Food Plot Wasn't A Total Bust

[Wacenturion]

Posted a couple threads back in June describing some initial food plot efforts on my property in the Blues.  Everything looked really good until the dog fennel or mayweed popped up.  Guess you have to expect seeds lying in wait when you break ground. Although the dog fennel grew and flowered the deer continued to hammer the food plot planting under it.  Add to that almost 90 days of hot temperatures with no precipitation.  I feel somewhat optimistic that things went ok as far as what mother nature threw at the effort.

Fast forward till this week.  My soon and a friend decided to go over and do a little bear and turkey hunting.  They sat on a pretty decent boar most of one day after seeing it early in the morning and watched it go into some thick stuff.  Never saw it again.  They did shoot a couple jakes though. 

Most of the other time was spent mowing the existing plots with a newly aquired used Swisher 13 hp rough cut pull behind mower I fell into on Offer Up a couple months ago.  Almost embarrased to tell you what I paid for it...$200.   Changed the fuel lines, sparkplug, oil and filled with non ethanol gas.   It purred like a new machine.  One of the plots that I had sprayed in July was completely dead and mowed and disc up leaving new dirt ready to plant.  It was seeded with a fall mixture.  The other plot, was simply mowed as it had perennials in it and the deer were still using it.  That's the one with all the dog fennel.

Here are a few photos showing deer usage before dog fennel bloom, during bloom and after mowing this week (dusk photo).  As I said, I feel fortunate that the plot is still being heavily used.  Hopefully the overseeding will get a start and come in thicker in the spring.  Last picture is the plot that was just seeded to a fall mixture. 

[fishnfur]

Nice.  Looks like all is working out.  Is there cover close by for big bruiser bucks to hide in before and after eating?

[Wacenturion]

Nice.  Looks like all is working out.  Is there cover close by for big bruiser bucks to hide in before and after eating?

Yes, have two large draws and a two hillsides up higher on the property all with very large Ponderosa Pine and lots of brush and other types...i.e native plum, elderberry etc (see first picture). 

Also down low have some large timber running the length of one entire side. You can see it in the second picture behind where the camping pad and trailer is.  In the second picture as well you can see the depression that runs up through that 50 acre field starting where the driveway enters the field (saskatoon berry trees on right) which is now all a food plot strip running much further up from what you can see.

Looking down from midway up the property shows those strips.

[bearpaw]

That was a steal on the mower. 
Hopefully you got the weeds before they dumped more seed! 

[Wacenturion]

That was a steal on the mower. 
Hopefully you got the weeds before they dumped more seed! 

A steal it was.  Interesting thing about is that I was the first caller and said I take it.  By the next day when I picked it up he had numerous calls, many offering more than the asking price.  He was definitely a man of integrity as he told everyone it was already sold irregardless of offers.

As far as getting it before seeding out, probably not.  But with the mower I can now clip it next year before flowering and spray as well.  Just the nature of the food plot beast I guess.  

[bearpaw]

That was a steal on the mower. 
Hopefully you got the weeds before they dumped more seed! 

A steal it was.  Interesting thing about is that I was the first caller and said I take it.  By the next day when I picked it up he had numerous calls, many offering more than the asking price.  He was definitely a man of integrity as he told everyone it was already sold irregardless of offers.

As far as getting it before seeding out, probably not.  But with the mower I can now clip it next year before flowering and spray as well.  Just the nature of the food plot beast I guess.

weeds are the biggest enemy, they drive me nuts

[C-Money]

Nice! Looks like a great piece of land.

[fishnfur]

  I'm jealous.   

[E35alex]

I'm jealous.