Where should I put a food plot?

Well this year we try'd to new small (20x20yds) food plots of a brasica mix and one turned out pretty good and the other the deer didn't hardly even hit. For this next year I was thinking of putting in a soy bean plot for both early and late season. The trouble is that we own a rectangular 50 acre field and about 60 yards in into the trees. So there arn't any small field peninsula things to put a plot in. Heres where it is. On the top right corner we have a clover plot that does great in the spring but is dead in the summer and fall. The other 2 plots are in the middle of the field, one just inside the trees on the bottom and one about 40 yards in on the top. The deer travel through the bottom one but hardly ever go in the top one. Where would be a good spot for a bean plot????

 

Okay the #1 thing to make deer use food plots during daylight is security. They're not going to want to simply waltz out into a open field. You're going to want to incorporate sight line barriers like Egyptian Wheat or Hybrid Sorghum or even corn will work. By using those you can create smaller irregular hubs of kill plots anywhere you'd want really. Given the map, where is the best bedding on neighboring properties which the deer generally come from? There's a couple ways to attack it...have you ever thought about possibly turning that far bottom right spot into a small bedding area of bedding is lacking in the area? Lots of options...yeah having a lot of open ground may involve a little more cover planting but still can reward ya with deer for sure!

 

That in the bottom right is some short grass we just let grow. The deer bed just inside of the trees of that. There is alot of cover further down that you maybe not be able to see that the deer bed in alot. I was thinking of next year adter the corn is harvested, leaveing a few rows about 24 rows out from the trees and planting soy beans in a 24x70ish yards pocket created by the corn and trees. I post a pic soon.

 

Something like this.....? The deer really pound the early soybeans and I thing the would to the late ones too.

Yellow: corn

Green: beans

 

That tall grass area to me seems like an awesome spot for a small kill plot which if hunted and planted and designed properly could be so deadly since you say there is more bedding down south of there....just screams transition plot heading to destination plot. Ultimately do what you think will work best as you know the deer and their movements more than anyone. Here's what my initial thoughts right off the bat was:



This next image is zoomed in thought of that corner...the picture below I circled a spot that screamed another transitional plot for me at least.

 

Those edge squiggly lines are food plots planted in a non-straight pattern bordered on the inside (field edge) side with egyptian wheat or sorghum for cover purposes and you can choose openings. Bottom line is I wouldn't want the edge straight to where a deer can simply walk out of the woods and scan the entire length of the field edge. I'd even be tempted just every 30 yards or so do clumps of egyptian wheat if you don't want to do the snaking food plot surrounded with it the entire length. Just .02 from me

 

I like tmillers thinking. what is your prevailing wind like? I would design it so I could hunt the down wind side of food plot, in that corner kill plot, making sure all deer access it up wind of stand. you can you brush or fence to ensure that happens. then your scent drifts off over that field to the right away from the plot. Also you can build bottle necks from small plot to big feeding plot with egyptian wheat. then the deer will walk right down them creating great ambush points for you. to hunt.

 

The only reason we didn't put a plot in in the middle bottom grass patch is because the deer sometimes bed in the grass and I didn't want to mess anything up.

 

Heres where we have the plots this year. The top one is the one the deer didn't hit and the bottom one is on a trail we cut out and we planted about 8' wide.

 

Heres where the deer travel.

 

Maybe next year i can do something like this????

 

I like that and I'd do same thing in the lower right corner too...deadly deadly deadly for sure if done right!

 

What would you suggest planting there????? I think beans would be good for one of them. Maybe the right one?

 

With my staging or kill plots I always put the exact opposite of what is around me in them. That a lot of times is brassica blends with some winter wheat or oats or rye seeded in as well. Corn and Soy Beans are planted everywhere typically around me so I simply allow those to be what they are and create my plots around diversity. Up to you though, could even do some strips within the same food plot of variation.

 

The reason i would put beans in is for the late season when all the other ones are gone. I try'd brasica and its alright but they didnt touch it much. We usually have wheat around like this year my field is wheat and the didnt hardly eat it untill last night. Maybe oats or rye ir somthing, ill look around.

 

The Egyptian Wheat we are speaking of is strictly for cover as it grows 10-14 feet (just didn't know if you were familiar with it).

Now there is basic wheat and then more winter varieties...but yeah sounds like wheat may just not be a favorite of the deer around you. Brassicas have been the ticket for us this season...we planted 4 kill plots with different mixes and discovered 2 not only grew great but the deer are blasting them...the other two either didn't grow well or the deer seem to just not prefer. It's all about figuring out the deer in your area...I love brassicas because the sheer amount of tonnage of food is incredible and it is the last source of greens even when the snow starts falling. Sounds like you're on the right track though! Don't be afraid to experiment.

 

Yeah i know about the egyptian wheat.

On the bottom the square field on the other property, when he plants that wheat the deer PILE on to it but when we plant it on ours they dont do much....

I might do maybe a row of egyptian wheat along the field edge kinda on the bottom right then do brassicas.?.. We have plenty of food around so its kinda hard to get them to go to mine.

 

Yellow: egyptian wheat
Green: brassica/other

 

Find out what kind of wheat he planted...sometimes it's just the different kind they are keen on. I like it but I'd break up the plot with some north south sight barriers or make it irregular shaped to encourage more daytime use due to the feeling of security. Jealous of the possiblities you got!

 

Ok the shape you suggested should work well...

Thanks for the advice!