One bigger plot or two smaller plots?

[cornfedkiller]

I am limited on my available acres for food plots because they are planted into CRP. One of my plots will be a 1.5 acre soybean plot, which I will then overseed with brassicas/rye later in the year.

I'm going to make 2 of my plots smaller for next season so I am freeing up 1/2 acre to add to another plot. I'm not sure if I should add that 1/2 acre to that existing soybean plot and make it 2 acres, or if I should plant 1/2 acre of beans/brassicas in a different location, possibly next to a clover plot. I can also plant something totally different in that 1/2 acre too.

Are there advantages/disadvantages to having 1 bigger plot vs 2 smaller plots?

 

[BobinCt]

I think there are advantages to splitting the locations up based on bedding areas and prevailing winds. If your main plot isn’t a great location due to the prevailing wind and bedding, I’d split the 1/2 acre up. Another advantage of a different location of a plot is based on that plot, you prob will set up another stand based off that plot ( trails that will lead to it) and it breaks up over hunting the same stands. I’d much rather have a plot in another location. Just my opinion if it works out with wind and bedding.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

There are advantages either way, but I agree with BobinCt. Another area for other groups of deer to hang out would be my preference. A lot of times deer dont like being with other mature deer, so separate areas would benefit them.

The disadvantage would be, you cant watch over both at the same time. Your target deer, may be in the plot your not.

 

[Semisane]

Generally, I favor two 1/2-acre plots over one 1-acre plot. The main advantage (assuming these are kill plots) is the ability to have two different stand locations, perhaps even set up for different wind conditions. The main disadvantage may be a greater loss of "effective" plot area due to diminished growth around the border of the plot. That would depend upon the shape of the plot or plots. Growth on plots is typically poor around the edge (perimeter), especially if the plot is bordered by trees rather than brush or grass. For example, one large round plot would have the least loss of growth along the border because the perimeter of a circle is a smaller than the perimeter of a square of the same area, and the perimeter of a square is smaller than the perimeter of a rectangle of the same area. Also, one large plot that is generally circular would likely have better sunlight exposure. Two long narrow plots will not only have less sun exposure, but also a significantly greater perimeter effect.

 

[Someday isle]

I have multiple trails that we turned into food plots when we first bought our property last year. This year we cleared two separate areas in the 1/3 acre range. I often hunt by myself but occasionally my son bowhunts with me and he and another son will hunt together during firearms season. We’re working now on creating enough stand sights for the three of us on 36 acres without having the food too spread out. This year the plan is to turn the trails into full time clover plots and end up with three small plots that are somewhat centralized. It was important for us last year to get food on the property. As we expand the plot areas we’ll keep some clover on the trails and uses the trails near the perimeter as access more than food.

I think analyze your goals as far as hunters and access and decide from there. One bigger plot might make it easier to pattern deer. But having enough stand sights with safe shooting directions for however many hunters you have might be a stronger consideration. We’re trying to figure out a long term plan to balance both. I’d look at safety, access, have hunting and harvest goals and make a plan from there.

 

[sagittarius]

One large plot can be a time saver. Multiple smaller plots can provide variety, plot rotation, herbicide rotation, soil building, minimizes disease, ...... Plan out your plot rotation for the next 4-6 years.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Several smaller plots will give you more edge than a single larger plot of the same area. So, although you may have reduced "effective plot" as Seminsane already said, you would have more "effective edge" which for me is as important, maybe even more so, as pure food supply.

 

[swat1018]

Not sure where you are, but an acre and a half or 2 acres of beans don't come anywhere near surviving pressure in my location.

 

[FarmerDan]

Hold on! Wait a minute. I'm not sure how to interpret what you wrote. You have 1 1/2 acres. You are thinking about adding 1/2 an acre to it -- meaning you still have one, bigger area? And you want to know if you should plant the 2 acres the same....or add a little variety. A half acre of this and 1 1/2 acres of that? Or, didn't I read you right? Oh, maybe you can plant that 1/2 acre in a different location? How far apart?

I'm not sure there's a straight forward answer to your question. Me, I'm always asking what else is around (food sources, attractions) and what's your objective. Huh? I know.

I like variety and multiple crops planted to provide a different look thru the seasons. But, I'm not sure you have enough food plot area for it to make a difference.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

The reason im assuming you are confused is because he mentions CRP. You are only allowed a certain percent of acreage that you can plant into plots. If he were to downsize a couple of the plots that would mean he could add that acreage to the bigger plot or put a different plot somewhere else. Again i'm assuming here so forgive me if I'm off base.

