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Folks, This morning I had 27 deer consuming what is left of a 2.5 acre standing soybean field. Attached are 2 of the 4 bucks taken off the property this year. It’s a brag but it’s also the result of years of hard work and finally getting the right combination of crops and cover. I want to help other landowners who really want to “grow them big” and don’t have a lot of money. While I may be a newbie on this sight I have been planting food plot/managing my property for the past 40 years. I have probably spent more time, energy and money doing these projects than 95% of anybody on this list. I have had some great success and spectacular failures. (The first 25 years of owning the property was one of great frugality as I was raising kids and trying to do what I could on a very limited budget. So before you spend$$$$ take advice, ask questions. I say this because after trying every cockamamie food from beets, radishes, rape, turnips, triticale, oats, field peas, mangrels, comfrey, to clover beans and corn..etc…I know just how much hype is just that hype. As for gear needed?.I have done stuff with a gravely walk behind with a chain link fence to an 80 HP diesel(with the same chain link fence) so you can get stuff done... you just need to understand what your limits are in time and money. About once a week or so I am going to offer my observations and thoughts on the various ideas posted. Feel free to question, condemn or agree with what I postulate. Why listen to me? MY property has consistently produced good deer. This year we nailed a buck scoring 152. After the season we still have 7 different antlered bucks still walking around. I have 85 acres and am surrounded by neighbors whose motto is “If it’s brown it’s down!” They shoot the first legal buck they see and do not understand why I have a 9, two 8’s and a broken rack 10 still walking around after the season. So in spite of neighbors you can harvest good deer you just need to work on it. Make plans (multiple) because what others do on their property affects what happens on yours. I am not trying to pontificate but want to let others know what has worked for me. Anybody is welcomed to contact me at [email protected] and come by the property for a visit (off I88 in Otsego county) I will be happy to answer questions show you the what, how and why I did things. I am trying to give something back to this great sport before I am too old to pass on some knowledge….and while it’s all fun…. you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did in time and money. Good luck and happy hunting Next installment will be: “Stop or hold” it’s your choice

I plan on doing 2 to 4 acres of food plots for the first time next year. I have a lot of research I need to do, but at this point I do know I will need some equipment to make it happen. I am hoping I can rent the equipment and attachments I need, or maybe find a nearby farmer I can pay to do it. Two pieces of equipment I do have are a UTV (Kubota RTV900) and a skidsteer (Volvo MC80 86 hp). I don't have a tractor. I know I can rent a brush hog attachment for the skidsteer to clear the overgrown fields. But as far as discing/turning the soil, planting the seeds, embedding the seeds to proper depth, and spraying weed killer, could anyone recommend a way to get this done with particular skidsteer or UTV attachments? I know they sell food plot equipment that can be pulled by the UTV, but I am under the impression that those are pricy and might be too dinky for 2-4 acres. I have yet to come across any "farming" skidsteer attachments. So, anyway to get this done with an UTV and skidsteer, or should I add buying or renting a tractor to the list? TIA.

I was wondering how many of you plant and effectively use "kill Plots" on your hunting lands. I have 47 acres in the lower Catskills that I picked up last year. I have to do quite a bit of land management as much of the woods around my fields had been logged about 10 years back and is now an overgrown mess that's great for deer cover but impossible to navigate and see more than 10 yards through. On the bright side the top of the mountain is great and my entire lower field is corn which is farmer managed and my middle and top field is hay. I will be keeping a lot of the under brush for bedding and travel cover but want to cut trails through it to help redirect deer travel. My other thought was to make a few 50-100 yard wide by 100-300 yard long staging or kill plots in and near the cover to catch the deer before they make their way to the big fields at night. After dark the hay fields are absolutely covered in does. My question is how many have used this tactic and what are good seeds to plant, being that I have corn and hay would a late season browse like turnips and radishes be best or an all around option like clovers and oats?

I found a old disc harrow this last spring. It was in a hedge row, long forgotten, rusting away doing no good for anyone. It is a 6 disc solid wheel harrow, 3 discs per side, with adjustment levers for disc angle. I had to weld one of the axel supports and grind off 95% of the bolts holding it together as most of them were rotten. I rebuilt the weight boxes that set over the disc's with some lumber, two 2x4's and some bolts to hold them down to the frame. I purchased one 80 pound bag of concrete mix, then poured the concrete into two 2.5 gallon buckets. I put one bucket on each side to help push the disc's down for stiff dirt on new plots, or plots that haven't been harrowed in many yeas. I planted 10+ acres with this newly re built harrow and it worked great. Its a bit tricky to back up but it can be done. I got stuck a few times in soft muddy areas and had to unhook and winch the harrow out. But mostly, it was great as I was able to get to places with the ATV and my re built harrow, where I had to use hand tools in the past. Plus on those plots that were too big for hand tools, and I would haul a tractor with a tiller in, now I can use light weight equipment. What a big time and labor saver all around. I'm very glad I found that old harrow. The price was right too, free. The farmer that owns the property where I found it, is also one of the properties I manage for guiding deer and turkey hunts. He and his wife were so appreciative of the hard work and land improvements, that they would not take a cent. So, keep an eye out for those old pieces of small farming implements. It could be a cheap investment on a tool that is worth is weight in gold for maintaining and building food plots. Good luck!

i have an antique grain drill in great condition i just have to get rid of, grain drills planting barley, wheat, oats, rye..etc. its been in the storage shop since i bought the place, and i will never use it. if interested, contact me and i can send you pics of it, or i also have it posted on craigs list buffalo, under farm and garden, this has pics..thanks

Being this is my first year with my own property I am interested in putting in a food plot. I have read dozens of articles and have friends that instructed me about soil testing and their opinion on what to plant. My question is about a local renal company that rents what they call a 5' tiller. Is this what I need to turn the soil to get ready for planting?