food plot in ny

[broomebuck]

i have buckwheat clover and 1/2 acre of sweet corn but i still have an acre left any sugestion what else work good

[Clumbsum]

I don't know about your growing conditions in NY, but I have the best luck with soybeans. Deer will walk straight through standing field corn to get to soybeans first. then when beans are gone ,switch to corn

[youp50]

I live a little further north than you. Up here the annual winter grains; rye, wheat or oats, sees very heavy use after a frost or two kills most of the other greens. The deer will have mine looking like a golf course fairway in short order. Seed is reasonably priced, and I can turn it down the following August and get three years from one seeding.

Last year I tried canola and was pleased with it. I did increase the area for it. I have some Ladino clover that seems to be getting more use as the years pass.

I think if I had an unutilized acre, I would probably try quartering it and using a different product in each spot and let the deer decide. Permanent stands of clover seed costs more than others, but in my area requires much less nitrogen after it get established. Canola and annual grains can reseed themselves. I use a rotary tiller and hate the vetches. They are way too viney and do nothing but tangle and plug the tines. Roundup ready sugar beets may be a way to go. I live too far north for beans, corn attracts too many bears. When the bears come the deers go.

I am going to try sugar beets again this year. Seed is left from last year. It was too dry here and I let too many weeds get started for a good try last year. I do have to protect the seedlings from the deer.

I do not have much competition from other food plots or agriculture nearby.

[wilmsmeyer]

Good luck with such a small plot of sweet corn. We planted 4-5 acres last year just to draw more deer to a certain area and keep them around in the later seasons. They ate most of it as it was coming up. We have a good friend that is trying the food plot idea. His research and experience is leading him to plant rows of early maturing crops and rows of corn together. The theory is that the early crops will attract the deer and feed them and they will pay less attention to the corn as it grows and makes ears.

However, if you have many deer around, they will pound 1/2 acre in a manner of a few weeks....which may not correspond to the hunting season. "food" for thought.

[broomebuck]

im going to stay away from soybeans until i have more time i tried a small patch last year they did not make it to 3" tall they love them next year when i have more time i going to till more up for the soybean hopefully with the food plots the neighbors are putting in will take some pressure off spread it a little im still learning about what will work and it proably going to take a couple years to find what grows the best , im trying to get the neighbors to all join together kind of like a qdm i have a good start , and the deer population is growing really good around here i can see between 10 to 16 in one field pretty much every day which for ny is pretty good compared to past years

[stevec]

I've got land around Stratford NY. I'm going to try a variety of plantings that I got from Whitetail Institute. Plus I picked up some blueberry seedlings which should do well in the pine forest although it'll take 'em a few years to mature.

They're the highbush variety of berries and in theory should produce between 5 to 10 pounds of berries once mature.

[youp50]

It has been my experience that blueberries attract many more black bears than deer. In fact the deer at my camp don't bother them at all. Oh yea, friends and neighbors can get a few, too.

[broomebuck]

well my last acre is going to be tecomate chicory a friend of mine brought it by for me cant argue with free

[stevec]

Apr 29, 2008 8:06:54 GMT -5 youp50 said:

It has been my experience that blueberries attract many more black bears than deer. In fact the deer at my camp don't bother them at all. Oh yea, friends and neighbors can get a few, too.

Interesting, I've read articles to the contrary regarding deer and blueberries. Dunno... I'll find out 'cause there are deer and black bear both in the area. 3 bear that I'm aware of and a very large bb was taken about 2 miles from our property last year.

I don't hunt bear 'cause I don't care for the taste but I don't mind lookin' at them as long as they behave. If not, well then my attitude may change.

[youp50]

Steve,

It could be the deer have not tried them... yet. The berry patch sits right next to a very well used food plot. Blueberries are not common in the area.

Baiting deer is a common practice up here. A number of years ago I grew some sugar beets for a bait pile. I put them on the pile with the green tops intact. For about a week when I went there I would gather the beets and pile them on top of the corn. The deer would scatter them to get at the corn. Then one day one must have tried them and they were eaten after that.

Where I live there are numerous cotton tail rabbits, they like blueberry bushes in the winter. Camp is free of those particular pests.

At Camp there is some little rodent that eats only the ripe berries. I am sure it is a night rodent as it gets under the bird netting. It is probably a flying squirrel.

Bears are amazingly delicate on my bushes. There is little damage from them eating the berries. Much different from the damage they will do to an apple or a plum tree.

[stevec]

Well, baiting is illegal here in NY. No way I'd be able to do that. We're going to grow the berries 'cause we like pies and jams. ;D

[wilmsmeyer]

We grow a few acres of corn here and there because corn tastes good, a few acres of buckwheat for bread and then.....we forget to harvest it....dang it. The deer end up in it when everyone else around has cut there stuff down.

[youp50]

I am not much for sitting over a bait pile myself... it does keep my Dad occupied. And keeps him from wandering away.

I am really not too sure if there is much of a difference between baiting and food plots. The food plot is much work in the spring and summer and baiting in the fall. I used to hate baiting, it certainly has produced a generation of hunters that don't hunt. It can be a cause for conflict, people put down some bait and expect others to stay clear... all the while on public land. Kind of nice to know that Pops is still seeing some deer and rarely a buck.

[stevec]

Just to clarify. I've been hunting in NW PA, Mid-Hudson Valley of NY most of my 54 years, with the exception of the first 12 when I wasn't able by law to carry a gun. I did go with my Dad beginning at 6 years young though.

I've never baited and don't think I am now. We purchased some property in the Adirondacks of NYS where deer are sparse to say the least. They travel through our property but there's not much there to keep 'em interested.

I am going to put in seeds from the Whitetail Foundation shortly and also 5 highbush blueberry plants which I won't let produce anything for 3 years. Honestly, we do like 'em though and will use quite a few of 'em ourselves assuming they survive and produce fruit.

I personally don't consider that baiting but some may. I'm just trying to get 'em interested in the area.

Up there, they're still *very* nomadic. nothing's going to keep them there unless you have a LOT of $ to invest in property and a quality game management strategy, which I don't. :-(

I still hunt mainly and don't plan on changing that. I enjoy the pursuit probably as much as the table fare. Many extremely enjoyable and memorable hunts have ended with the outcome of walking out solo with nothing to drag.

Never hurts to have some food for 'em in the area though.

[youp50]

Steve,

I am not accusing you of baiting, just commenting that I am not clear as the actual, ethical difference between putting corn on a pile for deer to eat or growing it there. That is all.

IMO baiting is improving the health of the herd. There is no firearm antlerless hunting where I hunt. Supplemental feeding/baiting seems to fatten em up for the winter.

Up here the bucks learn quickly to avoid bait in the daytime. Those that take small bucks can get some over bait. Very rarely will a good buck come in during shooting light.

[stevec]

no offense taken at all. I don't consider planting as baiting personally. I'm planting clover, chickory, etc in varied spots through out the property.

Now, dumping a pile of corn, apples or something like that I'd consider baiting.

No harm done at all, just clarifying the situation.