newbie from IOWA

[gard73]

Hello, Just started reading the mag. Wish I woukld have found it years ago. Any body got some ideas for small food plots? Planted some Tecomate Alphalfa feast and Bucks and Bosses. Plan on planting some rape seed and turnips in another month. Bigest problem is getting sun light. Can't bring myself to cut down 20-30 year old walnut and oak trees to open it up more.
 

[ranwin33]

Don't blame you on the oaks and walnuts - I'd keep them too.  We've got lots of hickories and rather than take them down we girdle them with a chainsaw and use Tordon RTU to kill them.  Then come back in and take them out as we need firewood.
 
Durana clover is suppose to grow well in shade and be very hardy and persistant.  We're using it in what we call our Back Alley that connects two food plots.  It has a lot of shade.  Just started it this year and while it seems to be doing well, it's really too early to tell.
 
Durana is a bit more expensive then other clovers so might be ideal for smaller plots.  Mix in some red clover with it and maybe some wheat or oats as a cover crop.

[Robert Rowland]

Welcome gard73!
From a deer hunter in Missouri.
 

[EatDeer]

Welcome to the forums gard73. I've seen pic's of brasscia growing great in well prepared shaded plots in the middle of the woods. Maybe you could pruner saw some branches away from your plot instead of killing the trees. I think durana needs atleast 4 hours of direct sunlite to grow well. You might try a  BFO/brassica mix in a shaded area, maybe even throw some buck wheat down for good measure.  The thing is not to limit your forages, that way you'll end up with atleast something to draw deer in the fall. 

[GTOHunter]

Welcome to D & DH Gard73
 
I like EatDeer's idea of just pruning some branches to let some sunlight in for the food plots.I planted turnips in a lower bottom field where it got plenty of morning dew since it was cooler in the low lying area's and it did pretty good even though we had a very dry summer.

[gard73]

Thanks for the input. I have gone in and cleared most of the soft woods out. The bigest problem seems to be a really big oak tree. Probably 100 years plus easily it used to have a tree stand in it so the loggersa didn't take it. All the other trees are younger walnut oak and hickery. I'll try and some other seed next spring. Thanks again.

[GTOHunter]

They just had an article in the recent D & DH magazine about Hunters getting several deers from the same stand year after year because of it being in a good location where deer cross or use the same rub line year after year....so that old tree with the stand might be in a very good spot? [;)]

[gard73]

In response to GTOhuntuer. My brother and I put the stand up probably 20 years ago. This little 15 acre timber is what we have left of the family farm. It would be a great stand location again with the food plot there. BUT it's on the fence line and the guy who owns the other side of the fence doesnt hunt and has a tendancy of driving around so I stay away from the fence line so the time I get out isn't a waste and don't stir up any problems even though the tree is on our property.
Thanks,
James