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What to plant for deer food plot????

Just bought a house with 40 acres of solid oak and poplar tree's. I was planning on open up an acre or two in the center of the property to grow a food plot for the deer. Just wondering if anybody has any ideas. I've been told by a few people to plant fruit tree's,not sure what sort of tilling I'll be able to do because I have to clear the area of trees so there will be lots of roots in the ground. Any tips and ideas will help,,,, Also my property is in Manitoba, Canada

On my farm pears are eaten before apples. Definitely standing soya beans.

I get this question almost every day and here is my opinion. Everyone has goals. My goal on Grandpa Ray's Farm is the grow huge deer and have an overall healthy herd. Last night I scored on a 145 class buck, in the middle of the test plots. There are a few more bigger bucks out there and they come out close to dark to check out the herd of does that feed in the variety of forages before them.

If it's virgin soil, that totally changes what i'd recommend. Next, take a soil test and use those results to determine which products tilt the table in your favor to have success. For example, if your soils pH is around 5.0, there isn't many things that will grow effectively. If your soil pH is low, your minerals, proteins and energies will be lower than typical, there will be more weed pressure and plant disease issues. The deer also won't consume your plots as well. I spread my food plot's last week with super cal, to set them up for 2015.

Next, what equipment do you have? This will effect what you should plant. What is your goals? Do you want to maximize nutrition? Do you want to attract deer all season? Do you want to attract deer during bow and gun season only?

What does your neighbors plant? What is the soil texture and structure?

What would make your food plots a SUCCESS, in your own mind? Everyone has goals, a budget and time. What experts recommend might not fit your budget, management style and goals.

Pat and John, good advice !

I am interested in planting a food plot on my land next season also. My property is next to a limestone quarry so the soil is pretty good. I will do a soil test but am confident most anything can be planted. I want to attract deer during the october archery season. My problem is that I dont have many oaks on my property. Just across the property line is an oak flat that the deer were in all fall. I had a horrible season with deer sightings. There is plenty of browse and cover on my property. What would you recommend would bring deer in during the fall?

Thanks, joe

Well I have a limited amount of equipment but some really good soil. Just not sure how I go about clearing the land to open up the food plot.do I dig up the roots or plant around stumps? Lots of corn and wheat grown in nearby fields. My property is basically solid bush

First off, congrats on your new property! As far as creating a clearing, can to get a logger to come in and do it? Does the property need any thinning out otherwise to open the canopy and maybe get some money?

I have dabbled in planting some food plots in my Wisconsin property. Personally I would divide your 2 acre food it into 2 parts. Plant half in clover and the other half in a brassicas. Then you can rotate every 3 years (change the brassica to clover and vice versa.). I have used Frigid Forage products (their Big & Beasty Brassicas and Wild Game Buffet clover. Also planted some Whitetail Institute "Pure Attraction" last year. It's Oats, Winter Peas and Brassicas. In your situation though since you are in Manitoba I don't think Oats would be a good choice. I would think a brassicas like Big n Beasty would be perfect for you Kill/feed it once you get a couple of frosts, and the clover will be good for early season and feed the deer in the spring/ summer.

Another option is make some nice wide trails and plant them in clover. You could do this in addition to your main plot was well.

As far as equipment needed to plant, I have an UTV, Trail mower, sprayer, and disc. Basically last year I mowed, sprayed, raked off the excess grass, disc, spread the seed with a hand spreader, drove over the seed with my Polaris Ranger.

Pat and some of the others probably have a lot more experience than me, so take my advice for what it's worth. Good luck!!

Here is a pic of my "big" plot on my 59 acre property. Right now it's all clover, you can see the trail leading into it is also clover.

Clover IS A WIN WIN I PLANTED A 1/2 ac the deer hammered it ,i did a small test with purple top turnips they ate some of the tops but once the snow came they dug every blub out of the ground so this is a win win. Next spring i am going to spray the weeds and start a new plot this was my third year on the same clover.

Year one food plots on VIRGIN SOIL, should be all about : Building up soil organic matter Suppressing weeds Loosening up the soil Setting yourself up for years 2, 3 and beyond.

Too many people worry about what to plant and only think of the moment. Great forages that tolerate shade, low pH and less than ideal soil conditions include:

RAPE RYE TRITICALE OATS LADINO, WHITE AND ALSIKE CLOVER RADISH

What i'd do year one in decent ground if there is major weed issues ... is plant annual clovers in the spring and then spray over the to a grass killer if grasses are an issue. Then burn down later in summer and plant a winter grain like triticale, rye, or wheat and spray over the top, a broadleaf killer, if there is broadleaf issues.

thanks for all the tips, I'm really excited to get started and see hoe it turns out

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