I know how you feel Buck. Same thing with me, I use to do no habitat work and shot my biggest 2 bucks. This year, I am going to set up a couple micro plots along the base of a rock ridge that the bucks follow. Plant an 1.25 care plot to àlfalfa and clover. Then I think I will stay out of even that fringe area. Pull my 1 cam n put it somewhere else
Food plots are worthless for hunting
- Thread starter BuckSutherland
- Start date
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
The thing that was not clear in your intentions was the thread title. It does not make any reference to you or your land. It can be read as a general statement about food plots. Your original post itself can be seen as using your land and the video as support for that general statement. That is what triggered some of the responses. It took me a while to realize that was not your intent, and I presume others initially read it the same way.
You and I are in different places in the cycle of hunting. I've only killed a few big bucks in my life and they were big for the area, not nationally. I would love the opportunity to shoot one, but that is far from the top of my list for hunting or management objectives. That doesn't make me any better or worse than you, just different.
I hope you can take something positive away from this thread and apply it to your land. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I'm sure there are a few other small property owners that have a uniquely situated property similar to yours who can benefit from this. I also hope it is a cautionary tale for new folks that it pays to measure twice and cut once.
Thanks,
Jack
Charles Clear
5 year old buck +
I know exactly how you feel. One time when I was newer to the site I was given a hard time looking for a protein block recipe. I was basically told how dare I use a protein feed block when I could put food plots in?! I really enjoy habitat work, but I will be honest my food plots haven't been the draw I thought they would be. I am surrounded by agriculture though, so that may have something to do with it. I really enjoy doing it though so I will continue making habitat improvements. Sometimes, if you don't agree with someone and don't have anything positive to add, you should keep scrolling and take the chest pounding elsewhere. Great info on here with great people though.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
I posted my original comment with intent, I wanted to see how you would respond. You could've responded like you did getting all defensive, or you could've simply asked what do you mean?
Do you know how times people come on here looking for simple solutions to complex hunting and habitat challenges, do everything imaginable to manipulate & disrupt their property, and then complain that they are not getting instant gratification? It grows old over time. I have learned over time there are no magic beans, A lot of hard work, a lot of frustration, and every now and then something good happens.
One of the best attributes of this site is the critical debate that goes on and ability to challenge each others thought process, without taking it personal. Your original post was designed to stir the pot, and yes my post tweaked you.
Sounds like it is cabin fever time of year, time to go play outside
Peace!
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The comments about clover trails caught my attention. I planted some of those in an effort to just have more food, and after 2 years I think it’s had a more negative effect on our hunting than a positive one. I’ve decided to let them go, but not sure whether to terminate them with herbicide or just ignore them and let grass and weeds eventually take over. I’ve thought about terminating them and planting switchgrass or something similar, but they are only a few yards wide so I’m not sure that would do much.
4wanderingeyes
5 year old buck +
I have never been a fan of trail plots, but I could see their purpose in certain instances. Personally with your, I wouldnt kill it off, but just let it go.
Myself being a small land owner, only use my plots as a destination plot, I hunt the trails to it. My land is similar to Bucks, as to my land is between a good bedding area, and the areas only food source. My food plots also have not brought in any extra bucks, but the does do hang out there. I basically hunt the same trails they naturally used to go from their bedding, to the one farmers field on the other side of me. I added a couple small destination plots that veer the deer into the center of my property, some use the plots, some dont bother. But I hunt in an area, that I can see the natural trails, and I can see the food plot from a distance, to take a rifle shot at if the right deer happens to be lingering in my plot, but I am far enough away from it, that I am not hunting it ~50 yards. Certain times the deer will veer into my food plots and grab a bite on their way to the large farmer on the other side of my land, some times they will stay on their normal trail and bypass my food plot. Either way, I can see them, the advantage of having a small parcel.
Buckly
5 year old buck +
I don’t like anything planted on trails, human or deer. I know people do it but, I like just dirt or gravel. I think the OP has it figured out, the setup of the property is not working well for hunting. There’s too much pressure in my opinion. 40 acres is hard to hunt no matter what. They just know your there even 1 person doing a couple hunts. I think a good option is some fencing and blocking to steer deer to the outsides and by stands.
roymunson
5 year old buck +
I don't know if I'd go that far... It appears some of the people on here at least have a basic concept of what English is.
I do enjoy going and watching AT burn sometimes...
Nova
5 year old buck +
All the high lighted stuff is exactly why I plant food plots. IT's MN, it's cold with lots of snow. Browse gets hammered in a hurry, now the deer are stuck with deep snow and no food. Sounds like a good place for 5-10 acres of standing corn to me. 15 years ago we had zero deer winter on our property, now we have 30-50 a year call it home all winter. Say what you want, but food plots have help our hunting 10 fold!!
