FOOD PLOTS : SPRING
I HAVE PLANTED WILDLIFE FOOD PLOTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS. MINE are DIRECTED TO DEER AND TURKEYS. I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT CAN DO IT TO DO SO AS PLOTS DON'T JUST BENEFIT A GAME SPECIES BUT THE LAND AS WELL. THEY HELP A VARIETY OF SPECIES WHILE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE SOIL AT THE SAME TIME. MY METHODS ARE FAIRLY EASY TO FOLLOW WITHOUT SPENDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY OR TIME.
I WILL BE BREAKING DOWN MY PLOT-PLANNING INTO TWO CATEGORIES : SPRING AND FALL - AND DIFFERENT METHODS ARE TAKEN IN PLANTING IN EACH ONE.
I HAVE HAD THE LUXURY OF HAVING A 9N TRACTOR WITH PLOWS AND DISKS. I PLOW AND DISK SEVERAL SMALL AREAS OF 1/4 ACRE OR LESS AROUND THE PROPERTY. I DO THIS FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS: FIRST, IT SEEMS THE DEER AND TURKEYS PREFER SMALLER PLOTS THROUGHOUT THE FARM AS OPPOSED TO TO ONE BIG PLOT. SECOND, IT GIVES YOU THE OPTION TO HAVE MULTIPLE HUNTING SITES TO CHOOSE FROM BASED ON WIND DIRECTION ( DEER IN THE FALL) AND WHAT AREA OF THE FARM THE GAME IS FREQUENTING AT ANY PART OF THE SPRING SEASON (TURKEYS) OR FALL (DEER AND TURKEYS).
ONCE THE GROUND IS PLOWED AND DISKED, I SPREAD THE SEED WITH A SPREADER THAT MOUNTS ON THE BACK OF AN ATV. I DO THE SAME THING WITH 12-12-12 FERTILIZER USING A 50 LB. BAG IN EACH PLOT THAT IS SIZED 1/4 ACRE OR SMALLER. I THEN USE A DRAG THAT I MADE FROM A FIVE FOOT SECTION OF A RAILROAD TIE AND CHAIN LINK FENCE OVER THE AREA TO COVER BOTH THE SEED AND THE FERTILIZER. MY SEED OF CHOICE IN THE SPRING IS BUCKWHEAT.
WHEN THE PLANTS GET TO BE ABOUT 16 INCHES TALL THEY FLOWER. WHEN FLOWERING BEGINS IN WHAT I CALL THE "MILK" STAGE, THE DEER WILL EAT EVERY SINGLE FLOWER HEAD OFF THE PLANTS IN THE ENTIRE PLOT. THE PLANTS THEN PRODUCE A SECOND SET OF FLOWERS THAT THE DEER DON'T SEEM TO LIKE AS MUCH - I AM GUESSING THEY MUST BE BITTER AND THEREFORE AVOID THEM.
THIS SECOND FLOWERING HEAD MATURES AND PRODUCES LOADS BUCKWHEAT SEEDS. WHEN THE PLANT IS LEFT ALONE THESE LITTLE SEEDS FALL TO THE GROUND AND THAT IS WHEN THE TURKEYS HAVE THEIR ALL-YOU-EAT BUFFET.
THIS IS WHY I HAVE FOUND THE BUCKWHEAT TO BE FRUITFUL. IT DOES DOUBLE DUTY IN FEEDING THE DEER IN THE SPRING / SUMMER AND THE TURKEYS IN THE FALL.