Early Season Plots

Most states across the Midwest are only a couple months away from deer season opening. While I hunt in September there are a few food sources I love to hunt over, soybeans, alfalfa and oats or a food plot seed mixture of winter wheat, rye, oats and winter peas. Your bean and alfalfa fields should already be established for the season and the deer have been enjoying them all summer. They will continue on the beans into September until the bean start to turn and dry up. Alfalfa can be a hot spot all season long but September is usually a good time with the last cutting being taken within a few weeks of hunting season providing fresh growth. Now when should you be planting plots like oats or winter wheat

If you are a bowhunter three to four weeks before your season opener would be about the optimal time to plant. This will give just enough time for the plot to germinate and start to produce that fresh succulent forage the deer will be craving this time of the year. Most native browse and crops are nearing the end of their seasons. There are a few reasons you want to wait to plant inside a month before the season. If you plant it too early, the oats especially, will begin to become more mature and stemy before you get a chance to hunt over it. You should not have that problem with Wildlife Perfect's Grazing Mixture, but it doesn't hurt to plant in about that same window frame. Remember the winter wheat can still be very attractive to your deer herds later in the season. To plant either make sure you spray the existing vegetation with a glyphosate to kill and remove any competition. Follow that up by tilling the soil and drilling or broadcasting the seed and cultipack the soil for optimum seed to soil contact. You could also add to the plot and mix in a brassica mix with it to add another dimension to it come late season.  Pray for rain and wait for opening day!

Remember to manage today for a better tomorrow!

Brett Kleinschmit