Food plot progression over the years.

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I seem to be at grains n clovers for 4 or 5 years now. Focus is moreo n soft mast past few years.

Wondering what you guys have tinkered with over the years, and why you're where you're at now.

I've been trying to shy away from fertilizer use. Bags are getting pricey. Hard enough to keep your soils limed properly.

Been liking the grains n clover because it's easy to do with mininal equipment, doesn't cost alot, and can be done on rougher ground where plows and seeders would have trouble working in and/or traveling to the spot.

 

[Catscratch]

Did Throw-n-mow for about 30yrs. Clovers and cereal grains mostly with some experimenting with big seed like beans and pumpkins.

Recently started tilling some of my plots.

TnM is great with good rains. Tillage is more involved. I'm getting more consistent results with tillage... and I like to play in the dirt. Will probably continue to do both but likely will expand more ground with the disc.

 

[Mike]

I like a grains and clover rotation. I have done a 50/50 mix of Oats and Wheat last couple years. Next late summer will use the grains as a nurse crop and get a perennial white clover mix going again. Once established I have had good luck keeping those clover blends going with mowing and weed management for 3-5 years. After that I usually cash in on all the banked nitrogen from the clover and do annuals for a couple years. When It comes to annuals I just find that the Cereal grains Oats/Wheat/Rye are super easy to plant and feed deer as well as giving me something green to hunt over. I guess it just depends on your deer but in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan they smash the Cereal grains.

 

[SwampCat]

For deer, I am all wheat and clover or just wheat. It is easy, relatively inexpensive, I dont have a bunch of different plots that need different applications, and deer like it. No fertilizer

For ducks, it is jap millet.

I dont know what to use for doves anymore. I think doves have more or less abandoned the area. I have pretty much tried it all.

I dont plant trees outside of my personal use orchard that has water access. They die.

 

[SD51555]

I view everything through the lens of opportunity cost. Every output has a cost in time, money, effectiveness, and space utilization. This is why I've moved to throw and roll. Don't need a mower and I can roll faster than I can mow.

No fertilizer and nearly no chemicals means more money in my pocket for other things (like 100 elderberry bushes). Fewer chores means I can do other things with the time I have like trail maintenance, yard enhancement, gardening, preserving, relaxing, etc.

Effectiveness can find the upper limit of your output needs. I've said for a long time, it's not just about planting something the deer will eat, it's also about knowing when they will eat it. Plots getting demolished before we're ready to hunt is by all definitions, a failure. (exclude plots geared towards nutrition). Effectiveness is also about success rate. Most guys do not have a plan to beat a lack of rain. That is also a fail when it happens. Deer can't eat excuses.

Space utilization goes with effectiveness. I don't want to manage any more acres than I have to. There are only so many jerks the ATV transmission will take from pulling the packer in it's life. Gonna be a whole lot less with three acres than six. So I have to have the best output on those three.
So, I wage war on every aspect of it. I want the trophy for the highest outputs with the lowest inputs, and the most resilient plots to drought, flood, weeds, and overgrazing.

 

[SD51555]

Recently started tilling some of my plots.

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[Catscratch]

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Huge grin!!!

 

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I did a test on my meager 1/2 acre home plot. Rye with a bit of oats and clover. 1/3 was spread then till, till then spread, and last 1/3 was just spread. All sprayed before and rolled in with a lawn roller afterward. Till then spread seeming to be n the lead this past fall. All look pretty even right now.