Food Plot Initial Results..Part 2 Food Plots and Ford 640 Tractor

[Wacenturion]

Well I returned to the property just a day or two past a solid six weeks after planting on May 5th.  At first glance I was pretty pleased although skeptical since I wasn't quite sure what actually was coming up.  After a week there spraying the plots to kill grass and watching the growth as well as deer usage, lets just say I'm like a kid at Christmas.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll them do the talking.  I'll take the plots in sequence in the following order:
1. Fence plot (annual)
2.. Strip plot (perennial)
3.. Upper plot (perennial)
Notice the date stamps and changes in plot growth on the upper plotthat  I put a cell cam on.

First the fence plot...........mix of soybeans, cowpeas, lablab, sunflower and sorghum.  Notice that the sorghum is pretty evident.  It was also heavily nipped by deer as the close up shows. 

[Wacenturion]

The strip plot..............notice that that deer isn't too concerned with me.

[Wacenturion]

Upper plot when I got there...........

[Wacenturion]

Upper food plot a week later after putting a cell cam on it.  Fun not only watching deer usage, but plant growth as well.

Date stamp on photos may be slightly out of order.....taller growth obviously is a couple days later that some pictures.

[Wacenturion]

more................

[Wacenturion]

more............. 2nd picture getting ready to spray grass in the strip plot.  Last two upper views, before and after.

[Alchase]

Cool to see how many critters use it!

[Wacenturion]

Yeah it sure is.  All three plots getting pretty constant use.  Forgot to mention that the dirt strip to the right of the long strip food plot viewed from above in the last photo is not a plot.  I had someone use a cat and completely ouline my planned 6 acre orchard with a 10 foot wide level stip.  That way it will be much easier to fence on the outside edge with an 8' tall deer/elk fence and still be able to drive the atv, utv or even a pickup around the boundary inside the fence.

[bowhunterforever]

 

[Craig]

Awesome property and pictures. I like the baby turkeys. Might be one of the easiest shed finds.

[Wacenturion]

Awesome property and pictures. I like the baby turkeys. Might be one of the easiest shed finds.

Actually the shed was pretty much buried, except for a small one inch wide square of white showing.  Thought it was unusual as it stood out color wise against the green.  Took my pocket knife and dug it out....surprise.  I just put it back on top of where I dug it out of and took a couple picture.  There's a monster out there somewhere...

[Wacenturion]

Pretty typical evening use now.  Morning use similar as well.  Stuff is really growing.

[Timberstalker]

What an awesome deal.  Glad the plots are taking off.

[kodiak 907]

Looks like a win to me!

[singleshot12]

Looks good but do you have a way of irrigating it when things dry out?

[TrkyBob53]

do mule deer use the food plot? assuming there are any around there.

[Wacenturion]

do mule deer use the food plot? assuming there are any around there.

Have not seen any mule deer on the plot itself, although I have seen several of them on a regular basis a couple hundred yards uphill where I established a mineral site.  They have off and on hit the upper feeder as well, but not like the whitetails.

[Wacenturion]

Looks good but do you have a way of irrigating it when things dry out?

Nope...good ol' Mother Nature.  However,  the upper plot in the picture is a mix designed for dry conditons and a wide ph range.  The plots below are a mixture of clover, chickory and a dryland alfalfa.  They too should be ok, but we'll see.

[bearpaw]

That's looking great congrats on all your hard work paying off! 

[Taco280AI]

Awesome results 

[Jayfire83]

  Looks like its working out very well!

[nwwanderer]

Good job!!!  Canada thistle love disturbance, you can handle them.  Look how much the deer use prickly lettuce, they love the stuff this time of year.  If you have any bindweed they will change to it as the prickly lettuce matures.  Nice plots and a good wet, cool spring to help things along.

[Yelper Guy]

Good work Wacent!
  Shows what some hard work will get you, impressive.