First time food plot

[nyhunter23]

8 acre field with a blind you can see on the bottom of the pic. I’d like to plant a couple plots in the general area of the square. I’m thinking of using whitetail Institute’s fusion for one and beats and greens in the other. My question is with one being a perennial and the other an annual how would you shape them? As in is is better to have one in the corner with more wood line access than the other? Or any other tips for a first time planter?

 

[Chainsaw]

Welcome NY hunter. The first question about food plots is not what should you plant but how do you access the blind to the plot. For the very best in what to plant in a food plot look up LC mix on this forum. And where in NY are you located? I'm just east of Lake Ontario.

 

[Elkaddict]

I’m not sure of you’re overall acreage but a single small plot is unlikely to do much during rifle season. Clover becomes increasingly less attractive in November even with little snow. Grains would bring deer in....until snow piles up, and a small brassica plat will get creamed once deer turn on to them (it may take a year or two). I agree with Chainsaw about LCs approach...it rocks and is the simplest approach to year round nutrition. Still, a half or 3/4 acre plot, is likely to be overrun. If it were just for early bow season, it would be very worth while assuming you can access it and hunt it. Tell us about your goals.

 

[nyhunter23]

So our land is in the southern tier and very hilly. We have about 150 acres total but 90% of it is wooded hillside. This is 1 of 2 fields we have and the only one that’s flat. I get to the stand from the top right side of the image, or top of the field and walk in behind the stand. The real goal is to just add some sort of food source and really just see what we can do since we don’t benefit from farming and stuff like that in the area. The idea being something is better than nothing and a way to keep them attracted to our property. We also have limited time, resources, access etc to do anything more than spray, lime, fertilize, and seed a 3/4-1acre plot. There are a couple other less-than-ideal areas that do get decent sunlight I’d like to try spreading some no-plow mix just to get something out there.

 

[Elkaddict]

Hey, everyone’s got to start somewhere. I’d start a rye and clover plot planted Labor Day weekend. Put a trail cam up...it will get used. Whether it will make a difference late November is the question.

 

[Drycreek]

I don’t know what will work best in NY, that’s above my pay grade, but I encourage you to plant something and go as big as you can. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing.

This is 3/4 of an acre of some of the poorest soil I’ve ever planted in. The place has a high deer density and they keep anything I plant eaten right down to the ground, but in this screenshot are 10 bucks, 10 very small bucks, but you get the idea. There are usually 4/6 does in that plot for several hours a day. My point is, the plot ain’t much but they are still in it a lot.

 

[nyhunter23]

Thanks for all the insights. I’m also curious what a good supplemental plant could be to add to either plot. As in, if I’m trying to establish a clover plot, what is something I could add to it that would grow quicker in height and be the focus while the clover grows? Or would it not really matter much? (Btw this is to anybody, still learning how forums work lol)

 

[dogghr]

Get soil tests. Cheap or free from you County agent. Correct if needed, ph especially.
Throw bush hog in barn and only bring it out every 3-4 years. Let that grow up in briars , goldenrod, etc ,and successional vegetation creating soft edge.
Create plots in central western 2/3 of plot with minor discing if you want, or spray gly, broadcast clover/ grain mix mid August. Rotate or include in mix the following fall, brassica. You can plant together as I do, or plant separate on a rotational mix each Aug. If that existing crap is fescue, then you probably will need to spray and disc to expect a food plot to take hold. Expect couple years for rotations to improve soil texture and control existing flora.
Hinge cut, or selective timber into 20 yds of forest off field edge to create softer edge from hard forest to field edge. Deer love edge. Repeat deer love edge. No matter how you create it with small or large plant or topography .
Play the wind on access. Don't over hunt. Kill big buck. Ok, the latter is no guarantee. Theres a guy on here that manages hilly, wooded hunting ground. He's a bit off his rocker but knows the delema of managing less than ideal soils. Good luck.

 

[Chainsaw]

Get soil tests. Cheap or free from you County agent. Correct if needed, ph especially.
Throw bush hog in barn and only bring it out every 3-4 years. Let that grow up in briars , goldenrod, etc ,and successional vegetation creating soft edge.
Create plots in central western 2/3 of plot with minor discing if you want, or spray gly, broadcast clover/ grain mix mid August. Rotate or include in mix the following fall, brassica. You can plant together as I do, or plant separate on a rotational mix each Aug. If that existing crap is fescue, then you probably will need to spray and disc to expect a food plot to take hold. Expect couple years for rotations to improve soil texture and control existing flora.
Hinge cut, or selective timber into 20 yds of forest off field edge to create softer edge from hard forest to field edge. Deer love edge. Repeat deer love edge. No matter how you create it with small or large plant or topography .
Play the wind on access. Don't over hunt. Kill big buck. Ok, the latter is no guarantee. Theres a guy on here that manages hilly, wooded hunting ground. He's a bit off his rocker but knows the delema of managing less than ideal soils. Good luck.

Dogghr you have nailed it again. NY hunter if you follow this crazy mountain mans advice you will skip twenty years of trial and error.

 

[MarkDarvin]

Thanks for all the insights. I’m also curious what a good supplemental plant could be to add to either plot. As in, if I’m trying to establish a clover plot, what is something I could add to it that would grow quicker in height and be the focus while the clover grows? Or would it not really matter much? (Btw this is to anybody, still learning how forums work lol)

I'm a fan of blended cereal grains. Oats provide quick tonnage after planting. Awnless winter wheat provides extended grazing from spring into early summer.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Thanks for all the insights. I’m also curious what a good supplemental plant could be to add to either plot. As in, if I’m trying to establish a clover plot, what is something I could add to it that would grow quicker in height and be the focus while the clover grows? Or would it not really matter much? (Btw this is to anybody, still learning how forums work lol)

Something in the grass family. Oats are a popular choice. Rye, oats, triticale, wheat, etc. Grass will want to naturally fill in a clover plot, so the thought is that if you put a grain based grass it, it may out compete things like fescue.

 

[nyhunter23]

Sorry I haven’t checked this in a while but it’s really helped me out. After a little more research I think I plan on using oats as a nurse crop but am intrigued about using winter rye in some capacity. We also have a smaller field that’s more on a hillside and a couple areas in the woods that get decent but not great sunlight (I.e. a logging road and an area a few trees were taken out by a tree stand) any suggestions on an easy-to-plant/grow, minimal equipment product/seed that might be ideal for that? I originally thought WH No-plow but don’t necessarily have to stick with name brand