Let's talk food plots!

[Robhuntandfish]

Im eying the first weekend in August pending the rain forecast for planting.  Do you find they get eaten before season if you do them earlier? I'm basing mine on missing the hot and a possible lengthy drought.  But this year rain doesn't seem like an issue .  It's done nothing but rain the last few weeks.  

I'm doing

two kill plots of antler king honey hole and whitetail institute secret spot mixed. -  1/4 acre each. 

One spot of Domain no BS - 1/4 acre

One plot of Domain no BS, Domain Green Machine and Domain Big Sexy - 3/4 acre

One plot of Domain Hot Chic and Domain Big Sexy - 3/4 acre

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Robhuntandfish

[corydd7]

Deer eat my brassicas in September. It's only a half acre so not a big plot but after the first two years they realized how much they enjoy them. 

I'm trying WTI pure attraction this year. 

[Wolc123]

I’m going to put in (3) 1/4 acre turnip plots at home and (1) at my parents around August 1.  I’m also going to put in (2) 1 acre plots of oats at home at that time.  
 

One of those oat plots will be broadcast into a poorly germinated RR corn plot, right after it’s sprayed and cultivated, and hopefully just before a rain. The other will be broadcast into freshly tilled ground and cultipacked in the normal way.  
 

Around September 1, I will put in a 1/4 acre plot of wheat/white clover at my parents place and another acre or two of that at home.  This will be my first try with oats.  I’m hoping that they will bring in some antlerless deer during the mid September gun season.  
 

I’m also depending on about an acre of sweet corn to hold some deer during that early antlerless season .  The RR corn, that I planted this spring was just about a total loss, due to the drought and bad seed.  

The one good thing about that is,  that I killed my personal best archery season buck at home, the last time that I had a total failure of my RR corn planting.  

[Robhuntandfish]

38 minutes ago, Wolc123 said:

I’m going to put in (3) 1/4 acre turnip plots at home and (1) at my parents around August 1.  I’m also going to put in (2) 1 acre plots of oats at home at that time.  
 

One of those oat plots will be broadcast into a poorly germinated RR corn plot, right after it’s sprayed and cultivated, and hopefully just before a rain. The other will be broadcast into freshly tilled ground and cultipacked in the normal way.  
 

Around September 1, I will put in a 1/4 acre plot of wheat/white clover at my parents place and another acre or two of that at home.  This will be my first try with oats.  I’m hoping that they will bring in some antlerless deer during the mid September gun season.  
 

I’m also depending on about an acre of sweet corn to hold some deer during that early antlerless season .  The RR corn, that I planted this spring was just about a total loss, due to the drought and bad seed.  

The one good thing about that is,  that I killed my personal best archery season buck at home, the last time that I had a total failure of my RR corn planting.  

Different options for deer always seems to be a good idea.  They can eat what is best forage at different times of the season. 

[Robhuntandfish]

57 minutes ago, corydd7 said:

Deer eat my brassicas in September. It's only a half acre so not a big plot but after the first two years they realized how much they enjoy them. 

I'm trying WTI pure attraction this year. 

I had one spot last year that was eaten down pretty hard by early Oct.  But they still seemed to come out and pick around for anything that was left.  

I dont have much luck with radish or turnip as we have some pretty wet souls. We get only tops and no real root veges.  

[E J]

I planted some soybeans about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately the farmer that rents my field didn't make it to my ground to plant beans like he was planning on so my beans are going to be wiped out I think. So I will be planting a bunch of fall plots. The only thing I can get the deer around here to eat in plots is whitetail institute oats. There's too much ag around for them to get hungry enough to eat anything else.

[Robhuntandfish]

3 hours ago, E J said:

I planted some soybeans about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately the farmer that rents my field didn't make it to my ground to plant beans like he was planning on so my beans are going to be wiped out I think. So I will be planting a bunch of fall plots. The only thing I can get the deer around here to eat in plots is whitetail institute oats. There's too much ag around for them to get hungry enough to eat anything else.

Maybe some brassicas over seeded with the oats?  Once they harvest the Ag they might come around for some brassicas late season.  Def tough when you have a lot of food around.  But if you can provide bedding and security you can offer something they don't have.  Good luck.  Would love to see pics how those oats come in. 

[Stubborn1vt]

My plots are WET right now.  Standing water in some areas.  This is the most water I have ever seen in the summer.  My replanted corn isn't going to make it.  

I have 4 strips to plant, 5 if my corn fails.  Those strips will be planted with either a homemade brassica blend or a mix of oats/winter rye with a little clover thrown in.  All together this will be a bit more than a 1/2 acre.  The rest of the plot is in clover or clover/trefoil/grass.  

My deer love brassicas and clover.  Between the two I keep does around.  Was able to kill my biggest buck last year during VT rifle season.  

I would plant the entire plot in brassicas if they didn't need to be rotated out every couple years.  This looks like the first year in awhile that I won't have field corn for a plot screen.  I'm contemplating trying some sorghum and Egyptian wheat, but I'm not sure it will be dry enough to plant anytime soon.  

