[sethg25]

I was wondering what everyone was using or suggesting to use for a good solid late fall/winter food plot. Im thinking about planting turnips, winter oats, winter rye with some clover.
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[at1010]

that sounds pretty good to me, Darron will chime in and be able to give you even better advice on actual experience with those. I am still experimenting on my own.

 

[Wildman18]

I don't know what size area you have for food plot's but If I were you and you have space why not find out for your self...

I did this a few years back I did half of my plot in a turnip mix and I did the other half in winter wheat..

If you have the space do 1/4 in winter rye clover then 1/4 in winter wheat/clover then 1/4 Turnip mix and lastly a clover oat's... Then see what your deer like the most.. Mine liked the wheat more than turnips.. You can add chickory to them also and if the winter is as weak as last years all will be there in the spring mine were this year.

That's My opinion.. All 4 will get action but again you will find out there fav's. This will work even if each plot is 50 ft by 30 ft.

 

[Darron B]

I like strip plotting one field.....this way you have multiple forages in one field.....like a buffet if you will

strip of winter rye/oat/pea/clover mix

strip of brassicas

strip of clover

The brassicas can be very hit and miss. Some areas the deer love them and others the deer won't touch them. If you don't wan to to take the gamble add a couple #'s of radishes in with the rye mix above.

I personally am starting to go away from brassicas myself. The deer wipe out the strips so fast to where I always find myself over seeding rye in October anyways.......Next month I plant to take my largest field (3/4 acre) and plant a couple strips of my winter rye mix. The field is in clover now, so what I don't till up will stay in clover. This way the deer can go from strip to strip eating either clover, oats, winter rye or peas.

I also have a couple more small areas (1/8th-1/4 acre) that I will plant to the rye mix above. I have tried planting brassicas in these smaller fields and it's literally a waste of time and $......just as would be planting beans there. The rye mix can withstand heavy pressure.

 

[Wildman18]

I like strip plotting one field.....this way you have multiple forages in one field.....like a buffet if you will

strip of winter rye/oat/pea/clover mix

strip of brassicas

strip of clover

The brassicas can be very hit and miss. Some areas the deer love them and others the deer won't touch them. If you don't wan to to take the gamble add a couple #'s of radishes in with the rye mix above.

I personally am starting to go away from brassicas myself. The deer wipe out the strips so fast to where I always find myself over seeding rye in October anyways.......Next month I plant to take my largest field (3/4 acre) and plant a couple strips of my winter rye mix. The field is in clover now, so what I don't till up will stay in clover. This way the deer can go from strip to strip eating either clover, oats, winter rye or peas.

I also have a couple more small areas (1/8th-1/4 acre) that I will plant to the rye mix above. I have tried planting brassicas in these smaller fields and it's literally a waste of time and $......just as would be planting beans there. The rye mix can withstand heavy pressure.

They don't hit them that hard at all in my area.. As I have stated they walked right through them to get to the other side of the plot where I had wheat..

 

[Darron B]

They don't hit them that hard at all in my area.. As I have stated they walked right through them to get to the other side of the plot where I had wheat..

I have yet to see any deer turn their nose up at cereal grains, clover and peas.

 

[JBSedon]

Whens the best time to plant winter time mixtures?

If you could only plant one type of forage, Darron, which would you choose?



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[Darron B]

Whens the best time to plant winter time mixtures?

If you could only plant one type of forage, Darron, which would you choose?

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The most affordable forages include cereal grains and brassicas. You find these for cheap and they don't take fertilizing like corn. You can also plant these in small plots unlike beans and corn.

If I could only plant one mix? rye, oats, peas and clover. The rye will stay green all winter long and never die out until it matures the following spring. The oats and peas are the candy of this mix. Deer will start on these as soon as they jump out of the ground. The clover will spring to life the next spring meaning this food plot is never bare. It is always providing something. One can also add radishes, but that is optional.

This mix also works well for those that don't have equipment or have areas they cannnot get equip into. In this case.......the two forages that work best include the rye and clover. Spray and kill all the weeds in the area and then in august before a good rain broadcast the rye and clover over the killed sod. In a matter of 7-14 days you'll start seeing a nice green carpet of rye. Winter wheat also does well by simpling broadcasting into killed sod.

How much does this cost per acre?

Rye- $20 (56#)
oats- $20 (100#)
Peas- $40 (40#)
Clover - $30-40 (8-10#)

For around $110 you can plant an acre. Try doing that with corn.....I rarely fertilize the above mix and it jumps out of the ground and my soils are not great. The deer seem to eat it well too.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Could you get multiple years of useage out of one planting of that mix, Darron?

 

[S.Larger]

How much does this cost per acre?

Rye- $20 (56#)
oats- $20 (100#)
Peas- $40 (40#)
Clover - $30-40 (8-10#)

For around $110 you can plant an acre.

What is the maintenance on this plot mix? Does it need mowed or a bunch of sun light?

 

[Wildman18]

Turnips can re-seed them-selves. Clover will last a few and longer if over seeded. peas I don't think so. I let my rye go to seed, I don't know if it will come up though.

I string trim mine down Thats all I can get down there. It takes a while but worth it.. Chickory can last a second season. Atleast mine Planted last fall and still growing. Lime helps a bunch. Sunlight: 5 to 6hr's will grow a good plot. less will be thin more will be thicker..

 

[S.Larger]

What would be good for planting inside a wooded area?

 

[Wildman18]

Not much... If it is a logging road or something like that then you could throw some rye clover mix. but you need sun, also the leaves will fall on the new seed and smother it out. Salt block/mineral lick is all I can really think of.

 

[S.Larger]

Alright thanks for the info

 

[turkeybuster]

What would be good for planting inside a wooded area?

Cut ya some trees out an then hinge cut some on 3 sides to give them cover

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[Mossback]

I've never put in a food plot before but decided at the last minute to experiment this year.

After returning from shooting a round of sporting clays on Sunday I loaded up the ATV, threw in some fertilizer, a bag of annual mix (winter oats, winter rye, purple top turnips and clover, in that order) and headed to the farm. I had the blade on the ATV and knocked down weeds along the edge of corn fields until I found some bare spots where the corn hadn't developed. I roughed the dry soil up with the blade, spread seed and raked it over. Probably only planted a little over a quarter acre total spread in three spots. They aren't ideal locations but are within watching distance of some of my stands. I also placed two trail cameras to monitor activity.

The rains came yesterday and finished off my work. Now I'll just wait and see what happens. If it looks worthwhile I'll prepare earlier next year and put a little more effort into it.

 

[Wildman18]

You will be happy as long as it comes up..

 

[coonskinner]

wildman you oughta come join our band of merry men...we can use another public land big boy slayer...:bouncy:

 

[Wildman18]

I usually only hunt up there for gun season, but this year I think I am coming up there for a couple of days during the second week of rut with Buckstar and a couple of other guys. We will stop out if all goes though... I will let you no as it gets closer..

Thanks for the invite..

 

[coonskinner]

I usually only hunt up there for gun season, but this year I think I am coming up there for a couple of days during the second week of rut with Buckstar and a couple of other guys. We will stop out if all goes though... I will let you no as it gets closer..

Thanks for the invite..

dang i thought i posted this in your...death to my plot...sorry original poster...