Clover Food Plot Freestone County

[Brush Country]

I’m trying to Improving a new deer lease, that hasn’t been hunted. So far I have a corn feeder and protein feeder that has gotten action from a bachelor group of bucks and a small group of hogs. It’s been consistent since January with the same groups.

So I’ve been thinking of adding a clover food plot on it to try and draw in more deer preferably Does and fawns. My only draw back is the hogs and wondering if they’d mess up the food plot. So I’m thinking of starting a micro food plot around the feeders to test it out. Before I move on and put in all the real work of make it a good size food plot.

Any suggestions or thoughts are welcomed.

[RMW]

Alyce clover and Joint Vetch mixed 50/50. Probably the best mix to have in Texas, also deer love it.

[Drycreek3189]

For perennial clovers, I think the white clover blend from Whitetail Institute is hard to beat. I planted about an acre of it in a creek bottom on another place I owned and it was a fabulous plot. It’s planted in the fall but it won’t do much until the following spring. The second year it will really come on strong. One thing though, get a soil test and get your ph to at least 6.5 if it’s not already. That’s very important. A test from WI will tell you how much and what amendments you need. Perennial clovers like a little shade and soil that is not well drained. Also, the seeds need to be a quarter inch deep or on top of the ground. Good luck !

Edit to add: Maintenance is pretty easy. Spray clethodim for grasses and mow about 8” high for weeds. Mow each time it blooms and the blooms go to seed, that was usually three times a year for me. It will go dormant in the hot summer and in the winter but if you maintain it properly I know nothing that will attract deer better.

[Brush Country]

Great info fellas.Thanks for that

I bought a small container of Dominion outdoors Hot Chic and Comeback Kid to see that those do. I’m definitely going to try both suggestions I got from u fellas. I have several tactacams I need to put out aside from what I’m already finding on 3 other properties.

this place is going to be the control site. To see what happens and then also incorporating food plot at 2 of the 3 other places. 1 has cows so that one is a no go.

[RMW]

I guess a question that needs to asked, you say you are trying to attract doe and fawns to your area. What time of the year are you trying to accomplish this? And are you trying to help the bucks also? The Ladino clover( white clover ) that DryCreek mentioned is a great attraction but limited to spring and very early summer before it gets smoking hot, while the Alyce clover and Joint Vetch crank up late spring and through summer and till first frost.

[Drycreek3189]

I guess a question that needs to asked, you say you are trying to attract doe and fawns to your area. What time of the year are you trying to accomplish this? And are you trying to help the bucks also? The Ladino clover( white clover ) that DryCreek mentioned is a great attraction but limited to spring and very early summer before it gets smoking hot, while the Alyce clover and Joint Vetch crank up late spring and through summer and till first frost.

RMW is right about it going dormant in summer, but it will come back in the fall and last until it gets cold. The Alyce clover and Joint Vetch I have no experience with but I have heard it recommended many times. Just because I haven’t tried it doesn’t mean it’s not good. I would recommend that you try it as well as the white clover blend I mentioned and see what you like best if you have room. I probably need to try what RMW recommended myself, but I’m trying to keep my plot here at home to just the one I hunt over, and have no room for more where I lease.

[Brush Country]

My plan is to feed year round. The crank up stays full with corn and the protein feeder I’m only using record rack protein. The food plots is eventually to offset the feed and whole deer and draw them to the property hopefully year around.

I did get a doe on camera late this morning until midday. Which is good. Hoping it comes back

[Brush Country]

As far as the food plot and green growth. I’m probably mixing everything together or do you guys recommend to split it in sections.?

[RMW]

As far as the food plot and green growth. I’m probably mixing everything together or do you guys recommend to split it in sections.?

You can mix together or you can experiment and do separate to see what your deer prefer, also if wanting the ultimate attraction a forage soybean should be planted like Eagle seed soybeans. If you can manage enough rain between April and November it’s the ultimate attraction. I’d also broadcast a cereal grain into foodplots in October/November. Good luck it’s addictive to say the least.

[dbaio1]

We do a mix of Alyce, Arrowleaf Ladino and Crimson clover blended with Coastal Jointed Vetch. Have been planting this for about 20 years. North Louisiana Bienville parish.

[txbowman12]

How big of an area are you able to plant in? Food plots need to be done at some level of scale depending on deer density. If you are just planting small sections around a feeder, they will likely get eaten before they can get established.

[Brush Country]

I’m planting all around the feeders in the picture and another area where the deer typically travel to get to where the feeders are

[Drycreek3189]

A word on mixed seeds. The bigger the seed the deeper it can be planted, and conversely. Very small seeds don’t have the energy to push up through an inch or more of soil. If you do want to plant small seeds with beans or peas, plant your large seeds first 3/4” to an inch deep, then plant your small seeds on top. A cultipacker would come in handy for that or you can use a very light drag, like a section of chain length fence. Coated seeds seem to not be eaten by birds and such, so if I plant clover I try to use coated seeds.You can even roll your plot with a side x side or four wheeler if that’s all you have.

[Brush Country]

I’ll be posting pics of the progress.

[Brush Country]

I ended up planting Chicory and 2 varieties of clover at the first spot where the bachelor group of bucks love to come eat protein and corn.

Also decided last minute to try my hand at a Dove food plot at another property. You can see the area at a distance in the picture closer to the power lines, looks like an “L” shape and an up close one with a cell cam after I set a protein feeder in the middle to see if the local Does and bucks find it eventually. I couldn’t get as much done with preparing the area since the rains were coming in and I had a lot to do at the other properties that day. So I’m crossing my fingers on this plot . I planted 2 varieties of millet,grain sorghum, sunflower and soybean.

Been getting rain these past couple of days and looks like there’s more rain in the forecast these next couple days too. So let’s see what happens