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Plan for a Better Food Plot

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Mark Kayser

Bigger, more and larger are words that describe the way many Americans think. It may be the answer to some projects, but it’s not always the best recipe for your food plot plans. Many hunters who have struggled with food plots over the years often take this road. They make their plots larger to compensate for a poor crop and add more, and more seed to ensure growth. That can oftentimes resolve the problem, but at what price? And are you making more work for 
yourself with a plot that is too large to hunt, especially for close bowhunting encounters?

Before you go to the expense of equipment, seed and fertilizer the first action should be getting a soil sample tested from the proposed food plot site. It doesn’t matter what you spend on the seed, it simply won’t produce to its full potential or at all in marginal soil. In fact, getting a soil sampled is quick and cheap. There are many private land manager businesses that can help you, but you can simply stop by your local Soil Conservation Service office and they’ll give you a free soil sample kit. The results of that test can be the difference between looking at a lush plot or plants struggling to grow in inhospitable conditions. Plus, once you find out the condition of your soil, you’ll be able to incorporate the correct amount of fertilizer or lime for the soil’s best potential.
If you do skip this route and decide instead to double or triple the seed mixture, be prepared for disappointment. Over planting robs the crop of the needed nutrients and moisture to produce at its highest expectation. Some crops might not even produce at all and could be ignored completely by deer. That’s why its best to prep the soil well before anything is planted. After sampling the soil you should proceed to research the best seed for the environment available.

For instance, clover, a favorite of whitetail hunts, needs to be planted in low, moist areas for optimum growth and year after year results. If you plant clover in right place, such as a lowland pasture, it may last four years or longer. If you plant it in the wrong place, like a hillside or in dry soils, it won’t last a season making it a poor investment and one that likely won’t result in a big buck return.

Choose a crop that is economical and attracts a variety of wildlife as well including, deer, turkeys and upland game. Many rate winter wheat and oats as the top year-round crops for turkey and deer. Clover runs a close second since it may last four years or longer and it also lures both species. These varieties work well since they provide green forage during the fall hunting season, but they also rejuvenate in the spring providing high-quality feed when deer are growing antlers and turkeys are strutting.

Brassicas used in mini food plot.

Besides location for moisture and the right seed, be sure the food plot is in area wildlife will access it. Placing it in an open field or next to a busy road may deter wildlife from visiting it during legal shooting hours. Plant it where wildlife will feel secure and comfortable. Make them feel at home.

Putting it next to a fence line where the neighbors routinely hunt is likely to end in one of your prized bucks taking a ride in the neighbor’s truck bed. A better plan is to put your food plots in the middle of your property and away from openings where the public can view your whitetail population. Also keep in mind that whitetails will be attracted to a food source, but stay close if there is isolated bedding cover nearby. Set as much of your property as possible off limits to create a refuge. Seventy-five percent is not too much.

There is no exact science to food plot setup because properties vary as much as their owners, but with some simple planning and following set criteria you can find success.

For more information on Kayser and the TV shows he’s hosting, visit Mark Kayser Online (www.markkayser.com).

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Speed Read A New Hunting Property

Monday, June 28th, 2010 by Mark Kayser

MARK KAYSER BLOG

I’m fortunate in the fact I travel the country for my living and constantly have the opportunity to explore new hunting country. Some hunters might get the jitters from too many impromptu meetings of hunting property, but I embrace the challenge and speed read whenever possible for success. In fact, I’m exploring 365 days a year to ensure fall success.

Speed reading is important for the traveling hunter, but it’s also useful for the stay-at-home hunter. Sure the terrain might not change, but agricultural or new human activity can alter the movement of big game. If you forsake scouting for summer fun, a speed reading course may be the answer for your success. 

Although the name implies a quick read on the surrounding terrain, it really revolves around the study of big game basic needs. Deer, elk or pronghorn need habitat, food and water to survive. Your speed reading should pinpoint the location of these basic requirements. Think of it as a connect-the-dots game to create a complete picture. By locating the basics you can link together a travel route and interconnect the pieces for the perfect ambush.

Oftentimes water can be an impossible link to pinpoint due to a variety of sources, except in Western extremes, but food and cover provide concrete links. Agricultural, lush meadows and mast crops provide some of the best drawing cards in the food department. Maturing crops and falling mast attract big game like malls attract teenagers. Your task is to decipher which food choice is receiving the most attention and scout to discover travel routes receiving the most traffic. 

Equally as important as food, is escape cover, particularly if you plan on targeting mature animals. Most big game species take refuge in thick cover and remote locations for the best peace of mind, pronghorns excluded. Any cover removed from a road, shrouded by thickets and dark timber could be a potential big buck or bull hideout. Don’t forget to look in out of the way or nontraditional areas either. Open fields, hedgerows, bare ridges, abandoned farmsteads and wetlands may attract a mature animal looking for isolation. Note the best food and cover in the area you plan to hunt, and you’re on your way to a speed-reading degree.

I admit, I’d rather speed read a property onsite, but that’s not always possible. If you have a hunt lined up and know the property location, there’s no reason not to begin speed reading at home in front of computer. The Internet provides speed readers with the information to get part of the job done at home. Today, aerial photographs and topographical maps are available online at the click of a mouse. Think Google Earth. 
 
For a first impression there’s nothing better than a face-to-face meeting on foot, but if you can’t see the real thing, look at maps and aerial photographs. They can be your window to the woods. An aerial photograph gives you a real perspective whereas a topographical map makes you visualize the habitat and coverage. The two combined are excellent ways to see what’s hiding under the canopy of timber.

Without a doubt I enjoy the pursuit portion of a hunt, but exploring a new hunting property is a close, close second. For more information on Kayser and the TV shows he’s hosting, visit Mark Kayser Online (www.markkayser.com).

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