Plot suggestions

[The Leacher]

I have 2 properties to add food plots to next season. I have 60 acres up near cloquet in the thick swampy land and I lease 130 acres in Wis pierce cnty crop land and rollin hills.

The Q is on the Wis property the land owner stopped crops and converted all the fields to crp. All the surrounding properties have corn, beans and alfalfa. I have a few really good spots picked out down in the creek bottoms. Im thinking of doing a clover blend and possibly some barrasicas in that location.
 I also have 2 spot up top the hill on the edge of the crp and wood line equaling around 1 acre. I was thinking of doing the smaller kill plot with just a clover blend and my biggest plot just barrasicas. Im going to have to plant a plot screen to seclude the biggest plot and I wont be able to hunt right over it.

Anybody think this mix of food source will really attract and help hold the deer on my property considering all the surrounding crops. Or is there some better choice of foods I should be planting.

There is an abundance of deer already on the property and around 10 mature bucks that cruise it I just dont see them until the rut. Most the buck bed on the neighbors property and I would like to get them running my land other than the rut.

Im in the planning stages right now and I want to be ready for spring. Ill probably do the clearing of the trees this winter while its open

Thanks in advance

[beeker]

clover is a great filler but I haven't seen the deer destroy it like you would think. I have great luck with turnips and they've been easy to plant and always grow. this is on some land south of mcgregor mn. swampy land. the one bit of advice that i found most useful when working on my plots was "figure out what the major food source is and do something different". we're surrounded by corn and hay fields.. turnips have worked out the best, but I still try something different in the smaller plots.. never know till you try

[The Leacher]

Thanks a lot Ill have to try them at my MN location its real swampy

[dakids]

rye grain

[deadeye]

With the abundance of corn, beans, and alfalfa around, you will need something different.  Late season (August) planting of barrasicas and winter wheat should do the trick.  Also, with all the other food around, I would concentrate on developing a good bedding area.  Check out other bedding areas and see what the deer like.  Also, you could start some mineral stations.

[Fawkinnae]

It was a dark and stormy night...

[HUNTER2]

I would second the rye grain. I have had good luck with that.

[The Leacher]

Thanks guys
I already have 2 mineral plots that get hit pretty hard. How would I go about making beading areas. Some are on hillsides of acorn ridges and others are in the thicket nasty stuff

[deadeye]

I guess deer find their own bedding areas. Maybe the best would be to stay out of some area of your property.  Is there some place where you always seem to jump deer?  If so don't go there while hunting and maybe the does will bring some bucks.

[The Leacher]

I know where a few of the bedding areas are and I dont go in there. I see a number of mature bucks every year hunting near these doe beds. Im trying to make a few plots so I can hopefully draw some of these bucks that dont come around until rut to come in earlier in the season. My only chance is usually rut only then there gone. I have worked out a deal with the neighbor to let me hunt his land as well but I have to help him plant a few plots which is worth it to me.

[The Leacher]

Heres a pic of the WI land I lease with some plans for next season



I was thinking of planting corn in the neighbors 3 acre plots.
Let me know what ya think

[deadeye]

Depends a bit on what's located around your property.  Can you expand the pix to include a mile on each side?  Usually you will want to have something different than what's available nearby.  Corn is nice but a lot of cost and work.  Do you have access to equipment?  Also, 3 acres of corn will not be much feed for winter.  How big are each of the properties?  How many houses are located within the boundaries?  It looks like a big road throught he middle.  If so, my guess is there is not much hunting within 100-200 yards of the road.  Keep that in mind when planting food plots. 

[The Leacher]

There is a lot of corn in the area every year. The only reason I would like the corn is to help keep the deer on the property for late season bow hunting most if not every corn field is cut down at that time.
Theres 1 county rd that runs threw it all and doesnt seem to bother the deer. All the woods that surround the fields are hills and the roads are on the bottom of the hills. It doesnt effect the deer. I was thinking of hiring out the corn planting to the local farmer and just leave it standing all year.

Theres deer everywhere out there and a lot of really nice mature bucks Im just trying to make it a little easier to hunt them.

Heres the best I could do for now


Thanks Deadeye

[The Leacher]

What would be a simpler addition instead of corn? I can have the farmer till and prep the 3+ acres and I can do the actual planting.
If I dont use corn Ill have to put a plot screen up so the deer feel safe in the fields with the houses across the street. Im also trying to keep my barrasicas in my smaller 1/4 acre kill plots for hunting over.
Im not sure just looking for a little advise never done anything this size.
Thanks

[deadeye]

Corn is a tough one on a small plot.  Maybe concentrat on getting a "screen" for the road and plant barrasicas.  Maybe plant 6-8 rows of tall thick corn along the road.  Fertilize the heck out of it and use it as a screen.

[The Leacher]

I might just have to do that with brassicas. I want to mix it up a bit and try to find what they like best.  Im going to try out the plot screen from frigid forage and see how good that works I think it will be easier than corn.

