Food plot giddings tx

[Huntjunkie]

Our lease is 8 miles south of Giddings, TX (between Brenham and Austin). We have 377 acres that is mainly a pass through for deer and rarely hogs. No one hunts around use a all. Cabin 3 ponds, ducks, deer and hogs. We took 2 nice bucks and 2 doe this year but it was tough after opening weekend because the deer stuck to the very little bit of woods we have Kind of circles lease. Lease is about half pasture all in the middle. Deer do NOT come to the feeders not even at night, EVER. We are covered up in Turkey and we see signs of hogs once or twice a year, mostly rooting at night.

We where thinking about putting in 3 or 4 food plots to see if we can see more deer and grow some bigger antlers. We would like to keep this place long term and the landowner is agreeable so we want to do this and see how we feel after next season. We are not expecting miracles over one spring and summer but we just want to see deer actually hitting the plots and we can work from there.

So the question is what to plant for our area and when. Probably 3 big plots and 2 smaller hidden plots. Big plots 3 to 4 acres in size and small plots maybe an acre. What do you think it would cost?

Thanks

[unclefish]

If you aren't seeing many deer during daylight hours you might need to thicken up the cover. Planting food plots alone probably won't increase you daytime sightings. Finding out where the deer bed and planting stuff like switch grass or egyptian wheat/sudangrass sorghum along the trails from bedding to food plots will form a screen/cover for them. Planting a screen around your food plots will help too. They have to feel secure to feed in an area during daylight hours.

My place is not too far from you (Lake Somerville). This spring I'm planting sunflowers, and a mix of soybeans, iron/clay peas, and alyce clover.

For the fall I'll plant a mix of oats, cereal rye, and crimson/arrowleaf clover. We get the mixes from east texas seed. Its probably around $50/acre for the seed. But the lime/fertilzer would add to it also.

[Low Fence]

IF you have access to equipment, It can cost $100-$350 per acre to DO IT RIGHT!

Most of mine average $200

Price will vary from:
Amout of fert needed
Amout of lime needed.......if any (always soil test, $15 is cheap when spending $100's per acre)

Seed veriety
I have established vetch, as well as numerous clovers...so I can subtract those seed cost.

Clay & Iron Cow peas are the staple of my spring plots. I plant 50# per acre and they cost $40-$50 per 50#

Poison is also a cost most leave out. I spray herbisides to kill all competition

[ranchdog]

Here is my website on putting in Spring Food plots. It should get you started. You may need to watch out for Grasshoppers and Caterpillars. If so then spray with Cyonara 9.7%.
First time plots I would go with RoundUp Ready Soybeans so you can keep killing the weeds and grass which take over your plot. ROUNDUP is your friend I can assure you.

http://www.ranchdogu.com/DeerPage/food_plots/foodplotsnew.htm

Good Luck, Ranchdog