I'm no Farmer

[P. Beyer]

Hello, Here is the deal. Me and (1) buddy have landed access to 80
or so acres for at least the next five years (after this year)[:(]
I know it's not a ton of land, but it's surronded by HUGE farms on all sides.

Anyway, The landowner said to treat it as if it were our own. Sooooo
In the planning process, I'd like to have 2 decent sized food plots, and 3-5 smaller plots. From all I've read I'd like to go with some Whitetail Imperial clover, and maybe a blend also (Cabelas Fall blend etc.) Something in that line.

Question/problem.... I'm <b>no</b> farmer. So what do I need to do, Besides the soil test? How long through the season would these plots be good for? When to plant? How to care for them? ETC, ETC.........

If someone, or somebodys could help, I'd really appreciate it. Were not wanting to "grow" monster bucks per say, Just provide the wildlife with an abbundant food source, attract and hold them to our parcel, and <i>MAYBE</i> improve our odds!!

Thanks,
P.Beyer

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

[ez]

looks like you have all the food plots around you already planted if these so called farms are into growing corn, beans ect.....set-up and hunt...........ez

[P. Beyer]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ez</i>
<br />looks like you have all the food plots around you already planted if these so called farms are into growing corn, beans ect.....set-up and hunt...........ez
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Yepper, They're into corn & beans, Ya know rotate em' every year.
I'd just like a litle edge. Attract and hold em' on our parcel!


Thanks

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

[Strutter]

The best thing to do is get a soil sample and the go to your local farm store and buy some ladino clover after prepping the plot. The stuff in the fancy bags is mostly sales hype in my opinion. I put out ladino and red clovers and a plot of grain sorghum which I oversowed with winter wheat after the deer had eaten most of the seed heads. Going to mow the sorghum stalks down this week and the wheat is growing good. I also put out an acre of oats this year that they haven't started on yet. I sowed my clovers in late February after I had burnt the fields off and they came up great. Only problem I have is lack of deer in my area lately. The sorghum plot gets eaten quickly but it is only about a 1/3 of an acre. You would do well to talk with CSS as he can answer all your questions as to how best to proceed. He helped me so well that I have fattened up the deer on my farm to the point that they can't get away from the coyotes. I guess that's where thay all went anyway.

[GSP]

What is on the 80 acres now? If it is scrub land surrounded by grain fields, develop your "cover" habitat. Chain-saw down a couple of 1/2 acre patches of scrub and let it go. You will have full time browse and cover then. That is better than food plots.
On open ground, plant winter wheat.

[yotekiller]

Hey strutter i know someone who can help you out[:D]

[perry_max]

I can't see how these fancy deer clover blends are anything more than ladino clover at twice the cost!!Just go to the local feed and seed and buy some ladino clover,but wait until March to plant.Plant a few plots of wheat in the fall and fertilize.Save your money!!

[gates]

50# winter wheat $3.50
200# 10-10-10 $15.00
one acre just mowed short and lightly disked near cover
Keep it quiet
Hunt
shoot deer

Keep it simple. The deer have every thing they need for food during the spring and summer with the farms. You need to provide a winter food sorce and QUITE bedding areas. Do you know how many pounds of forage is in one acre of wheat? If you plant many plots the deer will be scattered and you will be mowing food and letting it rot. Small, safe plots that the deer can keep eaten down are much better. Stay out of the thick areas as much as possible. Hunt trails leading away from the plot in the mornings, NOT THE PLOT. Hunt the plot in the evenings. If you do go with 2 plots, space them as far apart as possible.

James

[Wes Parrish]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gsp</i>
<br />. . . develop your "cover" habitat. Chain-saw down a couple of 1/2 acre patches of scrub and let it go. You will have full time browse and cover then. That is better than food plots.
On open ground, plant winter wheat.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
That's what I would do. I think food plots are overrated. Probably better off spending the same money on more lime and fertilizer applied to native vegetation. "Cover" - thick, undisturbed bedding cover - will be of much more value to you during hunting season.

[P. Beyer]

Thanks for the tips guys, The area is approx 65-70% wooded, a small 1 1/2 acre pond, the rest is open with some corn/beans (depending on year) Another reason for wanting the supplemental plots other than a nutrional standpoint for the deer.....

The Kiddies, We both have 2 kids, 7 & 9 year olds, I'd like to develop a place where we can hunt with and teach our children and hopefully improve the odds of our kids getting to SEE game.

I'd really just like to know the basics, or how to get started.

Thnks Again,
P. Beyer

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

[Wildcat]

I don't know how I missed this. I have a set up on one of the farms just like you do, the farms on 2 sides grow corn and beans. I did what Wes and others said "cover" 5 yeas ago and now the deer bed on my farm. I also fertilize the honeysuckle every other year.

[INKYHUNTER]

Gates, when do you plnat winter wheat?

[KYhunter]

Labor Day.

[Multidigits]

You can plant wheat in the spring also. Soon as the ground temp. risesa bit.