Spring/Summer Food Plots

[N80]

I've managed to scratch a few small food plots in the rocky, clay soil on my place. Largest is maybe 1/3 acre. Smaller ones are no more than strips through the woods. Planted oats in the fall with okay results for the type of low budget operation I have (tractor, box blade scarifiers, hand push fertilizer spreader.)

I'm wondering what to plant in the spring for deer (and turkey to a lesser extent). Again, low budget. Whatever it is will have to be broadcast.

Plan on 'tilling' (with box blade teeth) and liming this weekend.

I'm in SC. Within a few weeks we will be unlikely to see any more frost.

Any thoughts? Chufa? Some type of clover? I'm new at this and need all the help I can get. Thanks.

 

[MDM]

I planted a couple small patches of Bio-Logic Full Draw a couple of years ago. It turned out nice. The only problem is it was annual. If I do it again, I'm going to plant something similar that is perrenial. That way it will last a few years.

 

[EddieWalker]

George,

I've failed at everything I've tried so far, but I'm still trying. hahaha Clover was about the worse disaster, but bird seed wasn't any better. Of the mixes that I bought from Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop, bio logic was the only one I saw deer eating in.

I was talking to a local guy the other day who puts in food plots for aliving for some of the larger ranches here in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. He said that Austrian Peas are the best. So that's what I'm going to use next.

There is allot of guys on the hunting forums who like Lab-Lab and I'm curious about it too, but when I tried to buy some, I couldn't find it locally. He said it's ok, but not as good as the peas for bringing in the deer.

I've also seen CRP fields full of deer in the Rocky Mountians. Some of the biggest bucks you can imagine were out there eating away about a month before opening day. Two of them were over 30 inches wide, another had double drop tines and there were three others who were solid trophy 4x4's. On the other side of the field was a huge 6x6 elk. It was private property and the owner didn't allow hunting, but from the road, it was the most impresive thing I've ever seen!!!

I looked online for CRP seed mixtures and what they have, but it seems like stuff that grows in other areas then here in East Texas. You might want to try looking up CRP information in your area. See what's in them and copy your own mixture. I wouldn't buy it already mixed as the prices I saw were crazy. There are grazing mixtures, and wildflower mixtures. Be sure of what you're looking at. hahaha

Eddie

 

[Podunkadunk]

Soybeans, cowpeas, heck, any type of peas. You can even buy some black-eye peas in a bag from the grocery store (dry type in plastic bag) and plant those. They'll come up. I'm not sure about broadcasting them though...don't know if it will work. You can try, they are so cheap, what's a buck fitty for a bag if they don't come up. I do know if you push a small hole about and inch deep, inch and a half, with a hoe handle, drop in the pea, it will come up. Fertilize as you see fit, not really required, but they'll do a lot better if you put some say triple 10 on them.

You can broadcast corn seed and get some volunteers.

Clover is good, yes.

I'd just plant a garden, try to keep the deer out with a makeshift fence. After you're done with it, I take the fence down and let 'em have it.

If you have a lot of acorn producing oaks around your property, you have their favorite food source right there

They also love persimmons. You can buy 5 trees for about 15-20 bucks (no pun intended) and plant them. In a few years, you'll have one of their favorite fruits. Persimmons grow wild around here, not sure about south kakalakee. I think persimmons were introduced to the US from the orient/china in the 1800's. They are hardy and produce a lot of fruit. The good thing about planting oaks or persimmons is, once it's done, you're done...they'll keep producing with no maintenance.

Google "southern food plots for deer". Tons of ideas...
Podunk

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. I've got tons of white oaks and had the best acorn crop I've ever seen this year. There were days when big fat white oak acorns were coming down like rain.

I think the hogs got more than the deer and turkeys and squirrels put together.

The deer came to the oats that I planted and kept them grazed down to about an inch or two all season. Saw does and little bucks in the oats, no big ones.

Got persimmons all over the place but they don't produce much. Probably need to fertilize them.

But, I'm trying to plant something that will feed them over the summer. After doing some reading, I'm looking seriously at chufa. I can plant it next month and the turkeys really like it. Hogs may ruin everything. They say deer will eat it too.

In the fall I'll plow it under an put oats back where the chufa was.

Any other thoughts?

 

[DUMBDOG]

After having a garden for a few years in turkey country where they just fly over the seven foot fence, I have learned that they will peck at anything that has a decent amount of moisture in it. Cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelon are all targets of these vegetable thieves.

 

[Podunkadunk]

N80,
For late winter (and for cheap), you can broadcast rye grass. It will come up easily when broadcasted. It's not high in protein at all, but they eat it...kind of "get's them by" if you know what I mean, more or less supplements them if nothing else. It's 35-50 bucks for a 50lb bag, but you can get a few acres worth of grass from it. An ATV spreader or tractor spreader works great for broadcasting, or you CAN do it by hand, but it'll be thick in spots and not in others.

Like I said, it's not the best staple for them, but they'll eat it and will come to it if you want to hunt over it.

Plant it as late as September, it will die off around May of the next year (this is south Alabama's timeframe anyhow). I've a few acres of rye grass sewn, it's really pretty and helps cut down on erosion (hilly on my property).

Podunk

 

[Slacker]

The American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is native to eastern North America. It is colloquially known as a "pawdad".
Many other types of Persimmons are also present in the US, most of which are asain transplants.

 

[Oleozz]

Buckwheat is a favorite for deer and turkey in this area.

 

[Coyote]

I'm in NC with very similar circumstances as you are. I planted peas,(cowpeas I think), and the deer, rabbits and turkeys ate them to the ground...stems and all! I planted oats in the fall and they have been popular all winter. This year I am going to focus on the turkeys and plant Wildlife Buffet Turkey mixture. Best advice? Lime, Lime, and Lime! Followed by 10-10-10! You can't put too much lime on clay soils like we have in NC & SC!

I've managed to scratch a few small food plots in the rocky, clay soil on my place. Largest is maybe 1/3 acre. Smaller ones are no more than strips through the woods. Planted oats in the fall with okay results for the type of low budget operation I have (tractor, box blade scarifiers, hand push fertilizer spreader.)

I'm wondering what to plant in the spring for deer (and turkey to a lesser extent). Again, low budget. Whatever it is will have to be broadcast.

Plan on 'tilling' (with box blade teeth) and liming this weekend.

I'm in SC. Within a few weeks we will be unlikely to see any more frost.

Any thoughts? Chufa? Some type of clover? I'm new at this and need all the help I can get. Thanks.