 

[cornfedkiller]

Hold on! Wait a minute. I'm not sure how to interpret what you wrote. You have 1 1/2 acres. You are thinking about adding 1/2 an acre to it -- meaning you still have one, bigger area? And you want to know if you should plant the 2 acres the same....or add a little variety. A half acre of this and 1 1/2 acres of that? Or, didn't I read you right? Oh, maybe you can plant that 1/2 acre in a different location? How far apart?

I'm not sure there's a straight forward answer to your question. Me, I'm always asking what else is around (food sources, attractions) and what's your objective. Huh? I know.

I like variety and multiple crops planted to provide a different look thru the seasons. But, I'm not sure you have enough food plot area for it to make a difference.

The reason im assuming you are confused is because he mentions CRP. You are only allowed a certain percent of acreage that you can plant into plots. If he were to downsize a couple of the plots that would mean he could add that acreage to the bigger plot or put a different plot somewhere else. Again i'm assuming here so forgive me if I'm off base.

Correct. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Right now, I have 3 plots - 1.5ac, 1ac, and 1.75ac. The 1ac is clover, and its more than enough, so I was thinking about cutting that plot down to .75ac, cutting the 1.75 down to 1.5, and then either adding the new 1/2 acre that I freed up to either the 1.5 ac plot and making it a full 2 acres, or adding it to the "end" of the clover plot and planting 1/2 acre of something else there.

Unfortunately, since posting this thread, I have learned that with the specific program the CRP is in, it takes a ton of paperwork and time to move the plots around and/or resize them, so they are going to have to stay as they are. There will be a firebreak going in around the entire perimeter of the CRP, which ends up equaling close to 8 acres, which will be a few different varieties of clover, alfalfa, ryegrass, etc, so my new plan is to take the clover out of the 1 acre plot and plant something else there. Likely soybeans to go along with the soybeans in the 1.5 acre plot and the 1.75 acre plot will get corn planted there.

swat1018 - you mentioned 1.5-2 acres of beans not surviving the pressure, which is true for my area as well, but what I did last year and liked it so much that I will do it again this year is plant beans in the spring, then if the beans are eaten down in the summer, I plant a mix of brassicas in late July or early august, and then also broadcast rye into that labor day weekend. That way there is food there in the plot all year... In one of the plots I might try something different than brassicas - maybe winter peas or something like that, but I haven't decided yet.

Or I might try fencing the plot off over the summer..

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Sounds like a winner!!

 

[swat1018]

Correct. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Right now, I have 3 plots - 1.5ac, 1ac, and 1.75ac. The 1ac is clover, and its more than enough, so I was thinking about cutting that plot down to .75ac, cutting the 1.75 down to 1.5, and then either adding the new 1/2 acre that I freed up to either the 1.5 ac plot and making it a full 2 acres, or adding it to the "end" of the clover plot and planting 1/2 acre of something else there.

Unfortunately, since posting this thread, I have learned that with the specific program the CRP is in, it takes a ton of paperwork and time to move the plots around and/or resize them, so they are going to have to stay as they are. There will be a firebreak going in around the entire perimeter of the CRP, which ends up equaling close to 8 acres, which will be a few different varieties of clover, alfalfa, ryegrass, etc, so my new plan is to take the clover out of the 1 acre plot and plant something else there. Likely soybeans to go along with the soybeans in the 1.5 acre plot and the 1.75 acre plot will get corn planted there.

swat1018 - you mentioned 1.5-2 acres of beans not surviving the pressure, which is true for my area as well, but what I did last year and liked it so much that I will do it again this year is plant beans in the spring, then if the beans are eaten down in the summer, I plant a mix of brassicas in late July or early august, and then also broadcast rye into that labor day weekend. That way there is food there in the plot all year... In one of the plots I might try something different than brassicas - maybe winter peas or something like that, but I haven't decided yet.

Or I might try fencing the plot off over the summer..

Good plan. I do that quite a bit myself.

 

[swat1018]

What I would consider is ease of hunting, if that is you purpose for the plots. I put plots where there were ideal planting locations, a field farmers couldn't plant, etc. From now on, I will plan plots based on different wind directions and access. Several of my plots are almost impossible to hunt due to location and normal wind directions. I still plant them, a major objective for my plot program is to keep easy food available for the winter time.

 

[j-bird]

It's going to depend on several factors.

#1 - larger plots tend to be more productive from a tonnage perspective.....so if it's the tonnage you need then larger tends to be better, but they tend to less attractive for hunting.
#2 - smaller plots tend to less productive but more secluded and thus better for hunting.
#3 - consider the soils and soil fertility and if expanding a plot is better or worse than starting another plot somewhere else.
#4 - more plots tend to facilitate more choices for stands and wind directions....
#5 - more plots can spread out deer activity and make patterning deer more difficult......

Keep all of this in mind as to what you want for your property......