Deer plots

[Scott K]

I am planting a few new food plots this summer, fall. I broken new ground, and have opened up a couple new plots. I am still in the middle of preparing them to plant, removing rocks, and roots. Then I plan on putting lime down, and fertilizing. What I dont know is what should I plant? And when should I plant it? This land is actually in NW Wisconsin, but  I figured NE Minnesota should have similar growing options. The soil is at 5.7 ph, but I am liming it, and I will be fertilizing as needed, I just dont know what I should plant, and when to plant it? The plots are 1 acre, and about half acre, in the middle of forest land.

 

What have you had luck growing, that the deer couldnt resist?

[certified jumbo]

We have planted just about everything out on the market and have had some incredible food plots.  For us, all we plant now is clover.  The reasons are you can get 3-5 years out of it if you mow it once or twice a summer and fertilize it and multiple species of animals love clover.  We had good success with rape, winter rye, and turnips too.  But you have to re seed and work the dirt every year.  That got to be to much for us as time is always limited.

One more thing, regardless of what you plant I would spray the plot first to kill all the weeds.

[certified jumbo]

Here is a photo looking down from my bow stand.  3 year old clover, you will notice a few weeds popping through, but overall mostly solid clover.  A couple trail cam pics from same food plot as well.

Our property probably isn't far from you.  Just south of Duluth.

[Scott K]

It looks like the clover draws them in. Which variety did you plant? White?

[certified jumbo]

Usually a mix of white, ladino and alsike.  Those 3 clovers are about $4 a pound.  We tend to seed heavy and mix with a small amount of oats as a cover crop.

[Scott K]

In case anyone is interested I have kinda made a play by play of making a deer plot in the middle of a woods, and I figured I would keep the progress updated. I thought it would be interesting to follow along until deer season, and see how well my hard work has payed off.

 

Deer plot progress

[Chill62]

Any herbicides to spray after clover is planted?  I planted clover and the weeds have taken over in a year.

[certified jumbo]

Chill 62.

When you originally sprayed were the weeds seeded out.  If so, when you disc those seeds come back with the clover. Sometimes on first time plots you need to spray turn over and spray again.  Kind of a pain.   

II'm not sure on the herbicide thing. Somebody else will need to tell you that. But if weeds are thick typically they choke out clover.  Thus a reseeding will need to happen.

foodplots are not easy.  We had plenty of failures in first years. But have it pretty figured out now.

[Scott K]

Cleth will kill the grass, and not the clover.