# Deer food plot(s)?



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Have property logged, one area the logger pretty well chewed up with his skidder which was no big thing.... I was just thinking of letting it regrow with ???? whatever will grow. 
SIL mentioned he would be willing to replant it for a food plot - since he hunts here.
Question though what goes into a food plot? 
Remember I do live in Cent NY and am not into an annual seeding or anything that would take much work, specially on my part!


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

A nice food plot that draws deer like a magnet in the fall and into winter is "winter rye". See http://www.deerhuntingbasics.com/winter-rye.php
This is a good plot for northern climates and is very tolerant of lower pH soil. The drawback is that it is an annual plot. But the plots that are advertised to last years generally become overgrown with weeds by the second or third year. With the winter rye you could go with a smaller plot. Also, "easy throw and grow" plots generally don't produce much more than stunted growth among weeds.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

This time of year White Clover would be a good thing to plant.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Here it's radish that's grown for the deer...hands down the best crop.....the deer will pull them out by the tops....it's the radish grown by farmers to improve the soil....a large white variety.

be


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

I have always had good luck wwith purple top turnips, throw in some rape, needs to ge seeded at the end of July,Disc up the area and throw the seed in bby hand, run a drag over it and sit back..


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## ridgerunner1965 (Apr 13, 2013)

there really is no deer plot that takes no maintenence. they have to be planted back every year.

i did read a article about hinge cutting certain types of trees that deer like to eat. you mite google hinge cutting trees?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Ask a dairy or a beef farmer what he plants for green chop and to bale for winter usage that comes back year after year and the deer eat tons of the stuff every year. Those farmers will tell you alfalfa, many clovers and grasses are what they plant to harvest.

Despite some claims to the contrary, there is not a magic crop that you can plant once and then forget, one that will produce quality food that will attract whitetails for years, without any further attention from the food plot manager.

However, some clovers (Imperial clover is one.)have now become available that come close; and come even closer when mixed with selected cereals, Brassicas, peas, and other clovers. These relatively new perennial white clovers are offering food plot managers a crop that will last for several years, tolerates heavy grazing, is drought and cold resistant and requires little maintenance.

*Maintenance Tips*

Watch the food plot, and if the weeds and clover get over 10-inches high, mow it down to about 4-inches. This keeps the weeds from competing with the clover and promotes tender, lush clover growth. Based on my experience it usually requires two mowing's each summer to keep the weeds down.

Each year you will want to fertilize the clover plot with a no-nitrogen fertilizer such as 0-20-20 or 0-10-20. Since clover is a legume, it does not require nitrogen(clover is a nitrogen fixer like beans.).

Finally, soil test every three years and follow the recommendations of the test results.

I have one 2.5 acre food plot and it is now 5 years old. I do have to mow it once in June and again in Late August just before the fall rain kicks in.

 Al


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks for the replies..... The plot in question was part of an old hay field that I brush-hogged once maybe twice a year anyway. The area that SIL wants to play with is maybe 50'x300' so wouldn't take that much seed, so may tell him to go with a combo of rye and clover seed, maybe alfalfa thrown in.... We'll see how much "work" he wants to do to improve that plot! 
Again thanks for the suggestions.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Micheal said:


> may tell him to go with a combo of *rye* and clover seed


There is "Rye" and there is "Rye Grass"

The former is the grain and is best planted in the Fall for Winter forage.
It can get 3-4 feet tall before seeding out in early Summer, but will come back if mowed *after* seeding when the heads have matured.

The latter is a lawn grass that does better in warmer weather, but will still attract deer.

As Alleyyooper said, the best results will come from planting different things at different times during the year, along with paying attention to soil Ph and fertilizing.

For instance, you can mow it low in September and simply broadcast Rye (the grain) and Winter Wheat to get a good stand of vegetation that will stay green through spring and early Summer.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Here in farmland country, I would never worry about spring and summer crops and only focus on a fall crop that the deer will all come to when the farmers have the harvest done...yep, turnips, radish and beets will provide plenty of hunting opportunity without having to much maintenance. In the most part it's a cheap seed also.

But most folks agree that habitat is prolly way more important than feed plots.

be


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I'd plant some white clover if you want easy maintenance. All you'd have to do is mow it 2-3 times per year with bush hog, and spray maybe every other year with Clethium to control grass.

In addition to clover, I plant about 6-7 acres of soybeans and turnips every year which are very effective food plots.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Here are Turnips in October. Planted in August. Deer like them.



big rockpile


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Blackberries. Little to no work required. I've seen guys around here break themselves trying to bushhog down blackberries so they could plant some expensive trophy mix. The blackberry leaves stay on up until the point your freezer should be full, and deer love them. They also provide good habitat for the non deer game animals, although very few people know such creatures exist.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Well, Son-in-law contacted a Merit Seed Co in Ohio and ordered something - it's now out of my hands..... yippeee!!!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Got my 6 acres of soybeans in last Friday and we got a little rain last night. In August I'll plant a couple big patches of purple top turnips.


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