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Mn food plot?

Hey guys new to food plots. I’ve got property in northern Mn I’d like to put food plots in. Most of it is very thick tree cover but I’ve got some gas and cable lines cleared through a spot as well as a natural clearing. It’ll only get hunted in November for rifle season. What will be most effective to plant for November/cold /rut hunting? There’s also an old horse field that could maybe be planted on the edge, but it’s visible from a fairly busy road so I’m not sure if it’s worth it there seems like once the opening day starts there not going into the open till dark.

First, what do you mean by Northern??? Is it the Boreal Forest with spruce, balsam, maple, Poplar and ash or is it some mixture of oak and the more mast type trees??

It’s just north of Duluth. Mainly spruce, birch, and poplar.

The majority being medium sized poplar.

Have you done a soil test? I would look at Grandpa Rays, love his grains and greens, were in north central WI.

I’m in lake of the woods county, I have had great luck with daikon radish and kale I have a lot of pipeline and logging road planted into clover with good results

We hunt north of Littlefork and it's Boreal, a lot like yours. Mostly those who do try to keep their hay fields open and cut. There is some alfalfa planted but not much. Just the minor tilling and cutting keeps deer foods young and palatable. Clover on the trails as mentioned is a great attractant. For partridge too.

I would be leaning towards planting Rape, especially if you are hunting late season. As soon as you get the first hard frost the sugars in the rape really explode and the deer love it. Plant it in mid to late August for best results.

Haven’t done a soil sample yet maybe this spring. I know it’s high in iron clay. Currently it’s all just grass mainly which tuns into dry shoots by gun season so hoping for a better crop to keep does in the area. There lots of bedding near us and we catch traveling bucks each year but few feeding deer. The trail is mowed so we get some clover but mainly grass and weeds. Maybe rape in the clearing and radish and clover down the pipe line? Do we till in spring then and plant in august or just till and plant at the same time?

I have been planting radish the last week in July

There are still deer in my radish plots now

Neighbors till-N-plant and have pretty good success. Rape does like water, so hope to get some moisture right after planting.

Got it thanks guys I’ll look into rape and radishes then.

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