Squid shaped food plot?

[Joe7296]

Has anybody had experience with a squid or octopus shaped food plot (circlular body with squiggly legs radiating off)?

I have a ~2 acre brushy field that is already screened in willow brush. I wanted to add a kill type plot off that and more potential food acreage. So, I was thinking of clearing the field except a divider strip down the middle, and then adding 4 linear food plots off that, each approximately 15yds x 100yds. Where the legs meet the circular plot is a 20ft elevation change to a flat area, so the main plot can’t see down the legs and vice versa. One side of the main plot/legs junction is a ¼ pond that helps reinforce that pinch. Also, I was hoping that the triangles between the legs would start my doe bedding, and make an ideal location for a cruising trail on the downwind side. I have really solid access from the south and the property is thick so I think I’d be able to sneak into the potential stand sites easily and have them be huntable shot distances for both crossbow and rifle.

Below is a drawing of what it would look like. The property is a 70acre rectangle with long edges running east to west

 

[jsasker007]

The divider strip you talk about does work. I have some similar features that I added with some spruce and pine trees and the deer follow that daily when they come out to the plot. That will work.

 

[SwampCat]

I would hate to plant that

 

[Joe7296]

I would hate to plant that

haha yes, I'll try to make it tractor friendly (i have a 30hp ford), but some spots might just get clover if I can't easily get grain or brassicas

 

[jsasker007]

Maybe just make the ends of the tentacles as wide as you need to make your turns with whatever equipment you have if that's possible?

 

[Joe7296]

Maybe just make the ends of the tentacles as wide as you need to make your turns with whatever equipment you have if that's possible?

Yea I was planning to rent a dozer for a while this summer to make trails, level some plots, pull out some timber, etc.. so I’ll make sure things are in order

 

[Turkey Creek]

I think it has potential depending on topography and existing deer bedding and travel routes.

 

[gjs4]

On Calamari Acres I see a weak spot.....

Your entry route, and/or other areas, will likley have thermals educating deer as to who is in the plot (whether, a mate, a foe or a fella with your name). Yes, I know if it is a box blind....but if youre after older deer and day time movement.....your magic trick will be found out quickly. I think the shape is pretty awesome....but the tentacles will have lots of does around them (or at least as i envision it) which is great and not great (aka security system). With two acres, and again my assumption, adjacent buck travel would prevail over interior without knowing the crops, time of day, time of year and social/hunting pressures

 

[Joe7296]

On Calamari Acres I see a weak spot.....

Your entry route, and/or other areas, will likley have thermals educating deer as to who is in the plot (whether, a mate, a foe or a fella with your name). Yes, I know if it is a box blind....but if youre after older deer and day time movement.....your magic trick will be found out quickly. I think the shape is pretty awesome....but the tentacles will have lots of does around them (or at least as i envision it) which is great and not great (aka security system). With two acres, and again my assumption, adjacent buck travel would prevail over interior without knowing the crops, time of day, time of year and social/hunting pressures

There isn't much elevation change except for a small 10-20 foot drop where the main 2 acres would meet the tentacles. Either side of that is flat - maybe 10ft drop per 100 yards. A 20ft topo map only shows one line on the entire area I want to turn into a plot. So, I'm not sure if I will get much for thermals..?

Access to the box blind on the field will be out my garage, across a little lawn, through a pig and chicken pasture, and then 30 more yards beyond that. The pasture will have a deer proof 8ft fence because there are fruit trees for the pigs and chickens that I don't want to share with the deer - they get their own stuff in more desirable locations. So I was hoping that access would be about bulletproof. Then for the other box blind, I'll skirt the southern border of my property and come into the blind perpendicularly up a creek/ditch, so I thought that would be pretty good access too.

 

[Joe7296]

Also, I'm not sure if I explained the elevation properly. It drops down from the main body to the tentacles. So if there was a thermal it wouldn't be a problem when entering in the afternoon as it would be going opposite of the tentacles (exiting might be a problem if deer havent made it up to the main plot - I might have to eat dinner in the blind and wait them out haha). Accessing the blind below the tentacles in the morning would also have a thermal flow away from the tenacles for a morning sit, and they'd hopefully go down the creek.

 

[TreeDaddy]

That whole finger concept intrigues me

Bill ( administrator) discussed a variation on this theme in another post somewhere

bill

 

[bigboreblr]

Trails do not need to be small foodplots. They can be little waiting rooms. I got little 15x15 spots I mow in my backyard. They can go in there and spend a few minutes to check things out. They here a wierd noise, they scoot to that little spot and usually come back in a few minutes.

Creating trails to the plots. It can be as basic as using lopping shears to make a small walking path. That makes a noticeable effect on trail movement.

I like the brush divider.

Instead of an ocotopus, make a kidney shaped plot. That way you can tuck that one box blind in to see right down the barrel of those octopus fingers.

I know people do it, but I have trouble thinking box blinds are for bow hunting. You doing bow stands too. I'd do 3 fingers rather than 4.


I hunted a 110 acre parcel where the owner did this. He would brush hog 1/3 of this property every year. Fanning out from his blind. He would brush hog it high. Basically was knocking down the brush from getting too high. Something you could try.

2 acres is not too huge where you need to worry about deer being comfortable too much. You could divide the whole 2 acres into 2 or 3 big spots. Get the box blind located where you can see into most of it, then make some trail head fingers that lead out to those smaller walking path sided spots.

Im guessing here, but you think the eastern side of the property has little to no pressure?

 

[Joe7296]

I don’t think there is much pressure to the East - it’s about 3/4 of a mile until a house in that direction. Also I know the trails don’t have to be food but I was leaning that way because 3 or 4 fingers each 15yds x 100yds of food makes the total go from 2 acres (circle plot) to about 3.5 acres total. I’m a little worried about having enough food… I’m central ny, so not a big woods area, but i happen to be on the edge of a big block of woods that runs 2+ miles x 1 mile without any houses, roads, etc. So, I have a feeling my property will be a deer sink once improvements have all been made

 

[omicron1792]

Strategic Food Plot Designs: Try the Wagon Wheel | National Deer Association

deerassociation.com

 

[omicron1792]

 

[Brian662]

Wagon wheel or turkey foot are popular variations for gun hunting that come to mind. This would be similar with a larger destination type field nearby.

I don't have any experience with it, but I don't have any reason to believe it wouldn't work.