FarmerDan
5 year old buck +
Ever notice how threads like this, once they get started never seem to die? They just go on and on and on. Even though everything has been said, the debate rolls on. Why's that a problem, you might ask? I can't look away! I come back again and again. Soap operas! Days of our Lives! As the Doe Turns. Bad Bucks, Bad Bucks! The quality of the writing amazes me! In a world where 95% of the population can't put five words together to make an intelligent sentence we have the most literate writers in the world. Just amazing! Absolutely! What happened to "The Wall.....?"
I think as we read the responses from other people, we think of things not yet said - like I just did.
Again, my experience has been the exact opposite as the original post - but I understand that - I have two properties eight miles apart that have few similarities - even though they are in the same habitat type. But, on a related subject to the original post, I have noticed as the acres of food plots goes up, the hunting success does not go up with it - and may even go down. And I am speaking as one of those who will get multiple daytime pics of every shooter buck in the area, in a food plot.
When I first bought my home ground, I bought 12 acres. Built a cabin on one end of it and a one acre food plot on the other. One of us was sitting in the box stand overlooking the food plot all fall. If ever a deer should have felt pressure from human intrusion, that should have been it. Every year, we killed a nice buck out of that food plot. About four years later, I bought another forty acres and added a two acre food plot and a .75 acre food plot. We still usually killed a nice buck. Over the past ten years I have added 300 more acres and added six more food plots totalling 18 more acres. We now have nine food plots. We no longer average killing one nice deer a year. We usually have about four shooters around every year. But with a much greater choice of food plots for the deer to choose - the shooter bucks dont visit any one plot with any regularity like they did when we had one or two plots. With the exception of my wife, the rest of us hunters play musical chairs, going from stand to stand, plot to plot, following game cam pics and wind direction. So the bucks are more spread out between the multiple plots - and so are the hunters - lessening the chance of an encounter between the two. When we had one or two plots, and they were the only game in town, each individual buck spent more time in those few plots - and there was more likely to be a hunter there when they showed up.
Now that i have twenty acres of winter plots, we might kill fewer bucks - but I feel it provides more for the deer
Again, my experience has been the exact opposite as the original post - but I understand that - I have two properties eight miles apart that have few similarities - even though they are in the same habitat type. But, on a related subject to the original post, I have noticed as the acres of food plots goes up, the hunting success does not go up with it - and may even go down. And I am speaking as one of those who will get multiple daytime pics of every shooter buck in the area, in a food plot.
When I first bought my home ground, I bought 12 acres. Built a cabin on one end of it and a one acre food plot on the other. One of us was sitting in the box stand overlooking the food plot all fall. If ever a deer should have felt pressure from human intrusion, that should have been it. Every year, we killed a nice buck out of that food plot. About four years later, I bought another forty acres and added a two acre food plot and a .75 acre food plot. We still usually killed a nice buck. Over the past ten years I have added 300 more acres and added six more food plots totalling 18 more acres. We now have nine food plots. We no longer average killing one nice deer a year. We usually have about four shooters around every year. But with a much greater choice of food plots for the deer to choose - the shooter bucks dont visit any one plot with any regularity like they did when we had one or two plots. With the exception of my wife, the rest of us hunters play musical chairs, going from stand to stand, plot to plot, following game cam pics and wind direction. So the bucks are more spread out between the multiple plots - and so are the hunters - lessening the chance of an encounter between the two. When we had one or two plots, and they were the only game in town, each individual buck spent more time in those few plots - and there was more likely to be a hunter there when they showed up.
Now that i have twenty acres of winter plots, we might kill fewer bucks - but I feel it provides more for the deer
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
I was in the process of making a post when this was posted so I deleted my initial post.
I think that for every land manager in the North this hits the nail on the head and is the exact reason I plot.
My hunting hasn't changed one bit since I started plotting. I didn't shoot any big bucks before and I still haven't. My plots are just planted in locations that were available. I jump deer plenty of times in the fall coming off of stand as I walk somewhat past my plots on the way back to the vehicle. People talk about entry and exit routs and what not but what is the reality of that. It doesn't matter if I'm walking past a "food plot" or just walking back to my vehicle. Lets face it, up until mid November for many of us the majority of the farm is a "food plot".
IMO, corn, soybeans, and sugar beats should be the focus of any Northern land manager. With that said I do plant cereals and a couple of brassicas but I plant them into standing soybean plots and not in plots of their own. (I do always have one clover & chicory plot but that's mainly just for rotation reasons)
Take it for what its worth but my advice would be forget about the hunting aspect and focus on the winter nutrition, and picking up sheds part of the equation.
cavey
5 year old buck +
I think we are all type 1/alpha types here and love a good fight (discussion) till the knives, guns and grenades get pulled out ... but then we still want more of it. This topic is a good one to discuss but there is no answer for it, too many variables too many differing scenarios, add time and weather -- far to many unpredictable's.... no one glove will ever fit here.
