Food plot pics

[Dutch]

Here is a pic of the brassicas we planted. I'd guess about 18 inches tall or so. Very interesting in that they are not browsing any of it yet, EXCEPT the Groundhog Radishes. They are literally eating each one, and ignoring the rest. You talk about finicky eaters, sheesh.



Here is a log landing, and unseen is the log trail behind that stretches for about 150 yds maybe. A month ago, they were not touching this clover, now, its about 3 inches tall vs 8-10 inches a month ago.



Here is a pic of the brassicas beside my main clover plot. Clover is in it's last year and will next year be oats and brassica, I think.

[bake545]

Looks good brad. Deer are hitting mine pretty good already. Loves those mountain pics.

[Deleted]

alright already the itch has hitten me hard today can't wait to get out but need to find time to scout!

[Dutch]

Yes Stroupy, getting there myself.

[bushmaster]

Plots look great! Mine are a little weedy, but clover is getting thick and my turnips and beets are huge. The deer mowed the snow peas down right away.

[Dutch]

Snow peas or winter peas??

[bake545]

I always wanted to plant winter peas but never could find them locally and wasn't paying shipping.

[Dutch]

I know they love the winter peas, but seems like they scarf them up in no time, well before the season.

[Dutch]

I like the brassicas because they just provide so much tonnage in the fall. Wish I had the money to develop more of the plot so I could have a cereal grain in for the winter as well.

[Deleted]

Nice lookin food plots there dutch!! Now you just need some deer to eatem!! lol

[bushmaster]

Not sure, they where peas that made it to about 6" before they where gone!

[dougell]

It is crazy how picky they can be.That's one of the reasons habitat management is so hard for people to grasp.It also seems like at different times of the year and in different places deer will eat stuff that you'd think wouldn't be prefered.I used watch deer wade through thousands of red oak acorns in my yard to browse on the striped maple along the edge.

[Dutch]

Where I hunt, they hammer the jewel weed during the summer. Put a trail cam over the area and amazed how many buks walked thru there.

[Dutch]

A few years ago, I mixed 50/50 dwarf essex rape and purple top turnips into a food plot.

In October I noticed that the rape was disappearing. They were selectively feeding on the rape, and not the turnips.

The rape was smoothe, the turnips had little sticky hairs on the underside and I THINK that was all the difference.

Eventually, they ate everything tho.

[Bill]

Those plots look great!

[Dutch]

Oct 2, 2013 15:11:44 GMT -5 Bill said:

Those plots look great!

Thank you. Its tough managing food plots that are 200 miles away from home.

The brassica plot got 1500 lbs of lime at planting, and 100 lbs of urea and the clover will get the same amount of lime next year before we do a fall planting there.

I have a small plot on the top of the mountain that will need 3-400 lbs next year, gotta haul that in bags on the atv. Lots of work, but neat when we flush grouse close by to those clover plots, and you know they are in there eating the clover.

[woodsrat]

Hey, The plots look great!
Good luck this season on them.

[Dutch]

Thank you Rod. This season is all about the kids, and also the 55 year old newbie female hunter we are taking.

[bushmaster]

Brad I could use some mentoring! Wouldn't mind one bit hunting those plots.

[woodsrat]

Oct 4, 2013 8:50:33 GMT -5 Dutch said:

Thank you Rod. This season is all about the kids, and also the 55 year old newbie female hunter we are taking.

Good luck to all of them!

[fleroo]

Can you send me the seed that you used last year ? It seems that your Brassica plot sprouts shapely women in jeans, plaid shirts, and painted nails.

[bushmaster]

I was thinking about this years plots over the weekend. The clover plots will just get sprayed, fertilized and mowed this season. We will plant some turnip strips on the edges of 3 clover fields, and plow up a new 1/2 acre turnip patch as well. Can't wait, I'm getting the itch to do a little farming!

[Dutch]

Mar 13, 2014 10:12:13 GMT -5 fleroo said:

Can you send me the seed that you used last year ? It seems that your Brassica plot sprouts shapely women in jeans, plaid shirts, and painted nails.

Special blend from SW PA!

[lanceoutfitters]

I don't know much about Eastern US habitat, but here in Nebraska we have miles and miles of food for deer most if not all year round. Keeping that in mind, I cannot get the deer to eat any sort of brassicas. They do mow down several different varieties out here though. No matter how much food we have they still do a number on the soybeans when they are green and growing. Soybeans, peas and lab lab all are very desirable plants for the Deer around here. The are also very nutritious for them. If a child likes to eat spinach, broccoli, carrots and cucumbers you let them eat it too a point. I have seen the problem of Deer over grazing a plot and killing it in the process. Adding a cover crop, fencing of (or rotational grading), increasing plot size and wise variety mixes at all ways I use to keep the plots alive but still give ample foliage for the deer to feed upon. Like I said every property is different in every different state. Soil consistence/acidity, typography, and ease of access are all things to consider surely.

[dougell]

Deer are just flat out picky eaters and it varies from area to area.I used to watch them walk right over fresh acorns laying my yard to browse on striped maple growing along the edge.