My dad and I are leasing 48 acres of woods for hunting this year. We have always hunted public land here in Pa, so neither of us have any experience with food plots. We also do not have farm equipment to do a lot of work, so most of what we can do would have to be with a rotatiller and by hand with rakes and such. We are looking for something that will work for small plots in the shaded woods. I am looking for something that I could plant within the next few weeks that would be enough of an attractant that deer would use now, that might keep them around for archery season. I am thinking something for summer grazing. I would probably not have the space to plant much more than 1/4 acre in any one area of the woods, so I am thinking it would be a thing where maybe I could plant it now and then replant either with the same thing in late summer or with something else. I was thinking clover but I don't know if that would fit what I am looking for. There is a corn field across the road in the general area we may be competing with as well since it is off limits. I also have seen some of the no till products that are more a later summer early fall planting. I looked at Evolved Harvest Throw & Grow. The local archery shop mentioned they like the Imperial Whitetail Institute Secrete Spot, which they said is designed for small shaded plots, which sounds like my area. My main goal is to have seed stick around for the fall archery season, and would like to give them something that they could find and get used to right now if possible. Anyone have success with the either the Throw & Grow or Secret Spot, or have any other suggestions on what to try? Thanks
Shade is a severely limiting factor. Clover is going to be about the top of the list for something that will tolerate shade and cover all the seasons. Getting plenty late for spring planted clover now though.
Poor sunlight, poor soil...those are the two things you don't want when planting food plots. Eliminate those two things and it will do well. I like planting clover in the fall with a nurse crop of winter rye or oats to let clover establish and really thrive the next spring. Good luck!
I love the thought of an interior food plot. It just always seems like a rock solid idea in my mind. Unfortunately I don't own the woods we hunt, my great uncle does, so we don't plant food plots in it. I'm definitely a tad jealous! Post some pictures when you get it rocking Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interior food plots are great but terrible inside of terrible woods....now before you start scratching your head when I say terrible woods I mean park like open woods. Deer need security to venture anywhere during the daylight hours (when we are hunting them). Creating a thick woods is the first step to upping daytime activity, then carving out food plots, travel corridors and such to up your chances at daytime harvests. Too many times guys view a woods as great if it is full of oaks...but even a large oak flat with no understory is going to give 0 security feeling to a mature deer....our small Homestead property has transformed over the last 4 to 5 years from a woods you could see through end to end to now lush undergrowth blocks your sight lines at times under 10 yards distance...deer feel safe in our woods to travel, stretch, drink and do some daytime feeding due to this....which is why the number one thing I recommend to anyone seeking my advice is thicken things up....it gives deer security cover, tons of food due to the undergrowth and ups your odds as you begin to learn how they utilize what you do and you can even begin to manipulate them to an extent.
I agree 100%. My ideal interior food plot would be about an acre inside a thick woods so that you can't see the deer until they all but step into plot. I have a problem with an ultra thin 5 acre woods that is doing nothing but wasting space right now. Mature Poplar trees with no undergrowth. I want to plant some swamp oaks and tamaracks in there and the surrounding area, and maybe something that grows fast for immediate cover? I've been emailing the local habitat guy about it.
Planting interiors of establish standing forests doesn't do well...there is no understory for a reason...now if you are talking a thin poplar stand style forest with tall grass growing than oh yeah you can start planting. If it is the first option though cutting/hinging is the first thing and the biggest impact you can have in establishing a better deer woods. If the second option....I like bush style trees as well as ones like you listed: hybrid willows, thick sumac stands, ninebark, hazelnut, shoot I haven't done it myself but a lot of habitat guys have discovered that the hybrid poplars which grow fast can be planted let grow for two years and then before spring time go in and clean cut them about a foot off the ground....will send shoots up and become a low branched poplar, great for quick cover and sight blocking (won't provide food though but food is worthless to us hunters without security). **edit*** and of course EVERGREENS!
I think I am gong to hinge some of those mature poplars and plant the trees around that woods and maybe a few in the poplar woods edges. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree with the above mentioned. Clover is about the best for all seasons if you are able to get a good stand with the conditions you are working in. If it won't take I would strongly consider oats in the fall. They are very easy to get a good stand of and the deer seem to really like them.
Yeah man just keep in mind that its all about being in the right place at the right time too. We hunt with a guy who had a great food plot next to a pond and great cover, he only saw one deer all year. I hunted 200 yards away in a skyscraper pine tree with a ton of low brush everywhere and we pulled 3 out this year... All i'm saying is food plots can help but don't forget how important it is to know where the deer are moving, don't try and move deer trails. If that makes any sense at all haha
It completely makes sense. Thanks for the word of caution. I am just kind of excited a bit as I have always hunted public land so, mostly mountain ground, so I haven't had any experience with food plots. I have quite a few cameras out right now to try and get a sense of where the deer go on the property before I get into any planting which at this point won't be until late summer or fall for this year I believe.
Hunting thick cover with plenty of browse and security sight blocking.....DUH! Of course that will out perform most food plots :D
I will never understand deer. Food plots and dozens of wild apple trees, next to great cover and water, yet they choose to walk around right in the open in high open land with low crappy brush. I just pray and put the time in and see what happens, its worked thus far hahaha
a buddy of mine wrote an article in last years Mathews edition of deer and deer hunting magazine on KILL PLOTS. Kill plots could be as small as 10x10 areas inside a woods where there is enough sunlight to allow your plants to grow. Inside wood's typically you will find low pH and that limits what you can grow to achieve success. Another issue is if there is a volume of deer, there might not be anything left come bow or gun season. Here is my list of things that tend to work inside a woods... Rape Winfred Brassica Alsike clover Some white clovers Some ladino clovers This is the mix Jay Elliof used in his article 25% DCS 990 Brand Alsike Clover 20% DCS 990 Brand Red Clover 15% Big Buck Ladino Clover 15% Haifa White Clover 10% Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass 10% High Sugar Perennial Ryegrass 5% Chicory I am myself experimenting with a brand new brassica not seen in the US in the hunting industry that i'm away of. It is fast growing, high sugar and will be grazed earlier than most brassicas.
