Food plots SW Wisconsin for November

[Prairie Acres]

Longtime lurker and first time poster. I have learned a lot from reading this forum. I'm just looking for some advice on what to plant in my food plots.

I'm located in SW Wisconsin on 40+ acres. I do the majority of my hunting late-October through November. I'm interested in plots that will attract deer the most during this time period. I have three plot locations picked out; 0.75 acres, 0.65 acres and 0.25. 0.25 is fairly shaded the rest see a good amount of sun during the day. None of the plots have been farmed in decades.

The deer density is pretty high. I'm surrounded by woods, pasture, corn, bean and hay fields. My hunting land is a mix of mostly prairie grass, 5-6 acres hardwoods and 8-9 acres of wild apple trees that are overgrown with brush but produce large amounts of apples.

Equipment I have; tractor, 4' rotary tiller, drag harrow, UTV, 15-gallon trailer sprayer and a Earthway bag seeder. I will be taking soil samples on all the plots this weekend.

I'm not interested in planting soybeans or corn.

What would you plant? Thank you.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

August plant peas, brassicas, clover, chicory, over broadcast with rye in sept.

I'd expect the brassica/rye to be the late season draw.

 

[SD51555]

Nine acres of apples? Are you on an abandoned apple orchard? Holy buckets!

I might go rye and a clover, chicory too if you’re going to go perennial. I know those densities down there, and I’d want as many pounds on the late season menu as possible.

Do any of their neighboring ag fields get plowed or cover cropped? That might change that rec.


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[Prairie Acres]

Nine acres of apples? Are you on an abandoned apple orchard? Holy buckets!

Yes, about 9 acres, I used Google Earth to measure the area. There are probably 60-70 apple trees. I don't know if it's an abandoned apple orchard, there is no rhyme or reason for where the trees are located. It's difficult to walk through this area it's full of thorny shrubs. Deer like to bed and move through the area. The trees grow full size apples but none of them taste good, they are always very sour. Many hold there apples late into winter.

Do any of their neighboring ag fields get plowed or cover cropped?

I haven't seen any cover crops. Some of the fields get plowed.

 

[omicron1792]

Welcome!

I would plan on next year cleaning up the orchard and planting clover amongst the trees. Then I would start grafting the apple trees with different varieties. That will be your honey hole.

Many threads on here about how to do this. Check out @Native Hunter stuff. @CrazyEd has some good stuff too

 

[omicron1792]

Welcome!

I would plan on next year cleaning up the orchard and planting clover amongst the trees. Then I would start grafting the apple trees with different varieties. That will be your honey hole.

Or this year. Rent or pay a Forsetry mulcher. Can do in 1-2 days. Best couple of thousand you will spend. Have a 9 acre clover orchard.

Then forget the small food plots and make all those areas bedding and sanctuary.

You could set up 7-8 different stands leading to that orchard/clover/honey hole.

 

[Prairie Acres]

I'll defiantly consider cleaning up the orchard and planting clover. It's a really great suggestion. Thank you!

 

[Barndog56]

November in Wisconsin means anything still green after hard frosts. With most of the ag fields combined, anything still growing will bring them in. You never know if the deer will eat brassicas until you try it, so make sure not to plant it solo.

 

[Barndog56]

As for your apple orchard, if the deer are already bedding and moving through there, you may be better off just figuring out how to hunt it, rather than cleaning it up when you don't know how that will affect them.

 

[Tree Spud]

Longtime lurker and first time poster. I have learned a lot from reading this forum. I'm just looking for some advice on what to plant in my food plots.

I'm located in SW Wisconsin on 40+ acres. I do the majority of my hunting late-October through November. I'm interested in plots that will attract deer the most during this time period. I have three plot locations picked out; 0.75 acres, 0.65 acres and 0.25. 0.25 is fairly shaded the rest see a good amount of sun during the day. None of the plots have been farmed in decades.

The deer density is pretty high. I'm surrounded by woods, pasture, corn, bean and hay fields. My hunting land is a mix of mostly prairie grass, 5-6 acres hardwoods and 8-9 acres of wild apple trees that are overgrown with brush but produce large amounts of apples.

Equipment I have; tractor, 4' rotary tiller, drag harrow, UTV, 15-gallon trailer sprayer and a Earthway bag seeder. I will be taking soil samples on all the plots this weekend.

I'm not interested in planting soybeans or corn.

What would you plant? Thank you.

Your clovers & WR should be planted at least 6 weeks before first frost to insure some root development so they survive the winter. You should also plan to frost seed clover in Feb/March. The snow as it melts will draw the clover into the soil along with soil contraction from freezing/thawing.

Brassicas (turnip, radishes, etc.) are 70-90 day maturity so they should planted in late July. This should help provide some reasonable bulb growth.

I wouldn't touch that apple orchard until you have several years of observing and learning how the deer relate to it. When and how late do apples hang & drop? Tremendous food source. You may find that you don't need any FP's as the deer migrate through this area.

