Woods road kill plots

[ACCMan]

Ive got ready access to a couple of ideal areas to put in small kill plots. It has good access for my tractor and tiller. They will receive mostly afternoon sun and I can help by hinge cutting. I'm thinking clover, chicory and cereal rye. The plots will be about 1/8 acre and will be about 3 to 500 yards from my main 1.5 acre food plot. They will be in the natural travel corridor to my existing plot and I think they would be great for bow season. I am open to all and any suggestions to make this a successful adventure.

 

[Bill]

It’s hard to beat clover for a spot like that.

 

[Northbound]

I'd be thinking clover but one other option I've used and like is high sugar rye grass. Be careful that you don't get any ol' rye grass as it can become invasive but the high sugar stuff made by sucraseed has really impressed me. You can buy it in a mix with clover labeled as 'sweet spot'.

 

[ACCMan]

I'd be thinking clover but one other option I've used and like is high sugar rye grass. Be careful that you don't get any ol' rye grass as it can become invasive but the high sugar stuff made by sucraseed has really impressed me. You can buy it in a mix with clover labeled as 'sweet spot'.

Thanks, Ill check that out.

 

[swat1018]

Clover would be my first choice. I've done a couple smaller plots like that in brassica, too. A late summer / fall planting works good in small plots, as the leaves fall more light to the plot.

 

[mglenn005]

I would be concerned with leaf litter smothering anything planted


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[JFK52]

Eagle seed RR Northern managers mix forage soy beans. Or depending on the growing zone you are in you might be able to use Midwest managers mix. I have several smaller food plots surrounded by cover in Central WI and this is what I use and get decent results. It does terminate with the first hard frost but in your zone that might not be a problem.

As a disclosure, I have been a seed dealer for Eagle seeds for the past two years.

 

[Livesintrees]

I’ll say a foolproof addition late August or so would be rye grain. It did well by me when it shouldn’t have

 

[ACCMan]

I planted a small clover/rye plot adjoining my main plot and they killed it prior to frost, so if I had the same in the woods I bet they will even hit it harder. We have dog hunting here, and you can bank on the fact that one week after dog season comes in deer are nocturnal, and will not walk into a field plot until well after dark. It may be that they would still hit the woods plots in daylight.

 

[ACCMan]

I created the plot so I am giving an update. My goal was a stopping off place while traveling to my main plot. I planted rye, clover and radishes. The plot only did fair, partially because of poor soil, small size, and browsing pressure. But, it created a funnel by directing loads of deer to the plot. I had rubs and scrapes all around it. The does attracted many, many bucks, two of which were trophy caliber, high racked, in the neighborhood of 24" inside. The problem with the larger bucks were they were nocturnal, even during bow season. I hunted it a few times and could have killed does and small bucks on every sit. I call it a success, and will continue it next year, and try to expand and improve it.

The plot also created heavy huntable trails that continue to my main plot.

In the 3 years I have been here, and planting for the deer their body weight has gone up substantially, and I believe the does are dropping more fawns. I only had the turkeys passing through and now they are full time residents raising poults. I LOVE planting and seeing all the good results from my labor.

 

[Bill]

Maybe with time the big boys will feel safe on the plot in the daytime. It may just take a few of them growing up using it.

but I’m sure the dogs aren’t helping.

 

[BobinCt]

Like Mglenn said , I would also be concerned with leaf litter smothering. I too have had a spot like your going to do and every year I have to blow the plots off of debris. If I were you, I’d hinge cut around the plot and have the trees fall away from the plot. This will allow good sunlight into the plot while keeping debris out of it. I like your choice of Cereal Rye with an annual
Clover. If your doing a perennial clover, you better have a good PH.

 

[yoderjac]

Be careful with ryegrass. I know some folks use it in their programs, but it is not highly preferred by deer and can become invasive and hard to get rid of in some places. I'm not saying not to use it, just make sure you know what you're doing cause it can be creating a problem.

Sound like you are on the right track. I'd check your pH. If it needs amended a lot, I'd probably skip planting the clover the first fall and stick with Winter Rye. This will give time for the amendments to work. They work faster in sandier soil and slower in clay soils. Once your pH is good, I'd fall plant perennial clover with your WR nurse crop.

Best of luck,

Jack

 

[ACCMan]

Leaf litter is minimal and I am going to hinge cut some of the trees as that was already in my plan. Jack, no rye grass, but cereal rye, and I do have to check the ph this spring as the ground is Va red clay. It is a small plot, so liming will be easy and inexpensive. The plot has worked so well I may even expand it.

In my big plot I'm still experimenting to see what my deer like. When I tried turnips they refused to eat them. This year I planted soybeans, rye, chicory and groundhog radishes. My deer love the chicory and radishes, so for next year I will alot more acreage for them.



These two bucks were frequent flyers, but nocturnal all year.