The Food Plot Building Process
If you are fortunate, you already have a previously cultivated field or two on your property where a food plot can be planted easily and without a large expense. But often we get called in to create a food plot in the forest.
The first step in the process is to choose a place to put it – taking into consideration the prevailing wind direction, terrain, forest cover, location of bedding and escape cover (we can create these where we want them) poaching possibilities, huntability, etc.
We incorporate the clearing of the trees on the site with logging activities to save machine time expense. Using a dozer with a root rake, we can carefully clear the site of stumps, large rocks and woody debris while leaving the thin layer of topsoil in place.
We then use a spring tooth harrow to pull up the rocks and pick them out of the site by hand.
We are then ready to apply the soil amendments according to the soil test.
Forest soils require a tremendous amount of lime to adjust the pH. If we can get a lime truck to the site, this is an easy and economical way to get the lime on. We prefer pulverized limestone as it is fast acting and effective but can only be spread with a truck.
Here we are spreading the edge of a grass hay field. We obtained permission from the neighbor to the client to put the forage along the edge of their woods in a secluded place.
This worked out great for everyone, including the deer who could be seen feeding all day long on the forest edge.
There are brassicas and clover with chicory here and we will convert to all clover/chicory once the clover is well established.
We then use a rototiller to incorporate the soil amendments and prepare a seedbed.
A Brillion seeder is the best tool for planting small seeds used in food plots. The front rollers pack the soil – the seeds are dropped in and the second roller packs the seed into the soil creating very important seed/soil contact. The rows left in the soil collect rainwater and provide a place for seed to settle.
It is a very good practice to establish several food plots, some with perennials such as this clover plot. This is a 5-year-old plot that we maintain for the landowner.
Other plots should be established that have forage that will attract and feed well into the cold season such as this brassica plot. Forage oats are a very good choice also and will grow well in places where clover will not.
This brassica plot is being heavily browsed in summer. I use a special type that is used by deer all year (turnips are not palatable in summer). Notice the clipped off plants in the bottom of the picture. When frost comes and other plants are not palatable or are low in nutrients, deer will feed almost exclusively on these brassicas and wipe them out. If there are no acorns in fall on the property, this will be the number one food source.
These two bucks are fighting over the chow in one of my clients’ food plots. The second buck is in the lower right corner. The buck below appears to be smacking his lips while feeding on the good greens.
Another benefit besides healthier deer and bigger antlers not mentioned often is that the deer feeding exclusively on food plots taste better than those feeding on browse and acorns.
The meat is delicious and not nearly as gamey. These deer will also carry huge quantities of very important organ and intestinal fat indicating very good nutritional health and assuring good winter survival and healthy fawns in spring – and don’t forget – bigger antlers!
Cost of Food Plot Services
Dozer Time: $90/hour plus moving fee
Professional Consulting
and plot installation $300/day – half day increments plus travel expenses and materials
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Why can’t I buy some seeds and sprinkle them around my field? They sell no till seeds.
A. Do you want to play around or do you want to get serious about habitat and attracting wildlife to your property and providing for them?
Q. How do you expect me to pay for all that?
A. We try to incorporate timber sales (including timber stand improvement and habitat improvement) into the project so that we can generate income from the land and put it back into the land to make improvements and add value. We also apply for government cost share programs to help pay for services. One of my clients takes advantage of these programs and scored over $15,000 over the years in cost share money. These funds are hit and miss but worth the effort to apply for.
Q. Why can’t I just get the local farmer to do this for me?
A. Farmers don’t have any spare time. Although it is possible to pull this off, there is no guarantee the farmer will be able to give you the time and effort it takes to do it right. When it is time to plant, he will be working on his own crops. Plus, this is not farming. Food plots in forest environments takes special care and techniques many farmers are not familiar with. Farmers are very good at growing corn and soybeans in well-established fields but may not have the right stuff to establish clover in the woods.
Q. Can you guarantee the food plots will grow?
A. No. I can guarantee that I will make every effort to get you a good food plot, but since nature is unpredictable, food plots can fail. Replanting and very low cost is something I do to make sure my clients get good results. It can take as long as 3 years to establish a good stand of perennials on poor sites.
Q. Why should I go through all that effort and expense when I have a small property and my neighbors will benefit?
A. Why not form a QDM partnership? You are all hunting the same deer, so why not cooperate instead of competing against each other. If that doesn’t work, I can make your property so attractive to deer that they will be on your land most of the time during hunting season anyway.
