# Food Plots



## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

I guess I could do a search to find old posts, if there were any, but in the spirit of scratching my hunting itch I thought I would post it.

What/When/Where/Etc. do you plant your food plots? I am getting ready to do mine and have started planning, but there is a ton of info out there. I am trying to do this fairly inexpensively as I am a poor state employee! I know you get what you put into it, but I am looking for the success stories in what you've used. 

Also, if you have an alternative to using the Brand Name $40 item that promises you everything and more, I'd like to hear that too. This also applies to making your own Buck Jam, Licks, etc.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I use plain old salt for my salt licks. Find a rotten stump and dump 80lbs of salt on top of it. The rain will mix it down into the stump and soil. Do this every year and it will amaze you the size of the hole after a few years.

I planted a food plot last Fall. I planted oats. They are green and deer have fed on it all Winter. They fed mostly at dark this year due to the huge acorn crop and the warm weather. They are hitting it harder now since it cooled off some.

You do not have to buy the brand name stuff. I get my seed at Southern States. You can go to any local farm store. 

This Spring, later Spring or Early Summer, I will plant soy beans in the plot. Just depends on how much you have to plant. I have almost an acre to plant. I only planted half of it this past Fall. If you only have a small spot you will need to plant something that will keep coming back. Like clover. You need a soil sample to see what you need to add to the soil.
Soy beans, peas, clover, there are a ton of choices.

Darin


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

What happened to finding game trails and natural places they feed. Feeding deer is like going to McDonald's and waiting on a couch potato to drive through.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

bronzbck1 said:


> What happened to finding game trails and natural places they feed. Feeding deer is like going to McDonald's and waiting on a couch potato to drive through.


Hunting game trails and natural feeding places is a great way to hunt. Food plots and salt licks provide the deer the needed suppliment they need and may not be getting. I don't think Tater ever said anything about hunting over them. 

Darin


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

gathering deer all together in one spot is very bad for transmitting CWD ... that why in nature they are scattered to keep them apart and killing off whole herds of deer ... I'm a firm believer in fair chase


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

surfchunker said:


> gathering deer all together in one spot is very bad for transmitting CWD ... that why in nature they are scattered to keep them apart and killing off whole herds of deer ... I'm a firm believer in fair chase


he is in carolina, where state laws allow them to hunt over bait, not that he is actually doing that.

in va baiting is illegal, but plots are not..... bc deer rarely feed in the plots here during shooting hours. Im not sure how it is in MD but the deer in VA get pressured hard between the ******** and tresspassing folks whose dogs run across county's after the season I believe those plots offer up a valuable food source after the rut, a beatdown and winter.

cwd would not be as much of a problem if we did not have an infestation of deer competing for resources


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## Franklin7X57 (Aug 5, 2006)

soil test first, size of plot, equipment? Long term plot or going to plant every year? Are you trying to attract during hunting season or trying to give them something to eat now? I don't see if as baiting or a shortcut, because to do if right you'll spend alot time outside and be giving something back to the land.


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## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

bronzbck1 said:


> What happened to finding game trails and natural places they feed. Feeding deer is like going to McDonald's and waiting on a couch potato to drive through.


Yeah, I'm not hunting over them. North Carolina deer aren't the exact size and weight of deer elswhere. Thats why there are tons of Deer Management Programs that create food plots, put nutritional supplements out, and only shoot the mature older deer. I am creating food plots to serve this purpose of giving deer the supplements and nutrition they need. I was wanting to create several over 240 acres of mostly pine and timber land. There are/were soybean fields on either side of the property, but there is nothing for them now. This past year, I hunted with nothing except my stand and bow finding trees along the trails that looked good around sign. This year, I just wanted to try to give the massive herd stuff to eat as well as give myself something to do during off season.

Franklin, my idea was for it to grow back each year instead of planting every season. Equipment, I have hand tools and maybe access to a tiller. I'd like to give them something for now in a few areas, and then have something during the season to be able to hunt them on the game trails around the property. I know I have poachers on the property and I can only tend to so much. This is why I wanted to put the food sources where I can reduce the deer from being poached by coming to the food source as well as benefitting them at the same time. 

NTKG, I've read on here about CWD and didn't know it was caused by all grouping together. I figured it to be like any virus in that if one in an area gets it, they can all get from however close or distant. Maybe using the multiple area approach will alleviate any potential CWD.

Sorry to step on toes over wanting to grow the herd. Some places food just doesn't produce enough for the herd and I think thats what I have going on. I'm not opposed to people who hunt over corn, just not my thing. Hell to be honest, I don't even use calls and the only scents I use are cover scents and vanilla.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

You should not be concerned about stepping on toes if you are hunting legally. The last I heard NC has no confirmed cases of CWD. Deer gather in planted agriculture fields all the time to feed. They visit the same water spots to drink. As long as you are not breaking any laws don't worry about it. I am sure someone will have something bad to say about whatever method you choose to hunt.

