My first food plot

[Easttxbowhunter]

I can finally see, I got my stand hung and can see where hopefully the deer will be coming out of the bottom. im not going to plant the whole pasture in oats, but just what I can see from the stand. the part that I got cleared out is prolly 3 acres to the north, and then 1.5 acres on the other side of my tree stand, which I may do in wheat just to see what turns out better. today I SHOULD have got the disc and busted the ground, but with it being opening day of dove season and all we had to go slaughter some dove.

[Easttxbowhunter]

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=647697&stc=1&d=1409635788

[ww1984]

how large of food plots have yall planted? I ve heard if you plant a large enough food plot they wont be able to eat them all, but can run through a smaller one in no time flat.

Mine is about 1.5 acres. I am hunting small acreage. A rule of thumb on bigger places is about 10% of the acreage should be food plot. That is for game management anyway. Check this out:

http://krirm.tamuk.edu/text/Resources/FoodPlots_WhitetailedDeer.pdf

and this:

http://wildlife.tamu.edu/files/2010/05/Supplemental-Forage-Management-for-East-Texas-White-tails.pdf

[unclefish]

Looks good. Spray that field in a few days and you will get a good kill on it. Lots of good organic matter in there.

[EastTexun]

how large of food plots have yall planted? I ve heard if you plant a large enough food plot they wont be able to eat them all, but can run through a smaller one in no time flat.

I have two main plots that total nearly 7 acres between them. Even a good stand of cowpeas or soybeans between the two of them isn't big enough to keep the deer spread out enough to get them to grow much past the first 3 weeks. This is ETX, Houston County, so the deer density isn't too terrible. I don' have nearly the same issue with fall plots though, just the late spring legumes.

[Easttxbowhunter]

I disked the potential food plot yesterday, it went very well and got it broke up real good. when I was putting my camera back out today I grabbed a couple soil samples and brought them to work. my Ph is pretty low the first sample was at 5.30 and the second was a 5.65, im wondering if I should mix Lyme in with my seed or just buy some acid tolerant seed. what do yall think???

[jkelbe]

Both, Lime will not work overnight (as I understand it), so stick with seeds like can take the low PH for now. I would disc in the lime, then broadcast your seed, then drag it. Assuming you are planting a small seed. Also fertilize when you seed.

[deer farmer]

u can lime and seed the same day but I come back when plants r up good and then apply fertilizer. I limed and planted some food plots today.

[ETXbowhunter]

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[BTLowry]

Looking good

You are pretty close to me. Have not had much luck with soybeans, they come up but when it got hot they couldn't take it. Iron clay peas do good.

I ususally plant oats, winter peas, clover and tried turnips in the fall

[Easttxbowhunter]

u can lime and seed the same day but I come back when plants r up good and then apply fertilizer. I limed and planted some food plots today.

yea, I kinda like that idea, with it being so close to season and all. Id rather get it all done quickly so I don't have to bring in any equipment during season. I guess we will see how it works out. right now tho ive only got a hand full of slick heads coming in, no bucks, I hope this pulls them out.

[Easttxbowhunter]

Looking good

You are pretty close to me. Have not had much luck with soybeans, they come up but when it got hot they couldn't take it. Iron clay peas do good.

I ususally plant oats, winter peas, clover and tried turnips in the fall

do you have sandy soil where you're hunting? did you try adjusting your Ph or is that just what you've seen grows best in the area?