Food Plots Plot suggestions for hay field?

[hammer33]

Weird situation. Neighbor farm lets me hunt and said OK for food plot in an unused but bushhogged hay field. Owner has cleaned every fencerow etc and there is almost zero cover on the entire farm. Deer cross the farm regularly but are usually on the move and VERY spooky.

I was thinking of try to grow a "food plot" that also incorporates something like Sudan sorghum that will provide additional visual screening on into deer season. IF I just did something tall, the owner would mow it down to "clean up the place" but if its a "food plot" he might let it ride until after deer season.

So anybody have luck planting clover or other deer chow in a mixed plot with something tall that the deer might feel comfortable browsing in for a few minutes as they cross the open pasture? Whats a good "cover and feed ' mix ?

 

[backyardtndeer]

So anybody have luck planting clover or other deer chow in a mixed plot with something tall that the deer might feel comfortable browsing in for a few minutes as they cross the open pasture? Whats a good "cover and feed ' mix ?

Any cereal grain with clover. Wheat and Pennington wintergrazer rye are my go to with clover.

 

[Popcorn]

I use blends including Sudan sorghum, buckwheat, peas, sunflowers, Eagle beans, Balansa clover, sun hemp and this year threw in Egyptian wheat. I love the height and cover value, I love the soil building potential. After the tall stuff out competed the short stuff and the food value was consumed it was still very attractive and became a bedding areas until I drilled in my winter blends of wheat, turnips, radishes, Q-clover and now they are back to food plots with heavy browse and constant traffic. My thoughts for next year is to plant my Egyptian wheat, Sudan sorghum and sun hemp in a 20 ft wide band on all my exposed edges creating a blind of sorts and plant all my food stuff behind the blind.
Your clover will not do well in blends that out grow it and block the sun. In my opinion plant clover if you want clover, if you want cover plant cover. If you want both plant clover then plant a screen around it.

 

[Ski]

In my opinion plant clover if you want clover, if you want cover plant cover. If you want both plant clover then plant a screen around it.

That's simple and direct and accurate. No need to overthink it.

 

[hammer33]

Thanks popcorn! that answers my other question ...if you can mix tall stuff/chest high and short food stuff. I like the screen around the edges idea!!