[Hudge]

Just wanted some opnions. I went out today, and mowed part of the area, I want to plant two food plots at. Both were pretty grown up, with the main one only allowing me to get about 1/3 of it mowed to be able to prep soon. My problem is, I leave in two weeks, and I am running out of time. I have two days off next week, that I could work on the area, but one is already filled up with other jobs to accomplish. My question is should I go ahead and try to plant two very small plots, or let it be, and work on them in the spring?
I would only have the last week of January and February to even hunt,so I am thinking about putting corn out for January, and just hunt in Febrauary, since we can't hunt over bait in Feb. If I wait to plant until the spring, I'll be able to have quite a bit bigger food plots for next year, as compared to one about the size of my living room, and another about the size of a small bedroo. Also, if I do plant in the next two weeks, it will have to be done quickly and probably not the best job I could do.

 

[Trapper]

If they are going to be just small plots and you won't be able to hunt them until January there's a good chance they will have been ate down to nothing before you get a chance to hunt. I think I would take that day and spend it with my family.

 

[HANDGUNNER]

Considering your situation Hudge.....I'd go with the last plan...just try to have 2 small plots...that will get them in the area, provided that you do get a good stand of growth! with a little green stuff, and some corn...they will be there!!

I know we plant big plots behind the levee, but we don't hunt them...I plant some small ones myself, close to the stand..usually 20x20 or 20X30...my biggest is just about 30X40......and it keeps something green for them to nibble on.........

 

[Hobbshunter]

I'd say the mowing is good enough. I'm no food plot expert, but if you plant too early, that's bad right?
Go and fertilize some honeysuckle and other late season food sources, and you'll have a surefire leg up in Jan Feb instead of a food plot that may not work.

 

[Hudge]

Thanks gents. I'll probably forgo it this year. The small one is about 35x10, where I want it about 50x15, and the bigger one over all is about 20x30, where I want it about double that. I may just plant the small one, and and then make it bigger in the spring, and cut all the saplings in March to make the bigger one even bigger. The way it's set up now, I may just put some corn in the middle of it, and then put my feeder back up on the trail, and call it good for this season.

 

[campbell2054]

Hudge you might try turnips the tops will get eaten early but they will return to dig up the bottoms later. I like to mess w/ this stuff so the way I look at it is that it is just more food for the deer and hopefully they will be healthier because of it. You could also put a camera on the plot and do some scouting.:biggrin:

 

[born2hunt]

If they are going to be just small plots and you won't be able to hunt them until January there's a good chance they will have been ate down to nothing before you get a chance to hunt. I think I would take that day and spend it with my family.

I'm with Trapper on this one. To plant something that small right now is pretty much a wast of time for late season - been there done that. The idea of planting a few turnips has some merit however.