timing of your fall plots

[jshouse]

When would you say is the latest you could get away with planting fall food plots? Looking ahead to the end of the summer, i am worrying about when i should try to start spraying/discing the spring stuff and planting the fall seed. I know mid september is generally when people want to do this, but that is so close to the open of bow season that i worry about spooking the mature bucks, not as much with all the commotion from the day but really with the getting rid of a large food source for a few weeks till the fall seeds take.

This is my first spring/summer with a legit plot so i want to see how much usage the plots get but if my plan works and the bucks are regularly using the plot, why would i go plow it up 2 weeks before the season starts?

Will the spring plots hang on a few weeks into october, to at least give me a few weeks to try to get my buck on the ground?

He was awol after 10/6 last year so i really plan on being as invisible as possible in september leading up to bow season.

[jshouse]

and this is gonna be more of an issue (i think) on smaller places like mine, +/- 45 acres with about a 1.5 acre plot (for now). if they start hitting my spring plots and i am able to stop feeding protein maybe i will just have to start feeding again when i disc to try to keep some food available.

[d_e_smith]

I disc in late sept/early oct...plant mid-late Oct depending on rain.

[lovemylegacy]

Mid Sept

[huntmaster]

I plant buckforage oats/turner seed fall blend the 1st wk of Sept every year. And I have good luck havin it up by the opener

[jshouse]

I plant buckforage oats/turner seed fall blend the 1st wk of Sept every year. And I have good luck havin it up by the opener

yeah that is an option i suppose, and maybe what i will try to do...thanks fellas

[FCTrapper]

Would depend on your goals for the plots. Ours are for late season nutrition and help with harvesting (mostly does) deer once the rut is over. We start prepping our fields in July or at latest August. Will disk and chisel plow them then and watch the weather. We typically get good rains in Oct so I try and put seed in ground couple days prior to that. We see out biggest use of food plots in January till March or April when they brown up and die.

[unclefish]

If your bucks are using it in Sept you could just plow half of it under and plant your fall plots in that half.

Or you could just wait. In 2011 I planted oats in mid November because of the drought. It came up great and turned out well. You might also consider Cereal Rye....its very cold tolerant and will germinate and grow with temps in the mid 30's.

[d_e_smith]

You could plant it now and that buck is still going to leave in late Sept

[DFWPI]

I will be watching this. I have a couple of acres that the cows can't get to that I've wanted to use for a food plot for past couple of years, but afraid the pigs will tear it up.

[jshouse]

You could plant it now and that buck is still going to leave in late Sept

How dare you! Thats not funny.

[jshouse]

If your bucks are using it in Sept you could just plow half of it under and plant your fall plots in that half.

Or you could just wait. In 2011 I planted oats in mid November because of the drought. It came up great and turned out well. You might also consider Cereal Rye....its very cold tolerant and will germinate and grow with temps in the mid 30's.

I like the half plot thing, may try that, and then finish the other half after that buck hits the ground...

[d_e_smith]

How dare you! Thats not funny.

Oh I beg to differ my friend!

[Drycreek3189]

I had the same dilemma, so I opened up some more ground so I could keep my spring/summer plots until they died out. I reserve a few plots to only plant in the fall with Buck Forage Oats or wheat. Plant them Labor Day weekend usually.

[BigThicketBoy]

How dare you! Thats not funny.

Yea but its most likely true