CRP food plots

[whtail101]

I have just purchased a 60 piece of land.  43 wooded with 17 acres of CRP.  The land has great potential.  It is missing food and water.  There are plenty of acorns but other than that... they move out to feed.  Does anyone know if you can plant plots in CRP in Wisconsin?  Have read and spoke with people that say you can.  Talked to the FSA office and they said I could not.  Anyone have any suggestions?

[GTOHunter]

I would check with your local Conservation Agent or others who have their Land in CRP to find out for sure if you can or can not plant Food Plots?We can plant Food Plots in our CRP Fields here in Misouri and the local Conservation Agency even supplies use with misc seed for the Wildlife.We can also plant other crops/plants that will help the Deer and Turkeys survive the harsh Winter months.This past late August we planted a large 1 1/4 acre Field and several other smaller Food Plots in a mixture of wheat,clover,foraging oats,brassicas,rape,purple top turnips and sugar beets too!

[dmcianfa]

Pretty sure in Wisconsin to classify as CRP you have to have considerable acreage upwards of  20 or more or something like that, but you need to talk to like GTO said a conservation office or call your local Agricultural agent in the area you wish to do so.  I'm pretty sure your screwed though.  Just out of curiosity, whereabouts in WI are you doing this.

[ranwin33]

Let the CRP go wooly - it will become a great deer sanctuary and bedding area.
 
Then cut out some 1/4 - 1/2 acre hunting plots in your woods and plant your food plots there.

[jsjandro]

100% with ranwin on this one, planting in the grass will cause the deer to bed very close to the clover or whatever in the grass and once its eight feet tall you'll have a heck of a time hunting it. my cousin did this on his mn land in his crp, he had not hardly anything for woods so that was out of the question, and it made hunting the deer difficult cuz they dont always come from the same areas with crp.
 
plant small multiples in the timber and use tha dozer pilings to ur advantage as funnels and the deer will feel more secure using them during shooting time with limited visibility, aslo, clover glows somethin fierce once everything else is brown and in the grasslands (mabee depends on ur circumstances) would probs be easier seen by others passerby.  burms and pilings can help hide your secret spots and allow more successes!

[GTOHunter]

Here in Missouri when You have your land in CRP You have to keep it mowed at least every other year,some times we mow 1/2 of the open fields one year then the other 1/2 the next year!If You mow it all off the Deer will have no cover/place to cross or bed down so You may not have good Deer travel or see Deer moving during the day 1 year because of the Deer having no cover.We also plant several Food Plots across the open fields then set up stand over-looking the food plots.Another thing to consider is if you are Bow Hunting you will need to set the food plots closer and within Bow Range to where you plan on putting your stands or ground blind.

[whtail101]

thanks everyone for the input.  Since my original post, i have been informed by ACS office that i have to plow and plant my CRP into clover in 2012.  No food plots allowed.  They have it broke down into what kind of clover and how many seeds per acre.  Probably will sneek alfalfa in to certain areas.  Probably going to pick up a 40 that borders mine that is mostly tillable.  Thats where I'm going to mess with plots and improving that into better habitat.  Thanks again

[GTOHunter]

I'm glad to see You get to at least plant something on your property,I just can't believe that they are limiting what you can plant?Any ways you'll get to experiment and plant other types of foraging on the other land you mentioned! [;)] 

[rhightchew]

Dispite what ACS said you might contact your Department of NAtural Resource like here in Ohio they promote areas like what you want to re-establish Quail some are even getting paid for it.
My 18 acres here is still a work in progress but I have a small 3/4 acre pond and a stream that runs along another farmers 190 acres he plants commercial crops every season, lots of deer prior to gun season, now not so much but I'm hoping I can make my place more friendly for them to return to or hide, I like to bow hunt so my season is a little longer!