So I'm curious folks. I have permission on a new property for the 2017 season and I'm trying to figure out the right way to go about it. My question is if I put a food plot by a river where there is not much traffic at all and only a thin tree line that butts up to a field, will the deer start coming that way. My intention is to put in a 50 ft by 50 ft food plot (relatively small I know). The tree line has very small trees and bushes with only 2 good trees that would be overseeing the food plot. Is this a viable option or am i about to waste a lot of time?
I'm not a food plot guy, but I suppose the first questions are, What are you planting? What else do they have to eat? And how far to bedding? Are you hunting for meat or antlers? You don't need trees if you can do a ground blind. If you do opt to sit in one of the trees, it's easier for them to pick out your movement or outline if there's no trees behind you (if you're silhouetted in the skyline)
I hadn't decided on "what" so much yet. I just really liked the spot. It's a 3 mile river bottom with corn and bean fields all over. So it's not unusual for the deer to travel along this river, but it is somewhat rare I would guess. Arrow marks the spot I have in mind.
I'm just curious if I put in a food plot if I can attract the deer that are over a mile away and don't already frequent that area on a regular basis.
With all the food around you I wouldn't count on it. Looks like a nice place to hunt when the bucks are cruising. Get some cameras out there this season and hunt it. JMHO
From that map, it looks like a sweet area. Now to find out their travel patterns and which field and at what time of the year the deer are focusing their attention there. a 50 X 50 is going to require a huge pile of salt or something that they really love that they can't get elsewhere and with that much farm land, they are probably not going to just drop on by. I'd be looking for creek crossings and looking to see just how much that they use the tree cover along the creek as a travel route.
with all of rthe food in the area youd be wasting time and money---would you consider making a nice tick comfort area I mean either a bedding area or a to come o thick and comfortable place=---a staging area to wait out last light going into fields at dark , in yur situation ths could make a honey hole
Do you only have permission to the side of the creek you have your arrow on? How far N and S does the ground you have permission go?
so I only have permission in that section my arrow is in. The section to the south with all of the timber is public (which I'm trying to avoid) and anything West of the river is a completely different state.
This farmer has other much better properties that I have access to and also plan to hunt. This section is his home piece and really had me interested if I could make it work or not.
This is the prime spot I plan on hunting. His property is outlined. All of the timber is a state park where obviously hunting isn't allowed. The 2 arrows represent spots i'm considering parking my trailer blind as there isn't many trees I could use for a stand. From what I'm told 40+ deer can be seen crossing his field in the evenings throughout deer season.
I would say with that much agriculture around you that your food plot would not be very appealing in the early season. If you are set on putting a small plot in though, I would say try to focus on a late season crop. you can spend more time on getting it growing right and when everything else in the area gets plowed under you will have a better chance at attracting those deer to your area. in the early season before harvest try and focus more on the travel areas between your property and bedding areas assuming they are bedding in the state park and traveling back and forth. Look at the deer trails on a satellite image and see if any of them are able to be intercepted on your property. Make your early season stands at those points and your late soeson stands on your food plot. That's what i would do in that situation.
Do a bit more scouting and find where they are traveling that river bank. I'm betting they do use it extensively to get to the agriculture. Then, just hunt it. Forget a shot plot with so much food around.
I would hedge my bets, put in a mineral site in spring, use a product with a good attractant in it that can be detected far away. I of course like Lucky 7 trace Mineral Attractant.
If you are in doubt, put a feeder in the location in the offseason, and open a package of Strawberry or Grape Jello powder, and pour it on the feed. Deer and Hogs can smell it a mile away. If they already frequent an area, giving them a small Green Field is a bonus for them and for you. I have put feeders in an area and removed it a month before Deer Season, and I still had Deer coming to the location when the season began.
I agree with the others. If you are wanting to plant something, maybe get some clover started in the spring, but mainly focus on making it a late season plot. Try to figure out where a bedding area is and set up on a travel route between bedding and the ag for early season.
So this thread is over a year old. Not sure how it came back to life again lol. I never did plant that food plot but I plan on planting one this year. It's in a different spot but a similar lay out. It's in a timber that's directly between a river and a corn field. My question is what would you guys plant and when?
