What to do during a bad acorn year. Food plots in wooded areas?

As an avid woodland bowhunter, acorns play a huge role in my success. I mostly hunt south central Pennsylvania and I have seen many great acorn years, but many downright awful ones as well. Usually when a bad acorn year strikes, I just key in on the agricultural fields. I only have one farm I have permission to hunt on and must share it with several other bowhunters so I was wondering whether food plots in my timber areas would keep deer hanging around. I know soil quality is poor and all but is it possible under good light conditions for an acre or 2 size plot to be successful? Just looking for some fellow hunters thoughts on this.

 

Sure it can be successful but you need to bet in March/April on what the next 5 months of growing will be for oaks, its a crap shoot to try to guess what kind of acorn crop there will be, and if its a good one then you just wasted all that time on your food plot.

This year there were hardly any acorns, last year I had never seen such a plentiful crop. Prior year again hardly any.

 

an acre or two sized food plot in timber is huge, not to mention would be a pain.

that is unless you are hunting edges of the timber and its already cleared. we will be putting a few small plots out this year in timber. we will be seeking smaller openings/clearing already there. we wipl not be cutting down major amounts of timber, just smaller pieces that may be in the way... will be mostly killing the undergrowth, if needed, and plant the best we can

 

If you can get sunlight into it you can definitely benefit.

 

Is it legal to use corn in your state? It would be A LOT easier to put out than a food plot in a remote wooded area and you wouldn't have the cost and hassle if you had a good acorn crop year.

 

To me a in bush plot is difficult. I tried it and become a total bust, if anything I went backwards with my properties progress. I had a spot I knew a lot of nice bucks were visiting the year prior. I decided there was a nice marshy spot that would require less work. I came in on atv, tilled all the dirt, seeded and it grew like crazy. Problem was, all that noise and work in the woods didn't please too many of the mature bucks. I didn't see a single deer for months, when normally deer were like ants in that area. After when late hunting season came and food was scarce then some young bucks and a few does decided to start using it. But very sparingly. They knew it wasn't normal and would only come at night because they were weary of it.

IMO food plots are great, but only work where the deer would expect them to be. On the fields or edges. Even then they come to it weary. To me nothing better then finding the trails the deer use and don't expect anything. In those situations I have had deer down wind, I have made noise and nothing bothers them. When a deer walks out to a plot he knows isn't normal, they wait for dark, and they come out super skittish. You better be 200% scent free and draw your bow in complete silence. To me natural works the best.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I totally agree that near field edges is the best place and least amount of work. I was just curious about any success other people had with trying it. I have about an acre spot that was used for stacking logs after they timbered a new property I recently bought. It would be little work clearing it because it's mostly golden rod other weeds and pine saplings. I was thinking a clover mix. Deer travel the area regularly and I've harvested a few from this spot. I was just curious if it would be beneficial when acorns were scarce.

 

One of my brothers farms was all wooded so he cleared 2 wooded ridge tops just a 1/2 ac each and put clover and the deer flock to it weather there are acorns on not.

 

No baiting is not legal in Pennsylvania. I do feed them throughout the winter after all of the deer seasons are over but not near any of my stands.


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