Food and Bedding Plots Are IN!

[Big_Holla]

Boy I am glad to be finally writing this about the food and bedding plots we had been planning to do for some time down in Ohio. They're in as of last Sunday!! Talk about underestimating the job. After lugging and spreading around 60 bags of ag. lime, 10 bags of fertilizer and all the seed the 5 plots we had planned were finally done.

We had sprayed the plot locations two weeks prior and when we arrived this past weekend we were happy to find they were good and dead. However, all the dead stuff was too long to till under without getting all tangled in the tiller. So we had to brush hog first. My buddy Ed had made the trip down late Thursday night and had planned to till all day, however he couldn't get started until I brought the brush hog down Friday evening. So he went and got all of the fertilizer and lime and did what he could until I arrived.

Saturday started at 7 am and other than grabbing a sandwich in the midday we finally made it back to the house around 10 pm. We brush hogged all the plots and then tilled them all first, then spread the lime, fertilizer and seed. We were able to get the Old Saw food plot done and the Sanctuary Stand food plot as well. Sunday started at the same time and we think we had everything done and all the equipment loaded for our trek back to Michigan by around 3 pm. The last 3 plots were finished at the sanctuary bedding area. As I wrapped up those plots Ed went on and brush hogged paths around the property and even a path down through the big holla. To say we both were exhausted was an understatement.

So, here is the results of our hard work so far.

This is the Old Saw food plot location. It's a small field tucked back in a corner behind a bigger agricultural field, not sure what they are planting there yet. The field is separated from that big field with a thin strip of brush and trees, very secluded. Here we planted Whitetail Select Infinity Clover.

This is what it looked like 2 weeks ago right after spraying.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0150.jpg

Here we are spreading the lime....heck I can still taste it!

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0158.jpg

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http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0160.jpg

The final results........

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0162.jpg

[Big_Holla]

The next plot we did was the Sanctuary Stand food plot. Here we also planted the same clover but one extra thing we did was to plant a wide strip of sorghum to separate the food plot from the rest of the field and sanctuary. We did this to give it a more secluded feel, just hope it works.

Left to right, the stand is in the second picture if you can spot it.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0166.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0167.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0168.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0169.jpg

[Big_Holla]

The last 3 plots all are in our sanctuary. We have never been satisfied with how well the sanctuary has held deer over the years but an agreement with my uncle on our land contract was to only keep the main field in grasses or a crop, and to not to let trees grow other than the crab apple, etc. that are already there. So, here we decided to plant some switch grass for bedding and one strip in sorghum and soybeans.

Here is Ed putting the final touches on these plots with the brush hog.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0156.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0157.jpg

Pictures of the 3 strips are from left to right. The left most strip is all switch grass.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0165.jpg

The middle strip kind of joins the left most and here I planted mostly sorghum on the left side of the strip and soybeans on the right side. Seed did overlap and will be interesting to see how it grows. We realize the beans will be eaten fast and likely will not grow much. That is OK if it keeps the browse down on the clover plot by the treestand. Also, if we have open ground by September we will go over it with a brassica mix.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0164.jpg

The right most strip runs parallel to the middle strip and has a section of grass between the two. Here I planted all switch grass.

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/img_0163.jpg

This sanctuary bedding is within sight of the stand we have where we planted the clover. Will be interesting to see how they utilize the whole area. Our plan for next year will be to add more strips of switch grass, provided it works like we are hoping.

[mrbb]

well welcome to the food plot world LOL
the first plot we did at my cabin, we did it all with a truck, pulled a small disc, and then we had to add 5 tons of lime, and having no lime spreader we improvised, we used my snowmobile trailer, a ton of 40 lb bags of pulverized lime at a time, with 5 guys on the trailer and girlfriend driving thet truck, 2 guys cutting bags open and the rest pouring them off the end of the trailer
Talks about work and tasting lime! think it took 2 yrs to get the lime out of my truck, as the windoew were down while towing us about
the local farmer driving by gave us some funny looks for sure, but hey it got it done

all your's look nice, and should pay off big in the yrs to come
Its a rewarding thing to start and then finish a food plot, or I sure think so

as for your beans, they might last longer than you think, cause,. deer like all new foods , all the mroe so when there ender, so they should be hitting all of it, and not just the beans, making them last longer

If you can, in about 3-4 weeks, if you can hit the clover and beans with a couple bags of Urea, it will give them a great boost
and if there round up ready beans, come bacjk and spray them when they get to about10-12 inches tall
this way if they get hammered buy Aug, you can very easily just grab a bag of CHeap Agway rape seed(same as a brassicia) and just broadcast some seds in the beans in a rain
and they will come up, as long as its pertty weed free
I been doing this for a couple yrs now with great luck, the taller beans seem to provide a little cover the deer like as they eat the brassicia./rape then !
My local Agway sells a 50 lb bag for 48 bucks, can plant like 6+ acres with that, but they also sell it by the lb too!
much cheaper than a brand name for almost the same stuff, and since it has to be planted every yr, an easy boost to a beans plot that has been worked hard by the deer, and a pain free planting too!

