**Food-plot tips for all wildlife**

[SamPAtrapper]

Forestry and wildlife really is a big interest to me and is what I plan to persue in the future. I just thought I would start a list of good points to consider/have when constructing a good food plot for all game. Also feel free to add any tips or tricks you all have.

• When thinking about a shape for your plot try to stay away from plain square or rectangular plots. Create bends, breaks, and blind spots...just to give the wildlife a more secure feeling.
  
  
• By planting forage that matures at different stages...ex: early season, mid season, and late season, you will be able to attract the game for a longer time frame and also appeal to more than one species.
  
  
• Plant a variety of types and sizes of forage. Plant taller native grasses, sorghum, and sunflowers to attract birds and gamebirds to your plot. Turkeys are naturally calm in a food plot if deer are present, so try planting forage that appeals to both deer and turkey ex: alfalfa, clover, beans, corn, etc.
  
  
• If your looking for another good way to make wildlife feel comforatable on the plot consider planting buffers, making brush piles, or constructing any breaks that turn the large plot into a bunch of smaller plots. Evergreens are good for creating buffers as the provide shelter for smaller game like rabbits, doves, and pheasant. But are also tall enough to give whitetail a feeling of security.
  
  
• By planting a taller plant like Corn around the outside of the plot you give the wildlife another added comfort of feeling secure on the plot. It creates what I would call a forage buffer. The corn provides a forage but also a break between woods/plot.
  
  
• Dont be afraid to expirement....try different forages that you think might work and see how they do. I have always thought about mixing up a food plot that contains things like corn, beans, pumpkins, and sunflowers. It is just fun to think of things you know deer, bear, turkey or any game would eat and mixing your own. And remember try to get forage that mature at different times. That way you will be sure to have a AWESOME plot!
  
  

;D

[flyguy]

Good points sam

karma coming ;D

[razortrap]

good post,,

[rustytrap]

i agree good post

[grayfox]

[Admin]

Sam ;D Another good thing to consider is if you live in a northern climate, to buy seed that originates from a northern climate. Some clovers for example may do well in most planting zones but if the genetics of a certain variety come from Georgia, chances are they won't fare well in Northern NY. The seeds I buy originate from places like Oregon and Manitoba. DNA is DNA and it don't matter if it's in humans or clover seed. It all works the same way.

[SamPAtrapper]

Thanks everyone! Good tip JC!
Anyone else have tips or tricks feel free to add!
;D

[blueduck]

I live on an acre 5 miles out of town, but I have 40 acres and a small cabin 70 miles north. Thats my get away. That property is timbered and surrounded by national forest land. I have 4 cleared areas from one to four acres each with the cabin in the largest clearing. I have planted all kinds of food plots over the years and have had the best luck with clover. I do most of my clearing by hand. As I clear the land I used to pile and burn the piles. More and more Im leaving the piles for small game and critters. Thought being the more critters using the piles the more it will attract predators. Being a trapper and hunter, this is a good thing. Deer and Elk will open in about 3 weeks and I don't plan on being home much........

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2008 8:54:31 GMT -5 blueduck said:

I live on an acre 5 miles out of town, but I have 40 acres and a small cabin 70 miles north. Thats my get away. That property is timbered and surrounded by national forest land. I have 4 cleared areas from one to four acres each with the cabin in the largest clearing. I have planted all kinds of food plots over the years and have had the best luck with clover. I do most of my clearing by hand. As I clear the land I used to pile and burn the piles. More and more Im leaving the piles for small game and critters. Thought being the more critters using the piles the more it will attract predators. Being a trapper and hunter, this is a good thing. Deer and Elk will open in about 3 weeks and I don't plan on being home much........

A wee sneaky, not exactly legal, thing we do at times when hunting gov't land is to carry a small bag of mixed pasture seed, clover and grasses. Any slips we come across get a bit scattered on them and are marked in a diary for future reference. The following spring/summer they are visited and it's almost guaranteed that the deer are visiting them too. Of course over here there is no hunting season and no licence or tag required for any game animals, only game birds and waterfowl eg. ducks, geese, pheasant and quail.