2026 Food Plot Experiment Plan

[Derek Reese 29]

So I just had an idea for this spring/fall 2026...(bear with me I'm a biologist by degree and an amateur farmer at heart)

I have 2 plots at my in laws place, one is a ~0.4 acre plot that was mowed/sprayed/seeded in the summer/fall 2023 (see this thread: https://habitat-talk.com/threads/existing-thick-pasture-stand-to-food-plot-how-to.15749/page-5) and has only had rye/brassicas added to it and been mowed a couple times since then. This is going to be my spring prep plot. Plan to spread some lime on it ASAP, then ask my FIL to lightly till it as early as possible (hoping for earlyish April), then come in a few weeks later and seed/spray same day (might be early May or so before that happens). Going to plant a combo of Alice, Alsike, Crimson, MRC and mammoth red clover with some chicory and oats as a nurse/cover crop. Then will wait till July to mow/seed fall brassicas and add WR later.

2nd plot is a 0.3 acre plot that was mowed/sprayed/seeded with clover/brassicas/WR in one go in the late summer of 2024. It came up like gangbusters and I killed a good buck in it in Oct 2024 (see thread: https://habitat-talk.com/threads/first-entry-in-the-successful-hunts-category.17360/). Now it's a kind of weedy clover/WR plot, and half the field isn't planted, just old hayfield. Plan here is to let it go, with maybe some late spring/early summer mowing to keep the grass/WR from going too crazy. Didn't do too much to it in 2025, other than mowing and adding some brassicas/WR. I want to expand the plot to encompass the whole field (about 1/2 of it is planted now). Plan to mow, then till in early July, then, depending on rainfall, seed and spray in late July with same mix as other field, while including brassicas and WR to come later.

I think this may, at least for me, answer some questions about whether spring/fall planting is best, especially on soil that may not be the greatest. Also, will have a camera running constantly on each plot to compare usage. I often worry that if I don't plant in the spring the deer will not get used to being in the plot come fall. Even though I know from my experience with plot 2 above (planted late summer 2024-saw almost immediate and constant usage AND harvested a buck in it) this isn't really the case, but maybe I just want to be doing some planting work and can't be patient. Also, both of these plots have had some great bucks in them the past 2 years and I really want to see if the spring vs. fall planting has any impact on buck movement/usage. Red Xs in both pics are stand locations.

Thoughts or suggestions are welcome!

Plot 1: Ag to south and west, adjoining to west is 2 acre hayfield

Plot 2: Thick, steep bank to East behind stand, Large Ag field (yellow in pic, planted in WW now) to West. Plot slopes from West to East then drops off sharp bank with great bedding cover down off the slope.

 

[Telemark]

Great deer, and great story too. Well earned.

I say go with what works. It seems you have plots that work, so no reason to do anything significantly different. One thing that could possibly help is a light dose of Milo. Milo can serve double duty as structure and late season food.

Seems from your story the bucks might like a tiny bit of structure, but not so that their vision is blocked, but I could be wrong. Maybe they like it open so they can see everything. I think it's worth a try.

I think maybe one Milo plant per 10 square yards. That puts about 10 feet of space between the plants on average, so it won't block sun to the ground. It's what I'm going to try this year.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Great deer, and great story too. Well earned.

I say go with what works. It seems you have plots that work, so no reason to do anything significantly different. One thing that could possibly help is a light dose of Milo. Milo can serve double duty as structure and late season food.

Seems from your story the bucks might like a tiny bit of structure, but not so that their vision is blocked, but I could be wrong. Maybe they like it open so they can see everything. I think it's worth a try.

I think maybe one Milo plant per 10 square yards. That puts about 10 feet of space between the plants on average, so it won't block sun to the ground. It's what I'm going to try this year.

I am not too worried about the cover aspect in either plot, as both are well away from any roads and plot 2 is actually down over a hill completely secluded from any sightlines to buildings. I had bucks in it the first year from about 5 PM on and killed my buck a little after 6 PM 2 weeks into archery season. I would be interested in the milo as a different food source from the clover/WR/brassicas. The winters up there are nasty too so a little height might not hurt either. I wouldn't mind a bit more than you are describing, though I woudlnt want it to compete with the brassicas.

 

[bigboreblr]

The rototilled plot. I'd wait 2 weeks before planting. Spray the sprouted weed seeds. Could till lightly like 2 inches down to make a seedbed and help level the field. That'll probably prevent a big dose of weed seeds from awakening.

The other smaller plot. Once things wake up, spray a light dose of gly. It'll kill all the newly em,merging weed seeds and the rye, but will save the clover. Then add a moderate dose of clover seed, like 5lbs / acre and 70 lbs/acre of oats. IF you suspect more grass seed to emerge, then something that can tolerate clethodim. Chicory, canola, or other brassicas. Brassicas will probably bolt, but it will soak up excess nitrogen and be good food for your soil. Sun hemp might be a good idea. Then go back to your regular fall planting.

Someone had a great post on here about rye n clover with a spring gly cleanup spray. been looking for it maybe 4 years ago.

Both little fields, make the edges brushy. IF ou keep the side facing the big field open brush the corners by 15 feet or so. Weary guys will hug the corner and come eat a little bit sooner. With both plots make a trail or two going into the woods. Barely ATV width with a little waiting room then can run into if they feel weary. instead of wait a half hour to pop back out, they come back in 5 minutes. About small shed size with a 2 or 3 ft opening to the plot.

 

[Rubee]

Sounds like a great plan that worked well for you last season.
Did you broadcast the mix or drill?

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Sounds like a great plan that worked well for you last season.
Did you broadcast the mix or drill?

No still here..all broadcast with my solo spreader

 

[Derek Reese 29]

The rototilled plot. I'd wait 2 weeks before planting. Spray the sprouted weed seeds. Could till lightly like 2 inches down to make a seedbed and help level the field. That'll probably prevent a big dose of weed seeds from awakening.

The other smaller plot. Once things wake up, spray a light dose of gly. It'll kill all the newly em,merging weed seeds and the rye, but will save the clover. Then add a moderate dose of clover seed, like 5lbs / acre and 70 lbs/acre of oats. IF you suspect more grass seed to emerge, then something that can tolerate clethodim. Chicory, canola, or other brassicas. Brassicas will probably bolt, but it will soak up excess nitrogen and be good food for your soil. Sun hemp might be a good idea. Then go back to your regular fall planting.

Someone had a great post on here about rye n clover with a spring gly cleanup spray. been looking for it maybe 4 years ago.

Both little fields, make the edges brushy. IF ou keep the side facing the big field open brush the corners by 15 feet or so. Weary guys will hug the corner and come eat a little bit sooner. With both plots make a trail or two going into the woods. Barely ATV width with a little waiting room then can run into if they feel weary. instead of wait a half hour to pop back out, they come back in 5 minutes. About small shed size with a 2 or 3 ft opening to the plot.

I plan to wait at least 2-3+ weeks from the till time to the spraying/seeding time. I’ve jumped the gun on the seeding/spraying too soon before and am still dealing with the repercussions…there are already some good trails approaching both plots..I may actually widen them and clear them out a little into the woods/fence rows to make it easier on them. Probably not gonna do any maintenance spraying this year just to give the experiment as few additional conditions or inputs as possible.