Remember, during the rut, does will need escape areas of thicker cover.

If your property boundaries are open for viewing, I would focus on planting conifers, 3 rows staggered, trees 12' apart, to screen your property.

If this is your 1st year or 2, you really should be as uninvaisive as possible. Spend 15-20 sits in a bow stand and another 7-8 gun hunting to observe the deer behavior. Remember the purpose of your property is not for farming, it is for hunting. Every time you step on the property ( a 40 a is nice, but small relative to deer range), you will be bumping deer and leaving scent.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Radishes, chicory, and annual clover would be my top three.


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[bigboreblr]

Whas growing in these fields before you got it? Plants can be indicative of soil conditions. IF the soil is clay mostly, expect to be liming. Some local AG coop rent tow behind spreaders.

I'd plan on buying some sort of spreader. You could get by with a 3ft drop spreader. With all those apples, you wont need much more for food plots.

How many people are hunting this porperty. As with any location, you need a spot for you. Work on making your setup / campsite concealed as best as you can. MAybe transplant spruce or pine trees late in the fall.

Apples are a goldmine. A friend at camp hunts a remot publc land spot by his house like that. Does really well. 9 acres is alot of work. Maybe clean up a 1/2 acre strip on the edge. This might also be your seclusion spot for your deer. Even going in 2 or 3 rows on the edge this winter and prune vines off the trees.

That little 1/4 acre plot, going to be tough to plant more than grains and clover. I'd do oats and clover in there, maybe make this a little earlier to plant spot. Give it more time with less light.

 

[omicron1792]

As for your apple orchard, if the deer are already bedding and moving through there, you may be better off just figuring out how to hunt it, rather than cleaning it up when you don't know how that will affect them.

He said it was so thick you can’t walk through it.

 

[Barndog56]

He said it was so thick you can’t walk through it.

Right, and he said deer like to bed in and move through it. I'd be afraid that if I cleaned it out, they bed elsewhere and only come to visit it at night without all of that cover.

 

[Westwind]

That sounds like the kind of place a monster hangs out. I agree that I would want to see it from a tree stand before I started doing much. Figure out how to stay out of the orchard and get no closer than the edges without disturbing it. This sounds like the kind of property I would try to ease in and out of with a climber or portable hang on and sticks like a Lone Wolf type stand.

Without seeing it if I was going to do something this year it would be a strip plot between the hardwoods and the orchard where I could get in a tree where the prevailing wind blows into the timber because I’m guessing big boy spends a lot of time in that orchard. I would stay out of that orchard as much as I could year around for now.

Again, haven't seen it but that property sounds spectacular to me. Don’t let good be the enemy of great and low impact entry and exit are going to be important. If you have a UTV or a four wheeler leave that thing at home. Year around. Your feet are your friends when you are learning your new ground. Good luck!

 

[omicron1792]

Right, and he said deer like to bed in and move through it. I'd be afraid that if I cleaned it out, they bed elsewhere and only come to visit it at night without all of that cover.

I see. You might be right. I’ve written here before that bucks don’t use the thickest stuff on my place. But thicker is thicker in the south I think.

 

[bigboreblr]

A overhead pic of this property would be helpful. Atleast we could drool in btter detail about this hidden orchard.

 

[Westwind]

It's difficult to walk through this area it's full of thorny shrubs. Deer like to bed and move through the area.

This is a probably feature not a flaw!

I'd be afraid that if I cleaned it out, they bed elsewhere and only come to visit it at night without all of that cover.

Yep.

 

[Tree Spud]

He said it was so thick you can’t walk through it.

That makes it perfect for deer cover & bedding. Here in the north, bucks relate to stem count & density, and prefer cover that is 10' - 12' high. The higher the stem count to more to their liking. I have seen mature woods where there is a single line of understory trees running for a 100 yards or so. This is where you will see them move along and create rubs & scrapes. Hard to apply southern approach to northern approach. Too many different variables.

This thicket probably gives a mature buck thick cover, some sight lines, and multiple escape routes.

Many of us here in the north are spending lots of time and resources to create this type of cover.

This may be the single most important feature relative to deer movement on this property.

Remember, it takes 5 minutes to cut a tree down, 10-20 years to regrow it.

 

[Prairie Acres]

Wow, thank you all for some very thoughtful and helpful responses! What a great community!

The number one issue with this property is access. I can only access it from the N/W. In the fall the prevailing winds seem to be N/W to W so my scent is blowing into a lot of areas I hunt on the walk in. It's frustrating. If anyone has dealt with this issue I would love to hear what has worked for you?

Thinking about it yesterday, while walking the property, with the limited amount of hardwoods/cover I have to hunt I'm reluctant to remove the thick cover in the orchard.

I'll post a couple trail camera pictures of the outside edge of the orchard...