[Big_Holla]

Not a bad idea on the Round-Up in a few weeks mrbb as I know they are Round-Up ready. Just don't want to kill out the sorghum though as I really want that tall wall of stuff there. Like my buddy said too, we can rough up the ground some this summer if they are all ate off and plant some more beans again. Cannot wait to get back down there in the next couple months to see the progress. Will update here if and when I do.

[hortontoter]

Those are going to be some great plots. All the rain we have had should help things along. I quit maintaing my small plot this year as it never really panned out due to not enough sun reaches it. I'll keep the edges mowed as many scrapes appear along the edges every fall.

[mrbb]

well I hear you on having some cover in a plot, it does seem to help deer come out sooner
one of the reasons I been thinking about trying them hybred soybeans they have now that grow to 6 ft tall, as if I could get them about half of that, I think that would be awespme , but I hear you really need to fence it off to get that height in them.

they do sell I am sure some chemical that will help keep grass out but not hurt the sorghum, I think its 2-4-d, its a widly used chemical in many of todays comercial food crops
see below
just something to think about
as like I said, if you cna keep it some what weed free, come lat Aug, it should be a good place to throw some rape seed and have a new food source just before winter


this is the stuff, just make sure its mixed right, like all chemicals, thats key to them working the right way!
I am like 99% sure it will not hurt round up ready beans too! but double check, know its safe on round up ready corn, so think there the same deal, but not 100 %
2,4-D
2,4-D is a broadleaf killer that has been around under many brand names for many years. It will not kill grasses. Grain sorghum infested with coffeeweed, ragweed, jimsonweed, morning glory or any other broadleaf qualifies for 2,4-D application. Grain sorghum is a little sensitive to 2,4-D, so read the label carefully and do not increase the label rate. Atrazine is a great herbicide for grain sorghum or corn, but is a controlled chemical requiring a private pesticide applicator license. 2,4-D,, is available over the counter with no license required.

[Big_Holla]

Well, last night I remembered that I took a few pictures while down 6/22 for the weekend but never posted them up. So here are some updates on the farm.

Here is the Old Saw food plot location. These pictures were exactly 2 weeks after we planted. It's all in Whitetail Select Infinity Clover.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0178.jpg

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0179.jpg

The next is the Sanctuary Stand food plot. Again we used the Whitetail Select Infinity Clover and around the perimeter (the taller grassy looking) is the sorghum. Here is what it looked like after 2 weeks:

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0180.jpg

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0181.jpg

This picture is the plot where we planted soybeans (on the left) and sorghum (on the right). To say I wasn't surprised is true when I noticed that the beans have been eaten as soon as they sprouted. In the picture you can see all of the deer tracks and that's exactly what they were doing there.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0182.jpg

Here are a few of the crop fields on the farm. This field has never seen corn planted like this. It has always been a hay field, except for one year many years ago they tried to do a no-till corn, they got it in late and it didn't grow hardly at all. Since then they never tried it again. So this should really change things around the farm this year.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0175.jpg

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0176.jpg

This is the field that we were unsure of what they were going to plant. Well, the day after we left from our planting weekend they planted it in soybeans. Here they are after less than 2 weeks.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0191.jpg

Boy was it nice to get down in the stream that weekend!! Not to mention it had to be 10 degrees cooler down there.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0177.jpg

Dad and I rock hounding. Found some good petrified wood and some other neat stones too.

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0188.jpg

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0189.jpg

Not sure what to make of this stone. There is a perfect hole through it that looks like it was drilled through, maybe by hand.....

http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz91/crowesnest6173/Trail%20Cam%20Pictures/2013%20Ohio%20Trail%20Cam%20Pics/06-13%20Food%20Plot%20Pics/IMG_0190.jpg

[Big_Holla]

Talked to my dad the other day and he said the corn is growing like crazy!! Man I love this, it certainly will be something to get used to this year though. Not sure how it will affect the deer and their movement but figure one giant sanctuary until they cut it will be perfect. As far as the beans I forgot to ask him how they were looking. Will have to report that one next time.

[mrbb]

well good update, the polts sem like there taking well
and I gather that corn prices will have alot of farmers planting more corn if they have land to try it on
corn is way up there in prices, sure everyone that buys it for deer has noticed by now LOl