# Deer Hunting Prep



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Do any of you put out food plots for the deer to improve the hunting on your place? I've been playing around with it for a few years now, having fun.

We had a real wet spring and early summer, so just recently got soybeans planted about 4-6 weeks later than normal. Also put out some purple top turnips. Was pleasantly surprised to see the beans sprouting up nicely, after only five days in the ground.


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

How big is your plot? I've never planted one but I'm sure there's a science to it. Will you be able to set up a trail cam to see if it becomes a popular hangout? Good luck.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If the deer are using your food plots You will know as they will some times mow it to ground level.

Mine are pretty much a waste till after the corn and beans are harvested.
Once the corn and beans are harvested they will hit the plots on the way to scrounge for what the combines leave.

 Al


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

I adjust my hunting based on what has been planted in each area. IE deer love crops at different stages all year. They love blooming canola, but that is in July. They love flax, but that is in October. They love peas, but that is August. Around here, it is hard to compete with a half section of flax. The deer flock to it from long distances, and no little food plot is gunna change their mind!

I recently planted a little 40 acre piece by a lake and the big woods to alfalfa. I need the hay, but I always have in my mind how much of a late fall magnet that alfalfa is for deer and elk around here. I could have put the alfalfa anywhere else, and closer to home, but I chose the field according to its wildlife potential as well to keep our freezers full!

My point is that location matters, especially in diverse cropping areas.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Every year is different in my hunting depending on the crop rotation. A field that was great last year is covered in wheat stubble this year and probably won't attract much attention. However, the flip side is true. I don't plant any plots but rely more on knowing where the deer are going to want to eat.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I see food plots as a bow hunting tactic 

I understand this is because of how our season is laid out in large part 

they may be used to keep dear in you area more but by 9am open day of gun deer , deer are pushed hard form cover to cover 

it often comes down to who can get the best access to the most exclusive cover 

one Sunday morning we were doing the drive across the street from the church , another family was doing the drive across the field next to the church , just as they got past the pastors house out come 9 deer that were stacked up in the small stand of pines behind the pastors house across the street and right through next to our drive 

last year was difficult , strange change in weather and a change in hunting regs that allow running yotes with dogs and bow hunting the Friday before opener that was always a total no hunt day 

we have a strong suspicion that were running any area they knew they didn't have exclusive permission to with the dogs to push the deer out and move them to where they did ,


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Got a nice rain last evening that will really help the plots.

My farm is for the most part pretty heavy cover. Near center, I've created real nice food plots with the idea being to make our place more attractive to the deer than any of the neighboring places, resulting in more deer spending time here, improving your opportunities.

This is a relatively high hunting pressure area, so it's never a slam dunk, but we are definitely seeing improved hunting. To watch some of those TV deer hunting shows, they make it look easy. with six nice bucks and thirty does out in the food plots an hour before dark. I don't think you can duplicate that unless you have a huge tract of real estate, with very limited pressure, in a great area.

The plots probably get the most use when the weather really starts getting bad. Not unusual to have a big gang of deer piling into them every evening, and we pick up a lot of shed antlers.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

I like to put out a rye-grain (winter rye) plot each fall. I will plant toward the end of this month. It draws deer better than anything by us. Also, it comes up after the bears have found their late summer food sources so bears are less of a problem. When I have had clover plots, they drew in black bears and then the deer were gone. A small plot of winter rye works fine unless you have so many deer that they mow it down to nothing. But if you hold off on planting, you will at least have a plot for the beginning of bow season. By you in Indiana, oats would do very well too in place of the winter rye.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

On the farm dad would plant his winter wheat and then in the field right next to it plant rye to plow under in the spring. Come late Oct. Nov. deer would be in the rye and not a one in the wheat.

 Al


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I've never planted any of the cereal grains (wheat, rye, oats), but have a bag of wheat that I intend to plant shortly and see how they like it.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Winter wheat is what I meant as a warmer weather alternative to winter rye. Oats will work too. A discussion of winter rye vs winter wheat is found at https://www.qdma.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25851 For me it is winter rye - it handles cold very well and will stay green under the snow all winter. And it draws deer like a magnet. Also, winter rye tolerates lower pH, so no lime is usually needed.


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

Hate to say this but in Texas, we fill our feeders. You would think that makes it easy but the deer know.......the last week of September, they disappear. And the hogs know, so they show up.......which is why I carry cheap arrows for hogs and the expensive ones for the deer........sure would like to use one of the expensive ones this year.


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Soon be time to plant purple top turnips , another week or so, deer love them, throw some rape seed in with them and you have feed most of the fall and early winter...


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

My turnips were planted about 2 weeks ago, all coming up real nice.
Got about 1/2" or needed rain yesterday that will really boost the food plots.


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## kycrawler (Sep 18, 2011)

I plant about 10 acres of cereal rye and turnips for late fall grazing for the cows this year I also planted a small patch of daikon radishes and have a bag of Austrian winter peas to plant a little later we have also had a little rain to get the plots off to a start lots of woods around here not many crop fields close by the turnips and rye really bring the deer in


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## WIfarmboy (Aug 18, 2015)

Yes, I have been using food plots for whitetail on my 350 acres for a few years now. Currently have 4 plots with the smallest being an acre and the largest being 5 acres. I usually don't buy into the pro-biotics type of plot propaganda that you see on TV, so I mainly do a mixture of alfalfa and soy beans or sweet corn. Cheaper, still efficient, and has raised my QDM standards greatly. 6-7 years ago the biggest buck on my property was probably low 150's. Last year, my brother was able to restrain himself and pass on a mid-150's and shot a 171 green score!


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

I plant winter wheat for our crop fields and that's about it. Never seen anything attract them better. Including alfalfa. So my fields are dual purpose. Though I don't do qdma or really care to. Mainly fill the freezers. We are blessed with lots of good deer. 178 being my best. But even that I was meat hunting and he was the first I seen. My biggest prep is warm clothes and zeroing the bow and guns.


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## Knight9 (Dec 29, 2012)

Food plots are illegal in Alberta, so we have to hunt deer without that aid. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. And since I only hunt with a rifle and not a bow, it is typically pretty darn cold by the time hunting season in my zones comes around. :indif:


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Vahomesteaders said:


> I plant winter wheat for our crop fields and that's about it. Never seen anything attract them better. Including alfalfa. So my fields are dual purpose. Though I don't do qdma or really care to. Mainly fill the freezers. We are blessed with lots of good deer. 178 being my best. But even that I was meat hunting and he was the first I seen. My biggest prep is warm clothes and zeroing the bow and guns.


Ditto on the meat hunting. If a good buck walks out first then happy coincidence.


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

All of the great ideas.......so hard to resist. I am disking up an area and putting a food plot in this weekend. It will be a combination of field peas, oats, winter rye and grasses along with a bit of 13-13-13. I will run a chain drag over after it is spread and then water it in with the water wagon (275 gal cube on a trailer).

I found a good tree for the ladder stand with a good view of the "alley". I am so excited now. Thanks guys.


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