How to Build Food Plots for Deer Hunting on a Budget | DEER DIRT w/ Bill Winke S2 EP. 4

On this episode of Deer Dirt, Bill Winke walks us through how to make effective and inexpensive food plots.
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[@stephenlwest]

If clover planted in year 1 and had ok results, what do I do in year 2 to thicken it up? Do I cut down weeds and throw out more clover seed? Do I till up soil and throw down seed? Slightly rake plot to create better seed to soil contact. I am in NC Your thought.

[@natemihlbachler3511]

With the poor man obviously the tillage is the problem. I've kind of given up on all of the brassica stuff because it seems to draw in nothing. I don't know if it's just this area or my poor soil or what because I don't fertilize. I figure letting what wants to grow there is much easier than fighting it. I think the best end-all-be-all can't go wrong plot is to somehow figure out how to get some decent tillage and broadcast winter wheat and clover. The wheat is almost an instant draw after it gets enough moisture to germinate and the clover of course won't be much until the next spring but then you don't really have to touch it. Given wheat goes in late enough there's basically no weeds trying to germinate like you stated. Thanks for the videos. I really enjoy them. You're down to earth input is what 99% of hunters need to hear. Oh, and I wanted to add when planting wheat I would highly recommend finding an awnless variety such as Red Sunburst. Doesn't make much difference when it's green but after it matures I'm certain the animals appreciate that long wire not being on each seed.

[@bill-winke]

That is a good point regarding the wheat variety. I have friends who have used garden tillers to till up their poor man plots. The end result is a little rough but it definitely works. Good luck and thanks for the comment.

[@scottpulver4920]

Good job. Thank you. My pop always said lime is a poor man fertilizer. Always lime….fertilizer is useless with a low ph!! All things are a learning curve. I primarily plant even years because odd years the oaks are it. This season the caterpillars completely defoliated ALL the oak trees. So fall plots here in NY will be going in. Headed to Ohio to spray over the beans and corn. Long distance food plotting is NOT cheap. In southern Ohio I’m not sure of timing for over seeding into the beans and corn with brassica and cereal rye.

[@bill-winke]

Scott, thanks for the comment. I had a guy in the food plot business tell me several years ago that the best time to plant brassicas is about 80 days before the first "killing" frost so the plants are at the right stage (not too mature) when the season hits. In southern Ohio, I bet that first killing frost is in late October, maybe even November. So I would think early August would work great, but in the end it will come down to rains. You get nothing without a good soaker to get those seeds worked into the ground. Good luck.

[@transamguy9073]

Bill great tips. I have a atv sprayer roller a drag broadcaster for my atv and a hand broadcaster and it all works great. I love brassicas they are easy to plant. I have done beans peas wheat and rye by broadcasting then run the drag over it and roll it and works great. My problem is the turkeys. They will litterly come 20 minutes after i broadcast its like the atv is ringing the dinner bell

[@bill-winke]

I saw that too when I broadcasted fall rye into one of my plots last year. The turkeys camped there until it was almost all gone, and like you, I had dragged it in. Your plan is a good one. Spread more of the cereal grains than you think you should because of the turkeys. Good luck.

[@user-vd2bm1sm2d]

In terms of fertilizing the plot the following year after planting, do we really need to even add P or K to soil anymore? We're not harvesting the plants we put in food plots, so I'm confused as to why there are recommendations to fertilize every year from so many people. The P and K didn't go anywhere. I ask because I have a neighbor that fertilized a plot a decade ago when he cleared the plot and grows soybeans and clover in it every year with a spring planting and never adds anymore fertilizer. I understand that nitrogen leeches out, but shouldn't we food plotters always be on the cheap side with fertilizer once we initially get a plot are started with P and K? Whatever the deer eat, they're defecating back onto the plot.

[@bill-winke]

I would just do the soil test. The plants do uptake the nutrients and the deer eat them or we cut the plot and the soil nutrients become less "fixed". Maybe do a soil test every other year if you want to save time and money. I had a friend who planted soybeans in the same plot every year for about five or six years. At first it worked fine and he attributed the deer droppings with keeping the soil fertile. Eventually, however, that plot did show serious signs of being less productive. The beans grew much slower and didn't produce as much height or as many pods, etc. You eventually have to put the P & K back in. Again, don't trust anyone for that kind of advice when you can just do a soil test and find out for yourself. Good luck.

[@natemihlbachler3511]

Bill, the brassica thing seems to be hit or miss if the deer use them. As I stated in one of my posts they seem to be an absolute waste here in south central IL atleast for me. Given I don't fertilize or lime what are your thoughts on the soil nutrients or lack there of affecting their taste or whatever triggers the deer to eat them. They always look fabulous but nothing touches them even late post freeze.

[@bill-winke]

Nate, I am not sure how the fertility affects the taste or palatability of those plants. I am guessing there are experts that probably know that. My sense is that if it is growing well, it should be healthy and attractive. I guess it is possible that your deer just don't like brassicas or don't have a taste for them. Once the deer got a taste for them on our southern Iowa farm, they ate them heavily. On the new farm, they are eating them, but not hammering them. I think it is related to need also. If the deer don't need more food then maybe they aren't as apt to try something like this that isn't exactly what they are looking for. I bet they will eat clover and beans however. I would keep planting a small patch (1/4 acre) of brassicas each year (and try fertilizing it) until they either prove that they won't eat it or they get a taste for it. I like brassicas because they are easy to establish, produce a lot of forage and are not super hard to maintain. So, it is worth taking the time to try to "teach them" to eat it. If after a couple more years of planting a small well fertilized plot, you see that they aren't using it, then I would give up. Good luck.

[@mitchh7216]

Awesome content as always! I appreciate you’re willingness to share your decades of experience. I’m terms of fertilizer if I want to fertilizer with liquid or granular when can I do that and not risk burning the plants? Right before a rain or when conditions show dry weather? Thanks again!

[@mitchh7216]

Sorry about the typos.

[@bill-winke]

I have never tried liquid fertilizer on food plots. I have used it on ag fields but not food plots. Way easier to use dry on a food plot. Logistics are much easier for hauling and applying. If applying nitrogen (such as to brassicas, winter wheat, fall rye) apply right before a rain so it doesn't evaporate. It is unstable in the solid form (urea) so you only have a day or two in hot summer weather before it starts volatilizing. You either need to till it in by then or get some rain to take it into the soul. P and K are stable and you can apply them any time.

[@mitchh7216]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate the advice!! Does the same apply to a corn and soybean plot?

[@bill-winke]

@@mitchh7216 Yes, for sure. You don't need nitrogen on soybeans but you do on corn (and sorghum) so the same basic principles of timing exist. Anytime you are spreading just P and K the timing is not as important as when you are spreading nitrogen. Good luck.

[@mitchh7216]

Sounds good! Thank you again for taking the time to make all the videos and for responding to comments like mine! Good luck to you as well this season.