Plant you food plots and hunt over them if you wish. Pour out a bag of corn and hunt over it if you wish. It is legal and your choice how you hunt. 

Darin


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## runincode (Apr 23, 2010)

Tater639 said:


> I guess I could do a search to find old posts, if there were any, but in the spirit of scratching my hunting itch I thought I would post it.
> 
> What/When/Where/Etc. do you plant your food plots? I am getting ready to do mine and have started planning, but there is a ton of info out there. I am trying to do this fairly inexpensively as I am a poor state employee! I know you get what you put into it, but I am looking for the success stories in what you've used.
> 
> Also, if you have an alternative to using the Brand Name $40 item that promises you everything and more, I'd like to hear that too. This also applies to making your own Buck Jam, Licks, etc.


Cabelas has a plot starter kit in their bargain cave for $25


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

From my experience, the winter and spring plots are the most important. When you consider the wear and tear of the rut, the hunting pressure, the extra nutrition needed by the does and also the bucks that have depleted their fat reserves, and coupled with an extremely harsh winter, this is the critical time. Summer time plots are good for the young and does, moreso than bucks. Most any extention agent should be able to tell you which type food is the best for nursing does and young. A plot will attract deer and hold them in a big boundary to a certain extent. However, hunting over them is 99% first and last light hunting cause probably 99% of the feeding is going off at night. This part is from years of obsevation in a county that's primarily agricultue. Alfalfa is the # 1 draw for deer, to the extent that it's not being planted that much due to the fact the deer will not let it get up. Clover is a fine food plot choice and comes back in the right conditions for several years, Rye is also a magnet. An excellent late season choice is known as Brassica, a top and turnip type blend. And a pure patch of turnips will be there for late season since the deer just don't mess with that much til it frosts and the tops die back some. Something to do with taste before frost and later. Now when somebody invents a crop that will attract every seed tick in Bedford County so they can be sprayed and killed all at one time, he'll be an instant millionaire. Dem be some aggravatin bastards. The one thing you don't ever need to plant if you intend to hunt it is sugar beets cause they'll never let them get outta the groud good, unless you can fence it really good.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

Tater639 said:


> NTKG, I've read on here about CWD and didn't know it was caused by all grouping together. I figured it to be like any virus in that if one in an area gets it, they can all get from however close or distant. Maybe using the multiple area approach will alleviate any potential CWD.
> .


CWD they say is easier to transmit in close contact, so theoretically bait etc. However in you and mullets neck of the woods I don't believe there has ever been CWD. I was just referencing that the deer population was so large they are having to compete too much for food etc. 

I hope I didn't imply that I was knocking your desires for a plot. I actually am a big believer in helping the home population of deer survive the winter and provide a recharge after the dogs and idiots chase them for miles and miles.

Nothing your doing is illegal, and again i see a good logic in planting a plot. I'm not sure why everyone has a tine up their ---- about it. You asked a question which doesn't get answered with a personal opinion. It aint rocket science that a plot is nowhere near unethical. I'd like to see how many shooter deer are sitting in a plot when there are acorns. I'd like to know how few of those are sitting there during shooting hours. No need to have to justify your motive on the interwebz


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## Franklin7X57 (Aug 5, 2006)

unless you have a decent size spot it's going to be hard to get a long term plot established. I planted a small patch of lettuce at the house and they mowed it down in one night. Late season winter oats, rye will work but have to be replanted. I planted some turnips late year and they didn't care for them, after a hard frost the green get sweeter and they ate the greens. Mom wouldn't pick Kale for the table until it frosted a couple times.
Maybe you could get the farmer to plant a cover crop in his fields.
I think the CWD and close feeding together is from people using feeders not fields.


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## Gregc (Oct 20, 2011)

Hey tater, I know your in NC but below is a link to the Vdgif sites guide for planting food plots. under the "What should I plant? When do I plant it? How do I maintain it?" section their is another link to a PDF that has types of plants you can grow, seeding rates as well as how to prep the site for that type of seed. Good luck to you man. If done right a good food plot is a great thing for herd management and the overall health of your herd. You got it right, if you just take the older mature bucks and a few doe's per year after a few years your herd will be strong, healthy and producing some nice bucks to hunt as well as just watch out side of hunting season. 

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/deer/plantings.asp


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## NC-Norm-WB (Jul 25, 2008)

There is a site www.thencoutdoors.com They have some guys on there that specialize in food plots for NC. Post your question there and you should get an answer. Check 'em out.


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