Thanks

[Auggie]

Turnips are great, but we have found sugar beets are even better. This year the deer were pawing them out before the cold weather even hit. Pumpkins are like cocaine to deer. Easy and cheap to plant. Soy beans are also a easy option. The deer take them out before anything we plant. We have a large plot on our ground. Corn, beans, sugar beets, oats. I have tried most of the stuff sold and even in my pens the deer would rather have these basics.

[The Leacher]

Thanks Auggie
I think thats what Im going to do. Im going to plant a perenial blend called wall hanger from frigid forage in 2 of the 3 acres and brassicas for the other 1 acre. Ill be mixing clover and brassica plots threw out the property in little 1/4 to 1/2 plots as well. I want to give them a nice year round food source if possible.
Thanks a lot guys for the suggestions greatly appreciated. Now Im on to planning my 60 acre land near Cloquet, MN. That is gonna be fun theres tons of deer on the property and barely any food sources around.
Illtry to get up another over map with plans
Thanks again
The Leacher

[Mayfly]

Turnips are great, but we have found sugar beets are even better. This year the deer were pawing them out before the cold weather even hit. Pumpkins are like cocaine to deer. Easy and cheap to plant. Soy beans are also a easy option. The deer take them out before anything we plant. We have a large plot on our ground. Corn, beans, sugar beets, oats. I have tried most of the stuff sold and even in my pens the deer would rather have these basics.

Auggie -

You bring up a great point! Pumpkins!

We have an area that we intend to plant next year as a first year plot. I was looking for something low maintenance and I think you may have just made up my mind.

Has anyone ever planted sunflower? Do deer actually eat the seeds?? I know that in some states they are more popular than others but don't have any experience with them.

[nic53]

Turnips are great, but we have found sugar beets are even better. This year the deer were pawing them out before the cold weather even hit. Pumpkins are like cocaine to deer. Easy and cheap to plant. Soy beans are also a easy option. The deer take them out before anything we plant. We have a large plot on our ground. Corn, beans, sugar beets, oats. I have tried most of the stuff sold and even in my pens the deer would rather have these basics.

Auggie -

You bring up a great point! Pumpkins!

We have an area that we intend to plant next year as a first year plot. I was looking for something low maintenance and I think you may have just made up my mind.

Has anyone ever planted sunflower? Do deer actually eat the seeds?? I know that in some states they are more popular than others but don't have any experience with them.

I planted sunflowers for the first time this year and wow did the deer love them! They did not let them mature to grow seeds though just ate everything with new growth and even most the stem. Gonna give it a go this coming year again. Some reason i have no luck with turnips or any brassicas for that matter. Not sure why?

[Mayfly]

Last year Brassicas were my money plot. I mixed rape and turnips. When the rape came up they hammered it and stayed on it until mid-September. Then they eased up on it but still came through just not as heavy. Once the snow came the deer returned and started digging up the turnips. Food plots were not successful this year due to work but looking forward to next years plans!

I think i'm going to take a gamble and have fun with one of my plots. Maybe I'll just mix sunflowers and pumpkins. Whats the worst that can happen....

[Mayfly]

Here is my 2010 brassica plot.... All this food plot talk is making me miss summer.

[nic53]

Thats a real nice looking plot! And yeah ive got lots of plans for next year just hope have enough time to get it all done! beans, corn, peas, sunflowers, punkins, squash, radishes, rape, rye, sugar beats, clover, and what ever else i can think of before then!

[The Leacher]

I been going crazy just thinking of finally getting my plots in. Ive had this property in MN for 3 yrs now and I have no plots at all and still lots of deer. I think Im going to benefit huge on this property.
I have a  bag of monster magnet from frigid forage Ill be definitely trying this out on a 1/2 acre. There sunflowers in it and all sorts of goodies.
Im planning on getting out and start clear out space and adding some more trails after the holidays should be a lot easier.

Thanks for the response guys and Ill be definitely taking some pics and starting a new thread to show the entire execution of the plan

[The Leacher]

MNO what do them plots look like now? anything left?

[HUNTER2]

How did you draw on those maps? I would like to do that on my land.

[The Leacher]

I did it probably the harder way. I printed it out then scanned the photo to the computer and then used gimp it like photo shop but free

[Mayfly]

MNO what do them plots look like now? anything left?

Those were 2010 plots... here is a link to what they looked like in December and the deer I shot on that particular plot.

http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/gallery/76/media/2659/mn1019-snow-buck.html


Due to a career change in 2011 I was unable to put any work in on my plots. 2012 will be a great year!!

[The Leacher]

Whens everybody gonna start planting there spring plots????
Getting ansy

[deadeye]

Some people said the had success spreading clover seed on top of snow this time of year.  Of course it's probably too late for that now.   

Lots and lots of time yet.  I usually plant clover just after Memorial day.  That way I can spray weeds a couple times first.