food plots and placement

[hyguti]

Hi everyone,

I was woundering how food plots attract deer to properties. i have a farm in two counties, Jasper and Cumberland, which is in Illinois. i wanted to know where would the best place be to set up a food plot. what type of seeds are great attractants for whitetails. i been hunting for about 12 years now. people have told me that food plots are not neccessary for hunting whitetails but deer and deer television says the opposite. Please let me know more information about the subject of food plot placement and seed choice. i want my deer to have food supply during the harsh months.

[retiredsailor]

In the area (county) where I currently hunt, we have to contend with the CWD issue and therefore we cannot do any form of baiting. I guess the jury is still out on the difference between a bait pile, a timer feeder and a deer plot as they pertain to dealing with CWD.

To a large extent, nature and farmers provide their own types of food plots (crop fields, orchards, oak stands for acorns, etc. All places where deer do gather to feed.

I have limited experience with food plots and therefore, I'm not able to answer your question. However, I have a couple of questions for you (and other food plot practicitioners): Are you putting out food plots to attract and possibly hold deer on your property or are you primarily concerned about making sure your deer are able to find suitable food sources?
And finally: Do you hunt over the food plots?

Please understand that I'm not taking sides on the use or value of food plots. Whatever is legal in your area is fine by me. I am, however, curious about how food plot advocates actually use them.

[easports]

I've got food plots in two difference counties for one reason....to give me an opportunity to hunt deer. There are only two types of plots (hunting) and management. One of the properties is 32 acres and the other 57. If I had a 1000 acres or more, then I would look more at management. That's my opinion.

[buckhunter21]

Well, this all depends on the surrounding area.  If there is a ton of food on surrounding properties, and yours is mostly wooded, then having a lot of food plots wouldn't be necessary.  You could focus on making your property more of a bedding area with maybe one or two smaller plots in the middle of the property if you can manage that.  What do your properties look like?

[scotman]

ORIGINAL: hyguti

Hi everyone,

I was woundering how food plots attract deer to properties. i have a farm in two counties, Jasper and Cumberland, which is in Illinois. i wanted to know where would the best place be to set up a food plot. what type of seeds are great attractants for whitetails. i been hunting for about 12 years now. people have told me that food plots are not neccessary for hunting whitetails but deer and deer television says the opposite. Please let me know more information about the subject of food plot placement and seed choice. i want my deer to have food supply during the harsh months.

Ofcourse Deer TV will tell you foodplots are necessary for deer hunting along with the advertisement of fp seed or "you should really be buying this product". It is a decisively smart ad campaign to sell the products they want you to buy.

Either way, no food plots are not necessary to hunt deer. I been hunting deer since I was a kid and harvested alot of deer by hunting over a deer trail. It wont cost you a dime of your money either.

[shaman]

Food plots are great, but my advice is to look at them as one part of an overall improvement program.  There are a bunch of things that you can do that are zero or low cost.  Here's a good site:

http://fw.ky.gov/howto.asp

Before I did anything, I invited the state wildlife biologist out and he gave me a free assessment.  A lot of the things he suggested are on that site. Based on what he said, I tried a bunch of things for free.  You'd be surprised how effective things like edge fethering, strip disking, etc. can be.    Also, the biggest improvement I made was just restricting hunting on the land.  Once I reduced the number of hunters on the property, the deer started hanging out more.

When you do make the move to food plots, start off easy.  My first successful experiments were with nothing more than ladino clover and wheat.  One plot is still producing well after 4 years, and I've taken 6 deer now from the same little patch of ladino.    I've tried other things in the meanwhile, but even my most extravagant plots have not done better than that little clover patch.

[GTOHunter]

Personally I like Food Plots,they help the Deer,Turkeys and Wildlife during the tough Winter months and in the Spring too depending on what You have planted.I'm sure eveyone is thinking why in the world would someone in Illinios with all those Farmers planting corn and soybeans around them want to plant a food plot?Well if You want to draw Deer close in to a certain area they do work great and if You take a Youth Hunting it will give the Deer something to stop and browse on so a younger Hunter has a better shot opportunity!
 
