My brother and I have decided were going to thin a small spot out In our woods and put a food plot In. Nothing big, 1/4 acre or so. The soil Is black peat ground. The area will be shaded quite heavily. We've had corn and or beans In our other small plots on edges of fields but this time we'd like to go a greener route. What do you all suggest? As for mineral blocks and such, what would you say Is the best thing for this as well?
for shaded areas is tough honestly, do a soil test and make it so the soil is at least at its best and then maybe some clover in a strip with oak on either side dropping acorns into the clover... should make for a good transition area and a good scrape line. When it comes to mineral licks, i only use one.... trophy rock!
I've had decent luck with clover in semi shaded spots. I mix 1 part stock salt, 1 part dicalcium phosphate, and 2 parts trace minerals. Some places they tear it up like candy, but other places they never touch it.
I think this Is what were going to do this spring and when August rolls around were going to put In clover. Thanks all for the replys.
I get my minerals from El Mel Lawn Mower and Feed Store. They are in North County on Lindberg, just across from Jamestown Mall.
Schultzy for the food plot I would go with Frigid Forage Wid Game Buffett. It is shade tollerant and is made for cold climate's like ours. It has a variety of Clover's, Rape, Rye, Fescue, and Alfalfa. 1 4# bag would take of the area you want to plant. For the minerals, I am definetly biased. I would use Monster Raxx Trophy Minerals. It has alot less salt and more minerals and vitamins to help your entire deer herd. Trophy Rocks attract deer, but they are almost all salt. There is a reason it says Trace Minerals.
Sounds like the food plot part is covered. As for the mineral plots as I like to call them. They are good to have. It does however depend on what you are trying to do with it. I use it as an attractant and a monitoring tool. What ever you do, do not just randomly put one in the middle of the woods. I did this with the first couple and yeah I almost marked Mineral plots on my "Not to do ever again list". Find a moderately to heavy traveled trail, go 15 feet or so off the trail, clear out about a six to eight foot area exposing the ground and spread your minerals. Keep enough to make a narrow trail of minerals back to the deer trail. I did this using Deer coCane last Saturday. By Wed it was tore slap up. Just remember you will not get these results come fall and winter. Deer are mineral hungry this time of year. They will still visit the mineral plots in the fall and winter but not as much. As I said I use it to monitor. The longer it takes for them to find it and tear it up the less deer travel the area. If you are trying to produce monster racks in one season good luck. It aint going to happen. It takes time and the old saying it takes and old buck to have a big rack still stands true. A two year old buck isn't going to score a 200+ rack no matter how much minerals you feed them. They will only intake as much as their body needs. Passing on the young guys even if they are a nice 8 point is still the way to achieve the big racks. I am about to transition from Deer coCane to a Salt/Grape KoolAid mix. One pack of KoolAid per one pound of salt. I know sounds like something a kid came up with and it may very well be but, it works. They will dig a hole as deep as they can eating and pawing the dirt as long as you keep putting the mix out. Every two to four weeks once they find it. I hope this helps.
