[A.johnson]

Anyone have some advice on food plot seed? Trying to decide what to plant this year. Going to have about a 1.5-2 acre plot prepped in the next few weeks. Land is located in the northwest region of Oklahoma. Location is open between 2 good size ponds, 2 good travel corridors on either side. Will try and include a picture if I can figure it out. Was thinking a Australian winter pea, buck forage oat, and beardless/awnless wheat mix. Have also considered some turnips possibly. Any input or advice would be awesome thank you.

 

[kwaynem]

We always had great luck with turnips

 

[okbob]

What other agriculture do you have around you? Wheat is cheap, excellent germination rate, grows almost anywhere........and is cheap lol. If you're surrounded by it already though, another course of action may be required. Lack of rain fall in our area will be a factor on some plots that small, some crops just can't hold up the the deer grazing.

 

[A.johnson]

we might give them a try and see how they do.

 

[A.johnson]

Most of where we hunt is surrounded by wheat already. On one hand I don't want to do wheat for the fact that it is already going to be around. On the other hand we know wheat will grow there and for early bow season we could have a crop in the ground about a month prior to all of the big fields being planted. I hope the large plot will be able to withstand grazing. I do plan on broadcasting some kind of oats in some of our other spots that are more isolated in the woods. If it grows awesome if not oh well.

 

[dennishoddy]

Most of where we hunt is surrounded by wheat already. On one hand I don't want to do wheat for the fact that it is already going to be around. On the other hand we know wheat will grow there and for early bow season we could have a crop in the ground about a month prior to all of the big fields being planted. I hope the large plot will be able to withstand grazing. I do plan on broadcasting some kind of oats in some of our other spots that are more isolated in the woods. If it grows awesome if not oh well.

I've planted just about every gimmick food plot seed on the planet at one time or another. I'm surrounded by wheat, but my plots are small and near cover. Near cover is a key element to any food plot. Plant your wheat around the first of september. Rape and brassica's don't become palatable to the deer until a light frost, and that can be in mid november. You want attraction to be at a good level at the start of bow season.
IMHO, deer prefer milo to about any food that one can put out, but your plot isn't big enough to sustain the entire deer season if you hunt all three methods of take. Bow, Mz, and Rifle, and back to bow.
Buck forage oats are good, but no better than wheat. I've planted them side by side, and had them walk to one side and eat, wander to the feeder for some corn, and walk to the wheat side to eat.
Wheat is cheaper.

 

[okbob]

Most of where we hunt is surrounded by wheat already. On one hand I don't want to do wheat for the fact that it is already going to be around. On the other hand we know wheat will grow there and for early bow season we could have a crop in the ground about a month prior to all of the big fields being planted. I hope the large plot will be able to withstand grazing. I do plan on broadcasting some kind of oats in some of our other spots that are more isolated in the woods. If it grows awesome if not oh well.

Plot with wheat planted earlier and established before the ag is up possibly. I deal with the same thing, plots are pretty pointless for me. I don't hunt far from Dennis, lot's of groceries around.

 

[Smokewagon]

Alfalfa. I've watched deer walk through a wheat field, never stopping , to reach an alfalfa field.

 

[A.johnson]

Plot with wheat planted earlier and established before the ag is up possibly. I deal with the same thing, plots are pretty pointless for me. I don't hunt far from Dennis, lot's of groceries around.

Ya we are hunting in Putnam/Thomas and the majority of what we hunt is either the edge of the wheat fields or draws located near wheat fields. I would really like a decent crop in at the spot we picked out mostly because im curious to see how it does and if it will have any effect on our deer in the area.

 

[A.johnson]

I've planted just about every gimmick food plot seed on the planet at one time or another. I'm surrounded by wheat, but my plots are small and near cover. Near cover is a key element to any food plot. Plant your wheat around the first of september. Rape and brassica's don't become palatable to the deer until a light frost, and that can be in mid november. You want attraction to be at a good level at the start of bow season.
IMHO, deer prefer milo to about any food that one can put out, but your plot isn't big enough to sustain the entire deer season if you hunt all three methods of take. Bow, Mz, and Rifle, and back to bow.
Buck forage oats are good, but no better than wheat. I've planted them side by side, and had them walk to one side and eat, wander to the feeder for some corn, and walk to the wheat side to eat.
Wheat is cheaper.

