Plot sizing

[miket]

Property is 224ac, all but 40 is heavily wooded. The pastures vary in size, separated by creeks and woods. Basically everything that isnt pasture is hills. One small cleared area is 1.5ac, another is about 3ac, then about 10ac then the last one is about 27ac. The larger pasture is good bermuda so I want to put cattle on it. Maybe the 10ac, too, during the winter because its good thick fescue.

Im not going to try to grow huge deer, but do want to attract and keep them there, along with dove, turkey etc

Is the 1.5ac and 3ac enough? Other than growing stuff for fun on my home place, I dont have experience with serious food plots.

Will be growing winter wheat and sunflowers for sure. Will add more later as I see how it goes.

I could get into the 10ac portion, but would then have to put in more fence to keep cattle out if I use the fescue for winter pasture

[miket]

I better add a few things.

There are no crops anywhere near there. Its either woods, cow pasture or hay pasture. The majority is woods. Pastures are on top of the hills, and the bottoms. The bottoms are not swampy, but there are wet weather and spring fed creeks.

The timber is mixed, but there are plenty of acorns, so I will be competing with that.

[Drycreek3189]

My two cents. If you want to attract deer in the fall, plant the small plots in Elbon rye and crimson clover. If you want to actually have a chance to feed the deer year round, use some of the large acreage to put in sorbeans or iron clay peas in the spring, and maybe a dedicated white clover mix if you have the soil for it. The perennial clovers like soils that are not well drained. Good luck !

[Razrbk89]

I’d consider doing the 1.5 acre, 3 acre, and 10 acre if you have the time. It’s going to be hard to beat a wheat, turnip, and clover blend where you are.

Spray the fields, let them dry up a couple weeks, burn, then plant.

I like to throw clover seed in with my fertilize. Most all of my pasture ground and hay meadows have good stands of clover in them. Much needed nitrogen fixer and will be around all year for deer and turkeys.

I’m betting there’s a bunch of deer where you are, so they’ll likely get pretty heavy pressure. Fertilize if you can, but don’t worry too much about sampling and recommended amounts.. the dirt isn’t going to be great and you’d go broke putting out “recommended” amounts.

If that 10 acres of wheat comes in good, prepare to have a BUNCH of deer on it!

[Razrbk89]

Check this link out for the private landowner programs. They’ll help cover the costs of improvements up to 10k, I believe.

They used to do something similar that I’d enrolled in for a couple years but this looks like a revamp and better overall program.

https://www.agfc.com/education/conservation-incentive-program/

[.243 WSSM]

Do you have hogs? Black oil sunflower, milo and other summer grain crops would be a disaster. Been there done that. If you want to feed dove look at sesame, native sunflower, clammy weed. Hogs wont mess with any of those. Hogs will eat soybean/cowpea seed but I doubt they would go to seed with the deer browsing pressure. Forage soybeans and IC cow peas would be a good choice and provide plenty of protein for deer in summer months. Mix in some okra or sunn hemp with it to provide structure for the vining legumes to climb as well as provide some cover for the legumes from browsing. For fall crop I wouldn't waste time on turnips/brassicas. Focus on cereal rye, wheat and some clover.

[miket]

I will have the time, I think. But 10ac will take a while! Especially the initial prep. After that it shouldnt be too bad. May have to decide whether the deer or cattle are more important. With no winter pasture to lower costs in the winter, profit goes away quick unless I just background in the summer and sell in the fall. Only talking about 5 head or so. Could probably run 8-10 if selling every fall.

Having wheat grain in the spring/summer does sound good for the birds. I guess shred late summer.

No hogs seen yet, and previous owner says there arent any

[dbaio1]

3-8 % of your acreage in food plots is recommended. We have done well at around at 4%. I would plant the 1.5 and 3 acres. On the 10 I would plant plots on edges with best sun and drainage carving off 3 acres of that 10.

