gmbritts

I have just purchased A new house in northern vermont with 11.5 acres it has a 6 acer field on some open hard wood I see Deer and Bear frequntly in the field and hardwoods. I am looking to put in a couple different food plots. what would you suggest for spring,summer and fall.

thanks for your help
gmbritts

RayC

Sounds like you should have some great possiblilites there. I would suggest (if you haven't looked already) going through all the stuff here about prep (soil test, herbicde whats growing there already ETC) and thinking long term if your going to be there a while. Also think about how much time you are going to spend working plots as it may affect what you plant (annuals versus more perenials). Clover is always good. I tried forage chicory for the first time this year and it produced very well and the deer hammered it this fall (took them quite a while to try it as it was presumably new to them). Assumingyou may need to lime and beacause it takes times to work, perhapsbuckwheat after last frost in spring followed by some sort of brassicia late summer planted forfall hunting time. Also for more long term goals you could plant some mast producing seedlings along the edges of field (oaks, apples or shrubs). I'm sure others can suggest other stuff and ideas. Good luck

gmbritts

I already have plans for some apple trees the hard woods that are there already have good producing beach trees the whole 6 acer field I am replanting in the spring with clover I am looking to put in a couple plots one for some antler growth in the spring andsummer but I also want them to keep coming to the plot in the fall and summer. what should I plant in the fall that the deer will come to during the winteruntil the snow gets to deep.

yeoman

Winter wheat works well for me. It's easy to grow by disking, broadcasting and dragging or cultipacking.

Also, I'd strongly advise allowing 1/3 of the field, perhaps in a couple of differect sections, to grow up in volunteer weeds and grasses. Very low on required effort (bushhog late winter) and super effective cover. The deer on my place spend as much time in the native growth as they do in the ag plots.