I don't remember the weather being this extreme when I was a youngster growing up on the farm.

 

[Robhuntandfish]

6 minutes ago, Stubborn1vt said:

My plots are WET right now.  Standing water in some areas.  This is the most water I have ever seen in the summer.  My replanted corn isn't going to make it.  

I have 4 strips to plant, 5 if my corn fails.  Those strips will be planted with either a homemade brassica blend or a mix of oats/winter rye with a little clover thrown in.  All together this will be a bit more than a 1/2 acre.  The rest of the plot is in clover or clover/trefoil/grass.  

My deer love brassicas and clover.  Between the two I keep does around.  Was able to kill my biggest buck last year during VT rifle season.  

I would plant the entire plot in brassicas if they didn't need to be rotated out every couple years.  This looks like the first year in awhile that I won't have field corn for a plot screen.  I'm contemplating trying some sorghum and Egyptian wheat, but I'm not sure it will be dry enough to plant anytime soon.  

I don't remember the weather being this extreme when I was a youngster growing up on the farm.

 

Def a whole lot of rain.  If it doesn't dry up more in the next month I will have some spots I can't do as well.  Hopefully it lets up a bit by end of month.  

I was gonna try dropping in some sunflowers for a border in one spot, but this rain def has to let up.  

[Belo]

I'm still undecided on what to plant this fall. Last year I did an acre plot of 1/2 beets n greens and 1/2 winter greens. Neither got hammered, but did attract deer. I've been looking at some of the antler king blends this year and I also have room to do more than an acre if I want. 

The great 8 sounds interesting

https://antlerking.com/product/great-8/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzJmlBhBBEiwAEJyLu2T956-MqWO5h2AALwXC48ke3PO6vmQ2Kn1XjrV-74k00uV9kx1QARoCXj4QAvD_BwE

[Robhuntandfish]

1 hour ago, Belo said:

I'm still undecided on what to plant this fall. Last year I did an acre plot of 1/2 beets n greens and 1/2 winter greens. Neither got hammered, but did attract deer. I've been looking at some of the antler king blends this year and I also have room to do more than an acre if I want. 

The great 8 sounds interesting

https://antlerking.com/product/great-8/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzJmlBhBBEiwAEJyLu2T956-MqWO5h2AALwXC48ke3PO6vmQ2Kn1XjrV-74k00uV9kx1QARoCXj4QAvD_BwE

I haven't used it but I've considered it too.  A lot of regular rye grass in it though I thought.  Which isn't all bad deer eat it but would rather have winter rye or oats etc.    I've had GREAT luck with the antler king honey hole though.  I was going to blend those two in a spot but already had some other seeds to use with the Honey hole. 

Take a look at some of the Domain products.  I'm leaning more and more on those.  They have some great mixes of perennials and annuals as well.  I'm using a lot of No BS this year.  

Edited July 6, 2023 by Robhuntandfish

[Belo]

36 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

I haven't used it but I've considered it too.  A lot of regular rye grass in it though I thought.  Which isn't all bad deer eat it but would rather have winter rye or oats etc.    I've had GREAT luck with the antler king honey hole though.  I was going to blend those two in a spot but already had some other seeds to use with the Honey hole. 

Take a look at some of the Domain products.  I'm leaning more and more on those.  They have some great mixes of perennials and annuals as well.  I'm using a lot of No BS this year.  

I'll check those out thanks. If time works out I may do 3 1/2 acre plots as an experiment and just throw the kitchen sink at em haha.

[Robhuntandfish]

13 minutes ago, Belo said:

I'll check those out thanks. If time works out I may do 3 1/2 acre plots as an experiment and just throw the kitchen sink at em haha.

That's awesome.  It took me a couple of years to figure out what does and doesn't grow at my spot.  Next year I should have it down.  Got a couple of mixes this year that aren't ideal but already bought them so gonna use them. Plus we are trying all no til this season.  

https://youtu.be/nUdrbgATfw4

Edited July 6, 2023 by Robhuntandfish

[Belo]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

That's awesome.  It took me a couple of years to figure out what does and doesn't grow at my spot.  Next year I should have it down.  Got a couple of mixes this year that aren't ideal but already bought them so gonna use them. Plus we are trying all no til this season.  

https://youtu.be/nUdrbgATfw4

i was thinking of doing no till on my trails, but there's just so much food around that i think it'd be a waste of time and money for me, plus i have all the gear to do the work. I'll keep posting my progress videos as we get closer. 

[Robhuntandfish]

14 minutes ago, Belo said:

i was thinking of doing no till on my trails, but there's just so much food around that i think it'd be a waste of time and money for me, plus i have all the gear to do the work. I'll keep posting my progress videos as we get closer. 

 Your plots looked really great.  Please do.  Let us know what you end up using too, always looking into this stuff. Lots of deep dives on the internet for sure. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Robhuntandfish