or to provide food through Dec if that is possible. So the questions I have are.

1) with all the crop beans does it make sense to use forage beans?
2) I am thinking of planting the last weekend of Aug, should I do this earlier or later?
3) what crops would be best? I am thinking of forage beans mixed with wheat and brassicas.
4) is it possible to have edible crops for deer through Dec/Jan?


Thanks for the help.

 

[Boll Weevil]

If you have a 100ac of rowcrops on 400 acres my guess is that in addition to native foods, there's more than enough summer food. As well, depending on your deer density, small plots of beans (even the forage variety) tucked back in the timber will barely get lip-high...the deer hardly let them get out of the ground before nipping them off and you won't have anything to hunt over by the time season rolls around.

If there's a winter cover crop again this year it will also be a great food source after the corn/beans are harvested. If you're just looking to establish a few small kill plots, consider winter rye (grain not grass), winter wheat, oats, or turnips. Another thing you can consider is leaving some of the corn standing. Offering to pay the farmer by the bushel based on yield and market or contract price could be easier, more economical, and effective if one of your goals is to feed deer deeper into the winter.

 

[ADR]

I would just get prepped for fall plots at this point in time. Depending on what you can do and what the area looks like I'd look for corners, small open areas in the woods, and areas that you want the deer to go to.

After finding those areas now, I'd mow/bush hog those areas now and spray in 3-4 weeks with glyphosate. You can then start soil prep. I'd try to start planting those plots around early to mid sept. I like wheat, oats, clover mixes but feel free to experiment.

Also if you have 100 acres of beans be prepared to sow when the leaves are browning. These areas often go overlooked and leave very little for deer to eat once the beans are harvested. The goal is to get the seeds germinated by the falling leaves of the bean plants. Plus it won't interfere with the harvest of the beans but leaves a green carpet behind when done right.