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Better Food Plotting Starts Now
By Mark Melotik
Some deer hunters in search of quality hunting land decide to take the plunge and purchase a plot specifically for hunting. And one of the first things they want to do upon stepping foot onto their new property is establish a food plot or two. While most food plotting begins in earnest in mid summer — to prep deer-attracting plots for hunting season — one Midwest expert says there are some things you can do right now to ensure more food plot success on your private deer honey hole. Here are his top three:
FROST SEEDING
By definition, frost seeding is a method of planting seeds during late winter or early spring when freezing and thawing cycles naturally work the seed into the soil. “Everybody kind of knows about frost seeding, but it is still, hands down, one of the best things food plotters can get a jump on right now to positively impact their ground,” said John Betker, owner of Martie’s Feed and Seed in Monticello, Minn. “With that freezing and thawing cycle, those seeds are going to get beat into the ground by Mother Nature. They will plant themselves perfectly, and you are going to win the battle with weeds, because your plot is going to grow up and choke out those weeds before they can get established.”
Betker said there are several good types of seeds to plant now, but one of the most reliable is good old clover, which is also one of the most inexpensive. He says a half-acre plot frost-seeded in red clover requires about 4 or 5 pounds of seed — with a total investment of about $29.
LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS
“If you’re going to make any changes to your land including building a sanctuary, creating a bedding area or blocking/changing deer travel patterns, now’s the time to make those changes,” Betker said, explaining that sudden changes to neighboring properties can be one of the biggest catalysts for smart changes to your own property. Examples include a neighbor’s new house, or a new neighboring food plot that’s suddenly created a ripple effect to the deer movement on your own ground.
One of the quickest and easiest ways to change deer travel patterns in your timber, Betker said, is to simply wade in there with a chainsaw in hand and do some strategic cutting that blocks and funnels deer elsewhere.
BUILD A NEW PLOT
Not satisfied with your current land layout? Looking to move a plot closer to bedding and sanctuary areas? Now is also the best time to construct a whole new plot. Doing this now minimizes the impact on your deer and their patterns, and it also drastically reduces your own mid-summer workload — when plot prep/planting gets hot and heavy for fall.