Building a food plot

[roosterstraw]

I own right at 100 acres, all woods and on top of a pretty big hill. I plan on clearing some trees out which will be around 1 acre for a food plot. Mainly wanting a late season food source as there isn't much on the property when it comes to late season. Anyone have any tips or ideas when it comes to constructing a food plot on top of a ridge? I plan on getting soil test after I get the trees cleared and going from there. Is it possible or useful to plant a summer plot in clover then re-till and plant a late season plot such as harvest salad in September? I will also use a screen around the plot.

 

[Dukslayr]

A couple thoughts that come to my mind. The very first thing I would think about before clearing out a new food plot like that would be making sure I could get in and out of it without goofing it up (accounting for wind). It’s exlebsive to clear timber, remove stumps, etc so I would definitely want to make sure I could get in and out to a couple of different stand sites on the plot without ruining the hunting (presuming you’re hunting on or close to the plot).

I am not not sure if you need much of a screen with a 1 acre plot tucked that far back into the woods. My assumption is that the cover is fairly thick and the deer will feel fairly secure there regardless of if you screen the plot (unless that’s part of your need to get in and out).

I have had great success with periannual clover in my woods plots. With care and maintenance you can have a low cost 3-5 year plot that’s nearly a year round draw. I would routinely have deer in my plots during snow and ice digging down to the green clover underneath. Your plan of rotating annual clovers and a fall mix would be fine too if you have the time to do so. Getting enough lime back in there could be a treat depending on what your samples show.

 

[roosterstraw]

A couple thoughts that come to my mind. The very first thing I would think about before clearing out a new food plot like that would be making sure I could get in and out of it without goofing it up (accounting for wind). It’s exlebsive to clear timber, remove stumps, etc so I would definitely want to make sure I could get in and out to a couple of different stand sites on the plot without ruining the hunting (presuming you’re hunting on or close to the plot).

I am not not sure if you need much of a screen with a 1 acre plot tucked that far back into the woods. My assumption is that the cover is fairly thick and the deer will feel fairly secure there regardless of if you screen the plot (unless that’s part of your need to get in and out).

I have had great success with periannual clover in my woods plots. With care and maintenance you can have a low cost 3-5 year plot that’s nearly a year round draw. I would routinely have deer in my plots during snow and ice digging down to the green clover underneath. Your plan of rotating annual clovers and a fall mix would be fine too if you have the time to do so. Getting enough lime back in there could be a treat depending on what your samples show.

My access is to the SW of the property and you can see the trail in the satellite picture going up towards the potential plot and past it. I would plan to hunt the plot with a N-NW wind. However, I also plan to hunt over the hill to the west of the potential plot with a N wind so I would goof up the plot on those days that I hunt that stand. I will also have stands in the middle saddle, NE of the property and on a bench on the East side of the property. The screen would help me get past the plot when I plan on hunting the saddle and the stand over the hill to the West of the plot. I have a right away up the hill I access with my truck so I can get lime to there. Just wonder if it would help keep deer on the property and give them more food. An acre isn't really all that big so it may be a waste of time.

 

[Dukslayr]

My access is to the SW of the property and you can see the trail in the satellite picture going up towards the potential plot and past it. I would plan to hunt the plot with a N-NW wind. However, I also plan to hunt over the hill to the west of the potential plot with a N wind so I would goof up the plot on those days that I hunt that stand. I will also have stands in the middle saddle, NE of the property and on a bench on the East side of the property. The screen would help me get past the plot when I plan on hunting the saddle and the stand over the hill to the West of the plot. I have a right away up the hill I access with my truck so I can get lime to there. Just wonder if it would help keep deer on the property and give them more food. An acre isn't really all that big so it may be a waste of time.

My guess is they would be all over an acre plot in that timber. With your access to the property being to the SW I would be potentially concerned with the need to go by the plot every time you’re going in and out to hunt. I cleared out 3/4 of an acre right behind my hunting camp that I had to go past 50% of the time that I was hunting...bucks never used in daylight but would at night. Ultimately it turned into a fantastic place to shoot does out of the kitchen during late season though!

Interesting thing though, I never hunted that plot (outside of from my kitchen door 100 yards away) but the two biggest bucks I have killed were killed 100 yards off the edge of the plot, in a drainage ditch between that ridge and the next. The bucks may not have used it directly during the day, but they still cruises around it.

 

[roosterstraw]

My guess is they would be all over an acre plot in that timber. With your access to the property being to the SW I would be potentially concerned with the need to go by the plot every time you’re going in and out to hunt. I cleared out 3/4 of an acre right behind my hunting camp that I had to go past 50% of the time that I was hunting...bucks never used in daylight but would at night. Ultimately it turned into a fantastic place to shoot does out of the kitchen during late season though!

Interesting thing though, I never hunted that plot (outside of from my kitchen door 100 yards away) but the two biggest bucks I have killed were killed 100 yards off the edge of the plot, in a drainage ditch between that ridge and the next. The bucks may not have used it directly during the day, but they still cruises around it.

I would be about in the same boat as you as going by the plot 50% of the time. But as you pointed out is what I was hoping for during the rut. Bringing bucks in to scent check it. Not necessarily using the plot to eat from during the rut but using the right wind to scent check for does and hopefully drawing them in late season to eat from it. Do your mature bucks not use your 3/4 acre plot during the late season?

 

[Dukslayr]

I would be about in the same boat as you as going by the plot 50% of the time. But as you pointed out is what I was hoping for during the rut. Bringing bucks in to scent check it. Not necessarily using the plot to eat from during the rut but using the right wind to scent check for does and hopefully drawing them in late season to eat from it. Do your mature bucks not use your 3/4 acre plot during the late season?

They didn’t much during daylight at the place I previously mentioned. I sold that place last year and I’m working on setting up a new place now.