Well I just walked in the door from finishing up planting my 2011 spring plots. What a disaster the weather has been this year. Finally got a few decent days to work with and brought out the extra horsepower to make sure that last years plots were upside down and drying out to plant the last couple days.
This years plots are basically the same as last years, only tweaked a little bit. The theory is to use corn and forage sorhgum strips to act as visual barriers so the plots feel small and secure for the deer, as well as provide great entry/exit routes for hunting season. There are multiple species planted at two separate time periods to ensure spring, summer, and fall nutrition; as well as attraction. Each species has its own time and period in which deer will utilize them meaning adequate nutrition is provided year round. This type of food plot plan can become very time consuming in their construction, but it has really payed off during the hunting season through healthier deer, bigger bucks, easier entry/exit from stands, and daylight deer activity in plots.
Spring planting consists of corn, soybeans, eagle seed soybeans, chicory, rape seed, kale, sugar beets, ag sorhgum, and forage sorhgum. Summer planting (last week July, first week August) consists of tillage radishes, purple top turnips, buck forage oats, and winter wheat. Perennial plots (not shown in pictures) consist of four different species of clover and two varieties of alfalfa. All the seed I plant is bought individually from a seed company for five main reasons. First, I have spend many years experimenting, testing, and researching all kinds of plants while utilizing my college and master degree education. Each mix is combined so that I can utilize one herbicide for each plot without any one species of the mix being hampered. Each mix combines species that become desirable to deer at differing times. Each mix utilizes either great nutrition and attractiveness to deer from the time they sprout to the depths of winter snow drifts. And finally, its ends up being way cheaper than buying off the shelves.
Picture #1 – 4 acres – This plot is along side 10 more acres planted in corn. Half of the 10 acres of corn is harvested in the fall to ensure some money back for the next years fertilizer cost. The other half is left for late season attractiveness and nutrition for winter heards.
Picture #2 – 4 acres – Positioned on a hill above a CRP bedding area, A hill side cover bedding area, and at the end of a bull ditch leading to a 3rd bedding area.
Picture #3 – 5 acres – Positioned on the opposite side of the property (1/2 mile of river bottom) from pic #2, lies against another 1/2 mile of heavily managed river bottom hunting acreage.
There are two other plots not pictured, 1 1/2 acre of clover and 3 acres of cover and food crop.
Overall there is 27 acres of food plots (on two properties) for the deer 
I love every second of preparing, planting, and utilizing these plots. Over the years my passion is still hunting, but I have grown to really love growing, holding, and managing mature bucks. Take joy in the journey, not just in the destination.
Good luck to all who are utilizing food plots as part of their hunting strategy this year 
