Opinions

useyourbow

Eight Pointer
Opinions:
What would be best/
Scenario: The land I am hunting has a year old clear cut that is encased by an existing farm/logging road. In the south west corner on this road is an existing wood tower/shooting house. The road comes in at a 90 degree angle forming a perfect "L" type corner. My first thought was to clear an acre with a dozer,a square food plot but was wondering if simply planting road for 200 yards in both directions with cutover on one side and woods on the other would make a better layout for deer usage. Based on my measurements I should get the same planted square footage. Thoughts.
 
Couple opinions depending on what surrounds you. If food is your limiting factor, I would go with a clover plot and mix in some other seeds that do well in your area. I would avoid corn or beans if you are only doing 1 acre and its next to the cover of a cutover. If there is already a lot of ag in your area, then I would work on edge feathering the boundary between the cutover and the surrounding woods. What is your access to the stand? one of the roads or from the southwest?
 

useyourbow

Eight Pointer
It will be down one of the roads but I intended on it being a drop off/pick up type stand for guest and my grown kids. In other words I will run the deer off with a vehicle rather than have some one climb down and spook the deer. The lay out would place the plot between cut over, then woods then, ag field approximately 200 yards away. So basically a stop over on the way to ag.
 
In that case I would definitely plant something, either clovers, brassicas, cereal grains, or a mix of all three there to get them to stop a take a bite. Maybe edge feather to thicken the road for access and plant the other road to limit scent and intrusion to the side they are most likely to visit. I work with small acreage so i prefer to either plant a mix in my plots or have strips in them. If a deer walks through i want him to like something so I can get a shot off. Do you have other food plots? what is normally planted in the ag fields?
 

useyourbow

Eight Pointer
Last year was beans, not certain this coming year. Not part of my property. Going to plant on the north side as well. May go with iron clay peas for the summer and switch to clover/chicory mix come fall.
 
I havent found a good source for IC peas down here but like the clover and chicory mix, keeps something green just about year round whether drought or not. I would mix some wheat or oats with IC peas so they dont get destroyed. I have used pennington mix similar and they wipe the peas out very fast.
 
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