I agree. Cover is a big deal. The location of this food plot that we plan on doing is a big travel area deer travel in multiple directions through the area. I plan on broadcasting seed in other areas like around our stands in lower draws and thicker wooded areas. If any kind of food comes up in those areas I think it would help a lot. Just something to get them stopping.

 

[ibokie]

I plant pinto beans, rape and wheat. The pinto beans are for early bow season, the rape for late season and wheat when it is tall enough to eat anytime. I put down 19/19/19 fertilizer 100 lbs per acre. If you don't put fertilizer they will not eat it as well. You can buy pinto beans at Sam's club 25 or 50 lb sack cheaper than from seed store.

 

[A.johnson]

Alfalfa. I've watched deer walk through a wheat field, never stopping , to reach an alfalfa field.

I did not really consider alfalfa. I didn't think it would grow that well in the area. Ever tried the Australian winter peas?

 

[A.johnson]

I plant pinto beans, rape and wheat. The pinto beans are for early bow season, the rape for late season and wheat when it is tall enough to eat anytime. I put down 19/19/19 fertilizer 100 lbs per acre. If you don't put fertilizer they will not eat it as well. You can buy pinto beans at Sam's club 25 or 50 lb sack cheaper than from seed store.

Really never considered pinto beans. I will have to look into those. I would think most any bean or pea that you could establish would work well anywhere. Thanks for the assistance

 

[ibokie]

They eat the pinto beans up. I planted Austrian winter peas and the deer would not eat them. They even bloomed and went to seed and the deer would not eat them.

 

[Bullbuster]

No ag of any kind where I hunt. Lots of hard mast trees. I usually hand toss patches of eye grass 10x10', 10x20' and such. Always get great activity. I don't hunt over them but rather the trails going to and from them.

 

[A.johnson]

They eat the pinto beans up. I planted Austrian winter peas and the deer would not eat them. They even bloomed and went to seed and the deer would not eat them.

That's interesting everything I've read about them has been good. I was pretty dead set on those peas until now. Now I'm really not sure what to do.

 

[okbob]

Alfalfa is usually going dormant as wheat is getting going strong. Alfalfa is a pricy seed, picky about soil, picky about planting, and takes some baby sitting the first year. If you get a stand it's awesome, cause you'll get a few years out of it. I'm covered up with ag, and have gone the "corn/wheat cleanings pile" lol. Start putting that out about end of August. Me or the kids usually have something taxidermy worthy on the ground by Halloween. Placed on the edge of thick limited cover and we only dump feed when the wind is right, etc. We make as little intrusion as possible and make the bucks come to us.

 

[dennishoddy]

I agree. Cover is a big deal. The location of this food plot that we plan on doing is a big travel area deer travel in multiple directions through the area. I plan on broadcasting seed in other areas like around our stands in lower draws and thicker wooded areas. If any kind of food comes up in those areas I think it would help a lot. Just something to get them stopping.

Put a feeder in the plot with some corn. They will stop, and if the feeder is put out around the 1st of september, they will generate a habit coming to the feeder. Then the key is to go in there only when necessary, and only when the wind is in your favor.
One of my hunting spots is a 22 acre patch of osage orange and locust trees in the middle of a section of ground planted to wheat. I can't tell you how many bucks and does have been killed off that little patch of heaven. Food plot is 1/2 acre.

 

[A.johnson]

Alfalfa is usually going dormant as wheat is getting going strong. Alfalfa is a pricy seed, picky about soil, picky about planting, and takes some baby sitting the first year. If you get a stand it's awesome, cause you'll get a few years out of it. I'm covered up with ag, and have gone the "corn/wheat cleanings pile" lol. Start putting that out about end of August. Me or the kids usually have something taxidermy worthy on the ground by Halloween. Placed on the edge of thick limited cover and we only dump feed when the wind is right, etc. We make as little intrusion as possible and make the bucks come to us.

Once we plant the plots and fill the feeders at the end August no one should touch the spots until October 1.

 

[A.johnson]

Here is an update on our food plot. Unfortunately it hasn't rained since we planted on august 27th. Hoping that the moist soil was enough to get the seed sprouted.