I have always believed that if you just let your property be and only went into it to hunt that probably is the best option but then we would not have a reason for a forum like this.
I have shifted from "deer hunting" to "habitat hunting" and that is a choice and change of priorities I made... Im not sure habitat/food plotting are always in direct correlation anymore and if you do both really good I think they maybe in competition with each other for time efforts and results but that is just my opinion being expressed from my experiences or lack there of. I think it can be a teeter totter thing which is likely what the OP was alluding too. Obviously we plant food plots, plant apple trees and add soft and hard mast and improve browse with the hope of killing a nice deer(s) but I have just come to terms with the fact that I love the act of doing habitat improvements. I know they are beneficial to my property and the wildlife that uses it even if it does not add to the trophy wall. I do it, spend money on it, not for the end result of putting a 160" plus buck on the wall but for what I get out of being out on the land and not in an office or pouring concrete or working a EMS call.
I think there as been a well orchestrated commercial sales pitch to buy food plot seed products and kill big bucks that has infected the hunting world. Do it because you love to do it or dont, just balance everything you do knowing the results may not always equal the effort.
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roymunson
5 year old buck +
bwoods11
5 year old buck +
Well he is the best of all time...kind of hard to argue.
roymunson
5 year old buck +
I may be wrong, but I'll still argue it... BAsed on this thread, I've learned we don't need to be rational to contribute to this forum... hahahaha
I'm must a bitter browns fan who hates everything patriots, and steelers, and ravens, and chiefs, and raiders... generally every team that's the browns.
Nova
5 year old buck +
So you are saying I am the GOAT of deer hunting/management? I'll take that...
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
So many valid opinions here I may as well not even repeat what’s been said. I’ll just say I wish I had that layout as far as bedding to food movement naturally occurring. Now just some quick thoughts I have since I don’t know the property whatsoever.
Your clover trails are displacing deer randomly all over the place. They could come from anywhere on any wind and bust you. Period. I say let those trails go fallow and naturally regrow.
I like the placement of your two smaller plots. And that’s bc it serves as a simple stop (in daylight) before moving on across the road into destination food (after dark). I would create a “sidewalk” between the two plots that doe families could use. And bc of that I would create a trail that weaves and follows the the southern side of those plots that a buck use to scent check those plots without exposing himself (daylight movement).
Your larger plot you could consider something along the lines of native grass or some evergreens in there planted in clumps with grass around it. Gives your property some fawning cover and doubles as a potential spot for an additional doe family or buck to bed in (overflow). That type of cover also doubles as a Visual barrier for you to be able to hunt a Stand or two on a freak wind condition.
I would say then define/enhance the bedding to the south of the property along the public line. When guys start walking in on the public they are gonna bump deer into your property and if it’s setup right they will bed back down on your land. Use the public hunters to your advantage. You may even consider two trails from the southern bedding area the lead to what is currently labeled your larger plot. Should help to refine the south/north movement.
There are so many options on a property like this you should consider yourself lucky. It is naturally laid out to your advantage.
Define the southern bedding. The deer start heading north towards AG across the road. They hit your plots on the way in daylight. And across the road they go at night. And plenty you can do to furthur enhance the layout from there. I will say your stand locations on a map anyway are poorly laid out. Your getting busted every time you hunt. You are no doubt being winded by deer and they are picking up your ground scent.
Your clover trails are displacing deer randomly all over the place. They could come from anywhere on any wind and bust you. Period. I say let those trails go fallow and naturally regrow.
I like the placement of your two smaller plots. And that’s bc it serves as a simple stop (in daylight) before moving on across the road into destination food (after dark). I would create a “sidewalk” between the two plots that doe families could use. And bc of that I would create a trail that weaves and follows the the southern side of those plots that a buck use to scent check those plots without exposing himself (daylight movement).
Your larger plot you could consider something along the lines of native grass or some evergreens in there planted in clumps with grass around it. Gives your property some fawning cover and doubles as a potential spot for an additional doe family or buck to bed in (overflow). That type of cover also doubles as a Visual barrier for you to be able to hunt a Stand or two on a freak wind condition.
I would say then define/enhance the bedding to the south of the property along the public line. When guys start walking in on the public they are gonna bump deer into your property and if it’s setup right they will bed back down on your land. Use the public hunters to your advantage. You may even consider two trails from the southern bedding area the lead to what is currently labeled your larger plot. Should help to refine the south/north movement.
There are so many options on a property like this you should consider yourself lucky. It is naturally laid out to your advantage.
Define the southern bedding. The deer start heading north towards AG across the road. They hit your plots on the way in daylight. And across the road they go at night. And plenty you can do to furthur enhance the layout from there. I will say your stand locations on a map anyway are poorly laid out. Your getting busted every time you hunt. You are no doubt being winded by deer and they are picking up your ground scent.
roymunson
5 year old buck +
simmer down now...
