First attempt at a food plot.

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JimFromTN

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I brought some clear-cut from my neighbor and have been clearing by hand because I can't get large equipment back in the area. That and I don't have access to large equipment. I am hoping to get a small tractor at some point. Last fall I planted rye in hopes of bringing in deer in the late season. I had no way to turn the soil over so I just defoliated and threw down seed. This was after season but I am happy with the initial results. The year on the camera is off by a year, This is from a month ago. This year I am hoping to expand, get the soil turned as well as put down lime and fertilizer based on soil tests I had done.
Resized_WGI_0016_84036793278930.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Texanjohn said:
Why change what you're doing? It obviously is working, I don't think I change the a #2%^ Thing, how many deer are you allowed to shoot in a year? It looks like you're off to a great start I'd be thrilled if it was me
Click to expand...
I am thrilled with the initial results. The food plot is only around 6000 sq ft so I want to make it bigger. If I turn the soil and put down the recommended lime and fertilizer, it will hopefully come in more lush and green. I am ocd and I am always trying to think of ways to improve. We can kill 2 bucks a year and 3 does a day.
 
JimFromTN said:
I brought some clear-cut from my neighbor and have been clearing by hand because I can't get large equipment back in the area. That and I don't have access to large equipment. I am hoping to get a small tractor at some point. Last fall I planted rye in hopes of bringing in deer in the late season. I had no way to turn the soil over so I just defoliated and threw down seed. This was after season but I am happy with the initial results. The year on the camera is off by a year, This is from a month ago. This year I am hoping to expand, get the soil turned as well as put down lime and fertilizer based on soil tests I had done.
View attachment 354028
Click to expand...
For years we farmed deer with ATV implements both store bought and homemade. For a disc get one that the ATV holds down and not one that you pull with wheels. Works 10X better but not as wide. To flastten the seed bed and to cover the seed you can buy a harrow, but it is no better than pulling a set of old bedsprings around. If really in the back cut down a tree and pull the log in a y harness. You need a whole lot bigger plot to justify a tractor unless you just want one. The pull behind bush hogs will cut down a bigger tree than you can run over if you get one with swinging blades. Food plots really don't have to be big to be effective. You aren't really feeding them there. There is plenty of food. Its more like taking them for Ice Cream. Deer just love something green to chew on. Rye grass is cheap and actually works as well as most commercial blends. If you want to take it to another level mix about a pound of turnip seed with 50# of ryegrass seed. They seem to love them more than I like Chocolate pie.
 
Looks good so far! Nice thing about food plots is that you can keep enlarging them as your time and budget allows. I'm getting ready to put my first food plot in next month. Hope I get and many buck as you are getting.
 
Orange Dust said:
For years we farmed deer with ATV implements both store bought and homemade. For a disc get one that the ATV holds down and not one that you pull with wheels. Works 10X better but not as wide. To flastten the seed bed and to cover the seed you can buy a harrow, but it is no better than pulling a set of old bedsprings around. If really in the back cut down a tree and pull the log in a y harness. You need a whole lot bigger plot to justify a tractor unless you just want one. The pull behind bush hogs will cut down a bigger tree than you can run over if you get one with swinging blades. Food plots really don't have to be big to be effective. You aren't really feeding them there. There is plenty of food. Its more like taking them for Ice Cream. Deer just love something green to chew on. Rye grass is cheap and actually works as well as most commercial blends. If you want to take it to another level mix about a pound of turnip seed with 50# of ryegrass seed. They seem to love them more than I like Chocolate pie.
Click to expand...
I have been researching the atv implements like the groundhog max. I have also been looking at harrows. I have come close to purchasing both. One of my issues with the groundhog max is it requires a 2 inch receiver hitch and I have a mule with a 1.25 receiver. I spoke with the guy at groundhog and he said it should be ok. Allot of times those types of plows can bend a 1.25 inch receiver. The other thing is that this soil has never been turned and is full of roots a tree stobs and stumps. I was able to get a stump grinder down there last fall. I will probably do it to the new area that I clear out next fall. If you look at the edges around the food plot, thats what it all looked like before I started clearing. I might not need it but I really want something like a bottom plow or moldboard plow to rip it up good. I figure it only really needs to happen once then I can break it up every year with a less aggressive plow. I am not a farmer so this is all new to me and I have been doing allot of googling. A tractor would not only help me with the food plot but would also help me around the property in other ways especially if it has a front end loader. A friend of mine told me I didn't need a tractor. I told that to my neighbor who is a farmer and he just started laughing and said there would be a whole lot fewer tractors sold if only people who needed them bought tractors.
 
JimFromTN said:
I have been researching the atv implements like the groundhog max. I have also been looking at harrows. I have come close to purchasing both. One of my issues with the groundhog max is it requires a 2 inch receiver hitch and I have a mule with a 1.25 receiver. I spoke with the guy at groundhog and he said it should be ok. Allot of times those types of plows can bend a 1.25 inch receiver. The other thing is that this soil has never been turned and is full of roots a tree stobs and stumps. I was able to get a stump grinder down there last fall. I will probably do it to the new area that I clear out next fall. If you look at the edges around the food plot, thats what it all looked like before I started clearing. I might not need it but I really want something like a bottom plow or moldboard plow to rip it up good. I figure it only really needs to happen once then I can break it up every year with a less aggressive plow. I am not a farmer so this is all new to me and I have been doing allot of googling. A tractor would not only help me with the food plot but would also help me around the property in other ways especially if it has a front end loader. A friend of mine told me I didn't need a tractor. I told that to my neighbor who is a farmer and he just started laughing and said there would be a whole lot fewer tractors sold if only people who needed them bought tractors.
Click to expand...
a small tractor with a loader on it is like an ATV with a winch. You will continually find new uses for it that are really outside the box. If you want one and can afford it, get it. While it is not necessary to spend that money to get the job done it will make it faster and easier. Nice thing about the ATV was making the kids do it. Didn't and still don't trust them with the tractor. They are 27 and 30 now... Tells you something about today's kids. Just in case you don't know. Unlike an ATV a tractor will absolutely beat you to death, no suspension, and the smaller you go the worse it is. Just in case you didn't know.
 

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