Ok, so here's the deal, I'm wanting to put in some sort of food plot in the area I have a treestand in. It is basically a large clearing. It has short switchgrass and tall skinny trees(not exactly sure what kind). It is in a river bottom. The bottom usually never floods. I need to plant something that will grow well with atleast half a day of shade. I have never done food plots and am new to it, but want to produce more food/cover on my property. Any ideas and advice are welcome. I need some ideas on different plants and how/ when they need planted. Thanks in advance for the help!
Ever think of turning it into a thick bedding area full of browse? Could mix ninebark, wild plum, crab apples, some dogwood, etc. and turn it into a whitetail magnet without spending nearly the money as a food plot since the land isn't currently cleared.
all deer are diifferant they will all hit clover, but my finings from my first food plot last year (most of it died cause of the drought) is try and keep it mowed if you can wether its oats, turnips, grass or whatever they like it to be tender just something to think about
like I said any ideas are welcome and thanks for the feedback! I kinda like the idea of turning it to thick bedding area with food mixed in. the land is my grandpa's and well, let's just say he ain't a hunter, don't really care bout huntin and he just plowed up about 40 acres of crp to be planted next year because crp contract wouldn't get renewed. I'm trying to help undo a little of what's been done. does and one know a way to take an aerial photo on Google earth and I could post it to this thread, would that help?
If you really want to improve a property look into hinge cutting if you haven't already. I can do more positive for the deer herd and my hunting with a tank of gas and a chainsaw than my food plots ever will. I still plant food plots, I have three kill plots to kill does, but when I'm after bucks I head towards the thickest part of my property, my hinge cut areas. I plan to hinge cut more this winter then do some plantings of plum, crabapple and pears in the spring, the plans are still developing. I'm thinking of posting pics and maybe some videos to show the improvements. If you can find an aerial photo I'd like to take a look.
I took images with google earth and the uploader is being slow so when I can get them to upload, take a look! I'm not familiar with hinge cutting, fill me in! Thanks!
http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15487 Here is one of the best forum posts I've seen on hinge cutting, what introduced me to the technique. I lot of good information, I'll be at my property in the next few weeks and over the holidays, I'll try to get some pics of what I've been doing.
I read what the link you posted...Good Info! That explains it. Valuable to know. I think I'm gunna try that, but not a ton of it. I still have to leave some trees standin. In the thread it said to do little by little which I never believed in altering the habitat in that way, but it makes too much sense to not try. I really appreciate the help!
purebowhunting and I think A LOT alike! Hinging is the most pivotal and cheapest way to improve deer habitat. It can be used to encourage deer movement in an area (strategic steering), block deer movement in an area by hinging lower (knee to hips), encourage bedding (hinging higher for bed canopy cover). Hinging will always bring browse down to the deer's edible level and trust me they'll LOVE IT! Hinged over small oaks (if you can afford to lose some young ones) the deer will love! Hackberry, some elms, red bud trees, locusts and others will also be favorites of deer if hinged over. I would easily estimate that we hinged about 80-100 trees just this past year at our place (10acre spot) and we plan on doing probably just as much if not more this coming Feb-early April. All of which just like last year will be shared on my blog/site. That link that purebowhunting put up is awesome as well and one I already had saved on my bookmarks page. Food plots are key, and have a use, but hinging honestly will do more for deer movement and honestly can make deer movement "more predictable".
