Food plot

[TrevorM]

Me and my two boys did a lot of work over the weekend seeing up or first plot. It's not totally clear but it was a good start. We seeded what we've cleared so it'll be interesting to see how it's doing when we go back.

[Hawkdancer]

Good luck with the plot!  That boy could probably clean and jerk that log!
Hawkdancer

[bjrogg]

That should let a little sunshine in. What type trees were living there? The old timers could tell a lot about what kind of land it was by what type of trees were growing on it. Around here they liked were the hardwoods grew for the best dirt. Needed some drainage though. The popul and birch weren't as productive but usually better drained. A lot of pine might need to check ph with soil test.

Just opening it up a little and letting some light in might already make it attractive to the wildlife. Spreading some clover or a food plot mix might really put you in the right spot.

Congratulations on your property. I'm so happy for you and your family. I wish you many generations of pleasure and respect for the environment. It's  great being a kid with some property to explore. It's even better being an adult with kids with property to explore.
Bjrogg
PS there might be someone at your county soil bank that can give you some very helpful advice about how to help create a really productive property for all types of wildlife. They have lots of ideas about how to remove or plant certain trees to create mini environments within a property.

[TrevorM]

Thanks guys! Nearly all those trees were already very dead, as you can probably tell from my son carrying that log. In fact I just pushed most of them over.

All the dead trees were pine, and it seems the lower down part of the property is mostly pine too, but there are a lot of other types around too. Several very large oaks and quite a few I'm not sure about. We had rain on the forecast so I wanted to get some seed down so I got a deer mix from the local hardware store, it probably won't do too well but I figured it wouldn't hurt. I'll get a soil test for next years planting. What's a soil bank? I know there's a big co-op near by I thought I'd go in there and see what they think (if I can find it again).

As we were clearing I found a turkey feather so there's at least something around. I've got a few trail cams so hopefully I can get an idea of what's around.

Exploring sure is a lot of fun, we've probably only seen half so far, if that. Just got to watch out for the snakes and spiders.

[Pat B]

It would be a good idea to get a soil test and let the testing agency know what you'll be planting, ie. food plot.
 Deer are browsers, they eat the local vegetation. Just liming and fertilizing the existing vegetation will draw deer. Adding a salt/mineral lick to your property can also be a draw, depending on where you like. Some places have natural salt/minerals so adding more is not necessary. And if you do add a salt lick do it away from the food plot.
 We very rarely hunted on a food plot but we hunted the trails leading to the food plot. And hunting over salt is considered hunting over bait in some areas and is illegal. Most states allow hunting near food plots because they are considered "proper agricultural practices" like hunting on a corn or bean field.

[TrevorM]

Ah I'm glad you mentioned the salt lick, I'm not sure if I need one or not but I got a couple and put one right in the middle of the plot. I'll be sure to move it when I go back down this weekend.

Is there anything you do to help attract turkey?

[Pat B]

Turkeys will eat most anything you plant for deer. Clover is one thing, nut grass(chufa) and probably any of the brasicas(kale, rape, mustard, etc). Grains would probably come later in the year for turkey hunting but would attract them during the off season.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have no first hand experience with it, but I hear planting chicory will get them excited. 

[TrevorM]

Gotcha, I think there was mustard in the mix. I'll see if I can get some of the others too.  Chicory would be worth it even if they didn't care for it, add it to my coffee in the morning

[bjrogg]

Trevor I think it's called something else now. I think the acronym is NRCS. Our county has a place where conservation programs are assisted. I buy trees from them in the spring. We also get nitrogen soil test done there.

I'm sure you can get ideas from you tube or tv shows to. I don't watch much but I have seen shows. I think mossy oak has done some on food plots. I'm guessing their seed might be pricey but you probably can get some good advice for something that would work for you.
Bjrogg

[Eric Krewson]

You can use salt in Alabama but I wouldn't put in the middle of your plot because the salt will leach into the soil and nothing will ever grow there again.

You could put a feeder up in the middle of the plot if you wanted to as they are legal in Alabama starting this year. You do have to buy a special permit to put out a feeder.

[TrevorM]

Looks like there are a couple of those NRCS's not too far from me I'll have to go check them out.

It was a nutrient block so it might be OK for the soil, but I'll move it just to be sure.

[Hawkdancer]

Might want place that block somewhat near a water source, if you have one, or near a trail leading to water.   
Hawkdancer

[TrevorM]

There's a creek at one end that I haven't actually found yet. I'll see if I can find it and put it near there.

[Eric Krewson]

We talked back and forth about food plots, I started a small one on very poor ground in the woods several years ago. It gets some sunlight but only about 50% coverage at any given time.

I put up an electric fence to keep the deer out until the wheat, oats and rye got established, I took the fence down today, the deer will be in the plot tonight. The combined green stuff is about a foot tall at this point, the deer will mow it down quickly. I put about 2 tons of barn yard fertilizer on the plot last year in the fall. This didn't make a difference last year because the stuff was very green, right out of the cows, after it broke down in the soil it made a huge difference this year. This is a small plot of about 25 yards square.

The view is from a ladder stand about 25 yards off the plot, I set everything up for a flintlock shot.