You need a lot more tractor to plant and maintain that much. It really comes down to how much time you have. If this is a weekend warrior project for you like it is for me you will need to be pretty efficient to get everything in the ground during the window of time you need to plant. I would be looking at a 90+ hp tractor with a batwing mower and a large disc or chisel plow. And depending on what you want to plant you’ll need either a drill or a planter or both.
I only have 20 acres and it’s all wooded.. weekend warrior stuff for me Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Much appreciated reply. It's kind of like a project of maintaining a bunch of 40 acre pieces that are all connected together with it all being wooded. We are hiring out the land clearing to a local excavating company based off of the map to clear the areas but we will be taking it upon ourselves to do the planting and maintenance. There are three generations of individuals using the property so our retired uncle is taking on the mowing, me and a couple of my cousins and uncles are taking on the tillage and planting, and the third generation is excited for tractor rides.
Lot of little plots that will consume an incredible amount of time. I only have 350 acres with about 200 acres tillable and leased out to a large farmer, and there-in lies my problem. There are so many food sources that it is really hard to pinpoint what and where the deer will feed and what I can plant to supplement what is already available. I have a 100 HP International tractor, with a set of 16' discs and any food plot that I put in that is less than an acre becomes hard to maneuver on. Your proposed map shows lots of small food plots that would likely spread your deer all over the place. Now you're going to need a big tractor to cover them all, and unless you are going to put in a lot of roads to get in and out of them, you won't be able to easily get in and out. Now that I've said that, even with all of the open crop land that I have, I enjoy putting in my food plots almost as much as hunting over them.
Thanks for the info! There is an existing logging road system spread throughout the property. My concern is exactly what you about the maneuverability, which is why I have been looking in the 50HP range. The last 5 years I have rented a 23hp and 35hp and I’m limited to dedicated rental time with small kids at home so that’s been tough. I think I mentioned before that I’m going to hire a local outfit to grub and clear so I don’t have to deal with renting forestry units every spring to clear an acre at a time. At that rate it will be 20 years till it’s clear. My ultimate goal is a large rotation of cover crops that are palatable for deer and then some specific plantings of beans or corn in the larger 5 acre plots all done with a drill. I appreciate and comments or concerns as I really only know enough to be dangerous.
I should add even though the food plotting I have done on the 23 hp rented bobcat tractor is really hard work and the capibilities of that machine don’t even scratch the surface of what I would like to do. I am still like a kid in a candy store playing on it. Elkguide I agree doing the work is almost more fun than hunting over it.
