Has Anyone Planted A Food Plot In The Woods ?

[Guest HOOSIEROUTDOORS]

I Am Looking For Any Helpful Input I Can Find On The Subject. Good Bad Or Indifferent .

[wtnhunt]

Welcome to the forums.

Planted a brassicas mix in the woods where I cleared out some trees last year, and the plot seemed to do fine. There are some shade tolerant blends out there.

[Ravin R10 man]

Those are the best plots to hunt over...welcome to the forums

[Guest HOOSIEROUTDOORS]

Thanks, Please Keep The Tips Coming.

[kidd]

make sure you have some sunlight and the canopy is not to thick

kidd

[ousoonerfan22]

I planted a small plot(rape,turnips,oats,ryegrain,winter peas) in the timber that was around 25'x50' and it can get some sunlight,enough to grow.We did see deer in it early in the evening or afternoon so they would feed in it before heading to the larger plot out in the open just before dark.

I just planted another small plot in the timber and my son can't wait to hunt it this fall.

[Jorden]

I planted one last year about 200 yards off a main destination alfalfa field last year and the deer just destroyed it. I planted a clover/chicory mix. I planted the same this year with a mix of winter brassicas. I find these to be one of the best food sources to hunt over because they are close to the cover of the woods and it gives deer an area to stage before they go out to the main fields at night...just make sure you have enough sunlight.

[Guest luckyman4]

Like others have said, they are the best plots to hunt over and make excellent "harvest plots" in staging areas. Look for areas with an open canopy and use annuals such as brassicas or grains; they can be planted late summer or early fall and will be ready just in time to make a deer stop and put its head down long enough to get the bow drawn or crosshairs settled. Annuals also require little maintainance, which is good for areas that you can't get equipment to. One thing to remember is that grains like to be planted a little deeper than brassicas; if all you can get back there is a rake, brassicas are probably the way to go.

Clovers or other legumes could be planted there, but check the pH and add lime or its probably a waste of time. Also, one of the big reasons why we plant legumes is to add nutrition. Plots in the woods are usually too small to have much of an effect on nutrition, but SEVERAL small plots could. If you can get a legume plot or plots established and keep the weeds out (several herbicides available that kill grasses and broadleaf weeds now) then they have the advantage of being perennial, and will not need to be planted every year.

[TKLambert]

I am hunting over a clover(ladino) plot in an area where I just thinned out the smaller trees and left the bigger ones. I gets sun but not and over dose. It actually helped it stay alive being out of the direct sunlight during the times of drought and heat. Deer feel safer in it since it pretty much still looks like the woods too. ONE BIG THING......... if you are planting in the woods, esp. around oaks, make sure you get rid of as many leaves as possible. The leaves are too acidic for clover to grow in, so get rid of them and it will come right up!

[Rem308]

I am looking into doing the exact same thing as described in this post. I have a small amount cleared out and am working getting more cleared out. I know that being this late in the season, I won't have a plot ready for this winter...I'm still clearing out the area, but I am wanting to get some plots setup for next year.

My questions for those who have some experience with this, is about my land. I am in some hilly ground with a lot of oak trees. As I clear out the leaves, I keep reallizing that the ground also has it's fair share of rocks, the way that lots of woods do. I am not sure how much I can do to tear up the land, maybe I can get my 4 wheeler back there and disc it up...maybe.

What do you all think? If I rake out all the leaves and brush and get a fair amount of sunlight to the ground, will the plants take and grow? If it matters, there is a good amount of underbrush that has grown up (of course I'm clearing it out now) and a fair amount of ferns and undergrowth as well.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. (I am planning on taking my camera with me in a day or two, but for right now I'm working so much up on that hillside, I haven't had time to get pictures for the post.)