Will this Work?

[wisbowmadness]

I have had a lot of posts about foodplots lately but i just want to do something that will work. I have limited options for places to put a foodplot. There is a piece of land that i have been hunting that is about 20 acres of a mix of just about everything. There is a trail running through the middle of it that is about 5 yards wide and is about 150 yards long and it opens up into about a 5 acre field but i do not have permission to plant or hunt the majority of the field. I was thinking about disking and planting the trail and right where it opens up into the field in a little 30x30yd area. I was planning to lime and fertilize and then plant with a logger trail seed mix.
I was just curious to hear if you think that this set up will work. I am in northern WI and baited the area last year but i want to get away from baiting to hopefully get more deer movement in daylight hours. Im not sure if such a long skinny plot will pay off though.
Do you think this will work???
Thanks in advance

[msbadger]

All I can say is...works for me......

[DEER30]

Absolutely Badger! You definately do not need big food plots to attract deer. In fact, smaller secluded plots are often preferred or used more frequently. Linear plots are a great way to lead deer in a certain direction. Remember, deer are browsers and will feed and move, feed and move. Your providing a continous buffet line. I think you will have a lot of success with this plot. One thing to keep in mind though is sunlight. Plants can't grow without light, and narrow plots can be easily robbed of sunlight by overhanging trees/limbs.

[msbadger]

Your right and ppl really don't put enough thought of sun movement ....the maintenance on the above plots...whether in a perennial or annual rotation is mainly tree related....picking and choosing which trees to cut out, brush to trim down as they mature ,while still keeping the mast producers...also leaf drop in the fall...It can smother a plot very quickly

One more thing...in the very first pick ...that rather great plot thrived for three years...but to my shugrin, really for one reason only.....MOTHS...yep we were in the middle of an area wide infestation of tent caterpillars and gypsy moths...partially defoliating every thing...it sounded like rain 24/7 in our woods every spring/summer from droppings...three years after planting...the cycle was over...that plot didn't last the summer...1)shade and 2) lack of water...canopy kept the ground pretty dry...so with that plot area...until timber prices recover a bit ...I will be doing some major select cutting and changing gears..right now HSG is still hanging on

Also right on the movements...I have open plots at the ends of the long trails and they all direct the deer from one feeding area to the next whether they be natural ...soft/or hard mast ..or planted small fields....amongst those are thick areas to rest and all plot fields have a watering tub near them

[Smallplot]

Just something else to think about. Deer get used to feeding in certain spots. In my area, I have seen many deer feeding in cut fields of beans or corn with very little spilled corn or beans on the ground while a short distance away there is a field with lots of spilled corn or beans seemingly untouched. Food plots are a balance of first, bedding. Bedding will hold deer in your area, not food plots. Food plots will help keep deer in your area if they are already there. Like I said, it is a balance, and they work together well but separated they are hit and miss (no pun intended).

Isolated food plots close to heavy cover will get the highest use during daylight hours. Deer can be trained to be used to feeding in these areas. Do this be offering a year round food source in a centrally located plot. I did not come up with this but, it makes very good sense when you think about it. 20% of plot in while clover to offer spring/summer forage. 40% in brassica, (PTT, Rape,and Forage Radish) planted in August for winter forage. 40% in cereal grains (Winter rye, spring oats, red clover, and forage radish) planted in late August to early September for fall and early winter forage continuing into spring. Rotate the brassica and cereal grain areas each year also helps build the soil.

Stand sites need easy access without disturbance of the resident deer. Use hinge cuttings to limit number of paths to access the food plot and steer deer by your stand locations. Hinge cuttings also add to the bedding potential of the area.

Remember the most important part of making a food plot. Deer will still get most of their nutrition from natural browse. Hinging and cutting of non beneficial trees will help release lots of natural browse only adding to the effectiveness of your food plots.