deer plot/plots???

[fordmantpw]

Ted, so you are using your plot to bait the deer for hunting?

I suppose I just allow the deer to share some of my property. A bit different concept. It might not be a bad idea to build a safe sanctuary during hunting season, but at least around here, the deer roam from place to place.

The deer will roam from place to place, but they like their food, and they will spend more time in areas with lots of food (and water). Not to mention, a good diet for deer will provide healthier, stronger deer with larger racks. Of course, roping the plot off until the season starts won't help much with the larger racks, but will draw them in to a new source of food.

 

[Ted Summey]

Yes in NC it is legal to use bait to attract deer. I use my food plots to draw deer to my hunting areas.

 

[fordmantpw]

Yes in NC it is legal to use bait to attract deer. I use my food plots to draw deer to my hunting areas.

Here in MO, it is illegal to bait, but food plots are OK since they are "permanent bait" (not sure the exact wording used).

 

[whistlepig]

I planted Ladino clover. No Roundup. Have horses and wife doesn't allow chemicals. Had soil test done. PH was OK as is. No lime needed. It was pure Fescue sod. Disked the ground. Smoothed ground with a chain harrow. With tines down on harrow. Fertilized. Soil test will tell you what fertilizer to use. Let the fertilizer set a bit then seed. Chain harrow again with tines up. Tines up on the harrow mixes the seed in the soil. I then rolled over the seed with roller to insure seed contact with the soil. It grew a mega crop of clover. These planting methods are from the Whitetail Institute. Pics from my game camera on this plot proved that this was well worth the effort.

 

[yomax4]

After years of trying different foods, I think Ladino Clover and Chickory are the big draw for MN. Deer.(Bow Hunting) Other types of clover are ok and the Turkey's like the Ladino flowers too. I had red clover on one plot and the deer would walk through it to get to the ladino/chickory. Rape,Turnips,Beets,Lab/Lab are all good as well but not so much until the 1st frost. I plant them too and the deer walk through them to get to the clover. Don't get me wrong, They eat a little bit of the tops but day in and day out, Trail cameras prove that in my area, deer like the Ladino version of clover the best at least until it freezes. (Bow Hunt the clover/Gun Hunt the Turnip stuff ) Crimson is great clover too but it's an annual. Ladino will go 3+ years and is very hardy. Chichory can re-seed but usually the deer chow on it and if it does flower, They love them too. I buy both ladino and chickory at a regular farm seed dealer. Way less than white institute stuff and works just as well. I have tried them all. Good Luck.

 

[forgeblast]

I find the clover works best also. I read somewhere that white clover will really help with antler development.

 

[vabiker23518]

Ted, so you are using your plot to bait the deer for hunting?

I suppose I just allow the deer to share some of my property. A bit different concept. It might not be a bad idea to build a safe sanctuary during hunting season, but at least around here, the deer roam from place to place.

Guess it depends on the state. Virginia states food plots are NOT baiting. Baiting is considered as putting out cracked corn, salt licks, etc. In other words, if the "food" is there for the entire season, its not baiting. If you throw it out and then hunt, it's baiting. Maybe Oregon is different?

 

[Ted Summey]

We have white clover growing all over our farm so that's not much of a draw. Like posted above, the red clover isn't much draw either. The forage soybeans are the best thing I've found besides sweet corn and sweet potatoes.

For rack building I plant forage oats and clover together in the late summer and early fall and provide mineral licks in the late winter and spring. This combination along with the soybeans seems to produce healthy deer with larger racks. Last year there were 2 bucks over 200 pounds harvested here. One was a nine point one was a ten.

 

[PAGUY]

Feeding deer with food plots is one thing. Hunting over food plots is baiting in my mind. My state (Pennsylvania) also allows hunting over food plots and the only place you can hunt over bait is in southern wildlife management areas of the state.

Common sense is no longer common. :thumbdown:

 

[fordmantpw]

So if you hunt near a farmer's corn or bean field, is that baiting?
If you hunt near a spring or creek, is that baiting?

For those reason, I haven't seen anywhere that considers hunting near food plots as baiting.