[Razrbk89]

I will have the time, I think. But 10ac will take a while! Especially the initial prep. After that it shouldnt be too bad. May have to decide whether the deer or cattle are more important. With no winter pasture to lower costs in the winter, profit goes away quick unless I just background in the summer and sell in the fall. Only talking about 5 head or so. Could probably run 8-10 if selling every fall.

Having wheat grain in the spring/summer does sound good for the birds. I guess shred late summer.

No hogs seen yet, and previous owner says there arent any

I don’t think you’ll have any hogs where you are.

There are some south of you, across the river in the forest and back towards Sylamore. They’ve been there forever but they kept beat back pretty good. Some on Buffalo river too, but again, been in there forever (“razorback hogs”). People here don’t want them.

Deer will smash turnips up here in December and January if they stay good. They’re cheap and worth planting, here.

Depending on what your timber looks like, thinning might be the most beneficial thing you could do!

Leaving piles of brush and letting fence lines grow up is great for your habitat as well. Lot of people buy a new place, make it look like a park, and wonder where all the game went!

[miket]

I will try the turnips. I have read a little about low quail populations and fenceline clearing seems to be one of the reasons populations are down. On my place its either woods or pasture. No transition areas. The woods have very little brush, and the ground is covered in leaves.

Seller also recommended not clearing fence lines, but I think his main reasoning is to prevent poaching.

NAEC forced me to cut a massive 60' wide ROW which really hurt my feelings, but to make the best of it, I will let it grow right back up to give some cover to the turkeys etc.

[KactusKiller]

Where is your property? Do yourself a favor and spend some time on youtube. Look up "growing deer", they cover food plots from top to bottom. I also have really started liking "love the grind". They do some great designs. But there is tons of videos and actual professionals on there that get paid to design farms and food plots for a living.

[KactusKiller]

I will try the turnips. I have read a little about low quail populations and fenceline clearing seems to be one of the reasons populations are down. On my place its either woods or pasture. No transition areas. The woods have very little brush, and the ground is covered in leaves.

Seller also recommended not clearing fence lines, but I think his main reasoning is to prevent poaching.

NAEC forced me to cut a massive 60' wide ROW which really hurt my feelings, but to make the best of it, I will let it grow right back up to give some cover to the turkeys etc.

I would do the two smaller food plots for hunting but the best thing you can do for your deer habitat is timber stand improvement. Thin out the forrest in areas so more sun hits the ground. The native growth will be as good or better than anything you can grow or feed. Also you need it for better nesting/bedding cover. Solid canopy forrests are the worst thing for your deer population. Also if they aren't already in place clear some 1-2ac areas and planet your kill plots on top of the hills and ridges. The wind will be alot more consistent for hunting. Food plots in the bottoms and valleys will always have swirling winds and tough to hunt.

Like i said do yourself a favor and watch as many youtube videos on the Growing Deer channel.

[miket]

Where is your property? Do yourself a favor and spend some time on youtube. Look up "growing deer", they cover food plots from top to bottom. I also have really started liking "love the grind". They do some great designs. But there is tons of videos and actual professionals on there that get paid to design farms and food plots for a living.

North Central Arkansas. Ozarks. I havent done a soil test but it looks much better than most of East Texas that I have seen. Grass is significantly healthier despite seller saying he hasnt fertilized in years. It gets dry there sometimes, like it does everywhere, but the rain is much more evenly distributed than where I am from. Looking forward to having things survive August. Here most Augusts get zero rain.

[KactusKiller]

North Central Arkansas. Ozarks. I havent done a soil test but it looks much better than most of East Texas that I have seen. Grass is significantly healthier despite seller saying he hasnt fertilized in years. It gets dry there sometimes, like it does everywhere, but the rain is much more evenly distributed than where I am from. Looking forward to having things survive August. Here most Augusts get zero rain.

Then def watch Growing Deer on you tube or look them up online. They are based close to that area but in Missouri. Every thing they do should translate exactly to your situation. Good luck and let us know how it goes.