Where we are located their is very few crops out there to draw Deer in and 'Baiting" is not allowed,we plant several types of plants and the feeling of accomplishing something is rewarding in itself to say the least!
 
 
First of all it is best to get a few soil samples off the ground where You plan on planting,then You will know if You either need to spread lime or fertilizer where needed.We usually plow up the ground,then disc it up and get ready to plant,depending on what season and what You want to plant make a big difference.We plant foraging oats and some wheat in the Spring time,you can also plant brassicas and rape in the spring too.In the Fall we plant the Rape,Brassicas,Turnips,sugar beets and even throw in some winter wheat too so there is something there in late winter and early spring.
 
 
 
Clover is something good to plant and it put nitrogen back into the soil and it will continue to grow back for several years if well kept and the weeds don't over take it?Alfalfa,Chicory and a few others are also good plants that keep growing for several years.If You have Quail or Turkey on your property Milo is good for them,Sunflowers are very good to draw in Quail,Doves and other game birds too.I like planting different food plots around the Farm just to give the Deer a varity of food to choose from and they will hit some harder than others.If I'm Bow Hunting a food plot in a back corner with some cover will draw them in and they will feel more secure than a big food plot out in an open field! We also frost-seed clover around the farm on the field edges and logging roads in late Feb and early March...I simply walk around and hand toss the seeds or use a hand spreader to put the seeds down and the snow or frozen ground will thaw out and draw the seeds down into the ground and the clover will get an early start in the Spring!This works when You are limited to help and equipment or have a tough area You can't be driving heavy equipment across in bad weather or tight limited spaces! 

[prohunter]

hello hyguti,
i make food for lots reasons ,1 is to atract more deer and turkey to my land ,i feel that if they have reason to come to your land that they stay around aslong as the the food it there. otherwise they would just be passing by on their way to somewhere eles.
as far as the right place ? , i would pick a spot like a small hidden feild in the woods or a place that you see deer . leave edges of that plot thick with weeds and brambles and small trees ,this is the deers a place to check out the plot before coming out.
i also plant food plots for the wildlife to help them in hard times of the year.
and i plant bedding areas ,i grow tall native grasses like swicth grass for bedding and a place to have babies. i only go there when it needs replanted, its their place not mine.
i would plant some corn and soybeans to hunt over in fall and winter .
i plant food plots just because i like to give back to nature for all its givin me ,i like to watch it grow may be its just farmer in me ,for me its fun.
be safe and have fun this is one my plots from last season.
jim

[Bob Olsen]

Are you trying to grow healthy deer? Are you looking for food to hunt over?
 First grow something your neighbors don't have. Lot's of hunters like Imperial White-tail Clover. I like it with the Chickory with it. Plant winter wheat and rye in the Fall to keep the weeds down in the Spring. Then spray for weeds in the Spring, then plant Cover. I believe it should be mowed 2 or 3 times a year.
 If you want food to hunt over try Apples or Persimmons in the middle of your property. This will keep your food source hidden from your neighbors and you can set up on the fruit trees or on one of many possibe trails leading to the trees.
 You can get great advice from don@higginsoutdoors.com about the fruit trees. 

[msbadger]

I hunted deer...many many years with success with out plots....That being said I'm a plotting nut now.... but for many reasons other than killing a deer...You don't mention your general location...So it's difficult to answer your ?...So many variables to consider...What I will say is..... do not under estimate the need for and drawing power of natural browse enhancement

Game cameras Have opened a whole new light on what deer are eating in my winter woodlands....Plots stopped being a factor in January. Winter cams have given me a whole new perspective on whats going on...such as on our 73 acres... we have 4 distinct deer groups strolling through our place...and what they are eating is all natural browse that..... at one point or another..... I was told I should eradicate...good thing I think for my self[;)]...

So....my point is plots are great and have their place ...but over all land improvement is the best option and be ever vigilant in your observations...see what is being chewed down on the ground ....dug up or snipped off in the brush and trees...know your wild plants as well as your ...plot seeds....Have fun[;)]...

PS.... remember your water as well...we have a couple of areas that are good but much that is not...I have small water features near all plots and in the natural areas as well...it had another enameled steel tub given to me the other day...They make great easy to care for watering places...for all the animals