Food Plots

[Forks_hunter68]

Been thinking about tryin out food plots to get bucks in the area. I have some idea of a few species to plant but am intersted to hear what you all think. Spring is coming fast and theres lots of work to be done!

[h20hunter]

I've heard we have a new site sponsor that you can buy some seed from. About 70$ per 1/2 acre and he guarantees you will have a 200 incher! Yee Haw!

[longrange7mm]

thats 200" blacktail  it would be like 250" muleys

[h20hunter]

Yeah baby! Lets grow em! Sorry, I don't personally know anything about food plots other than I guess I could buy a bag from Cabelas and see what happens.

[raekmike]

I'm no expert, but here's what i found so far....

Deer seem to love the weeds that grow in a tilled garden just as much as the vegetables i plant.
Yea, I'm lazy and usually let the weeds grow but the deer keep them trimmed to about 2 inches as well as my peas and beans.
I keep trail cams in my field and garden and they come straight to the garden to feed on what ends up being mostly fresh weeds.
I keep it well watered so the weeds are bright green.
What can i say? I like feeding them....

[Boss .300 winmag]

Been thinking about tryin out food plots to get bucks in the area. I have some idea of a few species to plant but am intersted to hear what you all think. Spring is coming fast and theres lots of work to be done!

Me too, I have land on the skagit. A nice meadow that is usally moist year round. I wonder what would grow there and bring in deer. First month I lived here I had two nice bucks in our yard, since than cougars seem to have kept numbers down.

[Special T]

And depending where Boss there are wolves as well...I have heard of people using the stuff like biologic and stuch for WT and it draws them in but not like you would hope....

[runamuk]

deer are more browsers if I recall so I would think clovers, plantain, birdsfoot trefoil,alfalfa and forbs would be more attractive to them than the grasses 

[nwwanderer]

For multiyear plots try several species of clover and a little alfalfa, yes they do eat the weeds about as much as your plants, but the legumes stay green when the weeds have dried up.  If you get a good stand, you should not need to reseed for several years.  For annual plots canola, turnips, vetch, barley, wheat and sunflowers work.  If lots of deer are around, it is tough to get the plants started, they eat them as they come up and you think the seed did not grow.  These are mostly cool season crops and are best for the PNW.  If you are late, past the middle of May, try the shortest season corn you can find, less than 90 days.  If you happen to get a little rain or the spot has good ground moisture and you get a decent population of corn plants they will get 5 or 6 feet tall, cover up the deer and every ear will be eaten.  Most of the "deer mixes" are way over priced.  You shouild be able to do this for less than $50/ acre seed cost.