Late Season Half Acre Plot

I can't seem to find any threads on this exact subject, so I'm making my own. I'm considering putting a late season brassica blend on one of my small properties. The farm is only about 50 hunt-able acres and there is corn every where on and around the property. The food plot would be only a half acre at the very most because it would be done by hand with only a hand sprayer and some fire. I'm wondering if it will be worth the effort because last year I planted 1/4 acre brassica plot (tall tine tubers) for the first time and I didn't catch one deer eating in it from September to February. I have read articles that the first year with brassicas are a hit or miss, but the second year they really pound them. I have been having terrible luck late season, it seems like the second half of November and all of December the deer just disappear.

So is it worth trying brassicas for a second year? Or should I focus on all of the cut corn fields instead? Are the hundreds of acres of cut corn on the surrounding properties going to draw all the deer away?

Thanks for the wisdom

 

This thread will probably get more response if you post in the food plot section.

Based on the information you have given, it doesn't sound like the deer density is very high in your area. How do you know that no deer used the plot? Do you have a camera on the plot? I would definitely try brassicas again. It is true it sometimes takes deer a while to figure them out. One thing you could do is plant a mix of different brassicas as opposed to strictly turnips. The same company that makes tall tine turnips has a mix called winter greens that is awesome. It has several different types of brassicas that mature at slightly different times, giving more variety. There is another mix called big n beasty from frigid forage that I have had good luck with also

 

As far as the corn drawing deer away...sure it will...not much can be done about that. The best thing you can do is offer something different than what the deer can eat elsewhere. Brassicas will accomplish that

 

Corn can be a blessing or a bummer. Where I hunt my friend leases his fields out and the guy plants soybeans, he told us he alternates from corn to soybeans but in 3 years it has been beans every time. The property next too his and the one across from it that guys always seems to plant corn. He doesn't cut it until the season is over (I have no idea why he waits so long). So a lot of deer stay in that corn even with the beans right next to our woods.

 

That's odd.

 

I thought so too. I am no farmer so I just figured it was normal. But the more I read I am learning it's not lol.

 

Beans 3 years in a row is not that odd...the price of corn went down after the boom, but the seed cost remains high so some farmers are probably getting more profit with Soybeans. IMO there is no better late season plot than Soybeans left standing...deer will stop foraging on the leaves in October when they yellow, but come late November or December when it is cold and snowy every deer around will be in there. So if I was to do a food plot on a half acre I would do Soybeans in Spring, and then in Late July/Early August I would come in and top dress with a hand broadcast spreader with Brassicas mainly Turnips and Radishes. The deer will still forage on the turnips and radish leaves when the Soybeans yellow, then in late season they'll come eat all the soybean pods off the stems, and they can also dig up the turnips/radishes.

 

Try digging up the bulbs and cutting them in half for deer so they learn to eat them. If they have never eating them before they don't know about them.

 

I've never seen anyone plant soybeans two years in a row let alone three and we grow around 300 million bushels of soybeans in MN. I'm sure it happens more than a guy thinks and I'm not saying it doesn't happen but not too many farmers are going to plant soybeans after soybeans.

Main reasons it doesn't happen is your disease and pest buildup can be staggering. Also, you cant change up your chemical applications by only planting one crop year after year and weed management is much easier in corn than it is in soybeans.

I'm talking actually farming now and not food plots.

 

Yes definitely not typical but around here in Michigan I've seen it just recently after we had that year where the price of corn was sky high like $8+/bushel so the seed followed...the it crashed and seed price once up seems to stay up. On my 200 acres we have half in beans and half in corn this year, and it was all beans last year. Yes though it is definitely not a typical healthy farming practice. I didn't mean to say it was common practice. Just happens. At least soybeans put nitrogen back into the soil vs doing year after year of corn. I don't do any of the farming myself...I only do some hay on my folks farm...so I'm no expert just saying what I see around me.

 

If I was you, go to eagle seed and get 2 bags of there broadside mix and get 4 13-13-13 25lb bags of fertilizer and plant/spread that. It is a fantastic blend that will provide a great hidey hole plot that will attract deer all winter long. The stuff is expensive but is well worth the investment.

 

Half clover half turnips rape and radishes. The clover gets them coming to eat early and the winter mix tides them over. With a plot of that size I would consider fencing it off till the end of October, and then open the buffet. I would also consider preseason feeding in the area or at a minimum a mineral site.

 

I like what Sota suggested but if you are doing it annually you could try a mix of oats and winter peas.

 

I would agree his rotation is odd. I have seen on occasion farmers plant the same crop two years in a row but three? I think they try to play the market more then they should.

The other guy doesn't doesn't cut corn it until season is over? When does your season end?! I am assuming this is field corn and he is using it for feed. You have some weird farmers around you.

 

I have had good luck with a 20% white clover and per annual rye grass mix planted mid August while I am surrounded with bean and corn fields. Also another good one that works is forage oats. Good luck