food plots

[msbadger]

 As I stated earlier I planted Succra Seed on some of my bigger woodland trails back on 4-11...well I went turkey hunting this morning and on my way back from the hunt see that it is now up and growing...about 2ins. high and the clover is just leafing that took quite a while...hee doggy finally something that grows there..one problem though...The first trail is 80 yrds from the house and runs East to west...the second starts 70 yards from the house and runs north east...I went to a blind 160yards from the house and at the end of second plot...at first light I had a hen fly down...I had walked under her and the Tom that was with her on my way in...she was roosted at the beginning of first trail and the Tom...ya he had roosted 20yrds from the house...looking down on the trail...so I have to wonder if they like HSG rye seed as well[;)]. nope no bird...I fear he was taken by the yote that rushed me when I was kneeling expanding my jake decoy...I heard him coming and stood up and growled...it was dark but the moon showed his size to be yote not fox...he stopped and for a moment we just stood there in the dark 12 or so feet apart...I growled and stomped my foot and he trotted off toward the house...later the Tom was gobbling and had flown down...we talked back and forth a bit and all of a sudden I heard what started as a gobble to snarls and a scream/sqeal gurgle sound...it happened very fast....then...no more sounds from anything...later the hens came in and quietly fed in the woods around me[&:]

[msbadger]

 Nice plots shouldernuke...here's the HSG trail I planted and a couple of other last year plots....

[buckhunter21]

Great looking pics everyone!
 
Has anyone ever planted Whitetail Institute's PowerPlant or Eagle Forage Soybeans?  Putting them in this year.

[msbadger]

Thanks BH21...obviously that last pic wasn't last yr... and actually I re did that one but the one that joins it still looks the same..I actually mowed it yesterday....
No I haven't used either...I am putting in a reg. vining  soybean this year as a test plots to see how they grow here on the hill...the local crop farmer says there is only on farmer...pretty far away that grows them(soybeans) no one here due to temps and the amount of rocks in our soil...but where I'm putting them reg beans had been grown....Also in the pic above of clover...I had tried my own version of power plant...that was before I found Milorginite...and the deer wiped it out before it had time to grow....they really like young sunflower and corn plants here...I'm sure the rabbits and chucks helped them[8|][;)]...due to $$$...I always try to due test plots in something a bit less expensive first.

[easports]

msbadger

You mentioned that the sucra is growing in the woodland trails. Any idea what your PH is back there? We've communicated before re: a property that I manage in VA which is mainly hardwoods also but unfortunately with lots of rocks in the soil. Did you end up cutting trees to bring in the sun light to get the sucra to grow? What about the ground preparation....did you simply drag it or do more to break up the soil. I'm getting ready to head up to the property to starting working on it....first thing is to cut trees to open up and expand the food plot and bring in more sun light. The second challenge is to somehow break up the soil enough to lime and later seed. Unfortunately the stones vary between 2" to 12".

[msbadger]

 Ohhh Geez Louise I'll probably hear about it after I say this...but I can't lie...Easport No I don't know the exact ph...woodland areas as you see in the above pics are normally higher on the PH scale...and past test show I needed at least 3000#'s per acre a bit over 750#'s per 1/4...if my figures are correct.those two pics show only a part of 2 connecting trails..about a 1/2 acre total...over the last several years I've laid down 12 40# bags of both granular and fast acting lime and will continue to lay down 1-2 bags for that area every year I ...here we go.... Igrab handfuls of loose earth and smell.....this tells me weather my ph is in the correct range...the soil will smell either sweet or what I call sour...it will an acrid tint to it...because unlike the granular the fast acting doesn't last in soil as long...that's why I mix the 2.....as you see from the pics this is bigger timber for future harvest but I did cut out some sick beech and a few damaged maples that were fire wood trees...All the green you see off the trails are young maple saplings ...bramble...elderberry(non edible for ppl) and wild leeks goose and current bush...

The 1st pic shows going south to north...the second is a morning pic with the sun coming up in the East...both wind as you see and get dapple to bright sun and that changes with the seasons

I started out with my tiller and later got a disc..but I have to say I still till the disced areas for the first 2 years...because of rocks...the tiller will pull up the big ones and I go along behind tossing them into the woods...the disc just rebury most...every spring I go out with a pry bar on areas I plan to plant and pry out the big ones..you can see one in the pics...I'm talking some so big even the backhoe has trouble getting them out...I start with the big ones and then gradually work my way through to the smaller ..I can rake you rocks...Yes it's lots of work but in just 2-3 years...you'll see where it's not so hard any more and much more fun.....I have plots now I just walk lime and fertilizer over and mow a couple of times...those two Succra seed plots will be the same now..this year it will look pretty much like all grass and next year the clovers will kick in...

Reason I mentioned that I plant less expensive deer attractants like buckwheat...trical... turnips/rape or even annual clovers...for the first couple of years...even feed corn[;)].. I gradually bring up the PH...get the deer interested in the new on goings and fine tune the plot...then I can think about either keeping it in a little better annual program or a permanent plot...
Good Luck with it..remember no matter what you do or how it turns out this year....you haven't lost anything because even a little improvement puts you ahead of the game[:)]  

[easports]

msbadger

You are intense! It's funny because my wife will comment that when I do something, it's to the extreme. My hats off to you in what you do to achieve results with your food plots. That hard work is definitely paying off. I'm not sure about that whole smelling dirt deal but if it works …keep doing it. One thing that I'll comment on is the normal PH in woods is lower than average. This soil, I believe has never been turn over and based on the test results the PH is only 4.5 to 4.7. I need to increase those levels to 6.0 to 6.5 by August. I'm not sure if I can within that time frame but I've plan to hit the soil with fast acting lime several time before August (every 6 to 8 weeks) then retest prior to planting. Because of location, stones, trees and general back breaking work, I'm talking to a guy regarding getting a bobcat out there to clear the smaller trees and drag the soil enough for it to be tilled. As you mentioned, every year you work the soil the better it will become….LESS STONES…..HOPEFULLY. Once everything is ready I plan on planting sucra. We see how that goes. I'll post some pictures later.

[msbadger]

...You got me Easport...that is my left handedness you saw there[&:]....when I said the woodland areas are higher on the PH side...IN MY MIND...the meaning was higher acid...you'll see...sometimes (when I don't catch the spell check)...I reverse letters in my spelling also...I've actualy been caught saying sentences in reverse[;)]...lol...don't even get me going on the whole ...up wind ...down wind thing....[:o]

[NorthernoaksHunt]

you dont need food plots to grow big deer you just need to folow the rules of shoot the biggest bucks. Food plots are like giant bait piles. Its not natural in the wild to just come accross a food plot therefor you are not hunting but rather shooting a gun and knowing the will be a deer in front of you. It takes no skill to plant a food plot but rather just money. you should get a fence around your property and put some apples in a small quarentend area and then lock the deer in there. Boom there you go know you dont have to worry about even walking 50 yards from your truck to shoot your deer.

I hate baiting its not hunting.

not natural, requires no skill,= Not Hunting.

[Goose]

Wow, thanks for the informative post. No skill, just money....huh. You know me so well! Putting up a fence would require too much work so Ill have to pass...maybe I can pay somebody to do it though....hhmmm, you might be on to something here.