BLACK GOLD is what every Food Plotter strives for and can’t wait to see as they know they are pretty much done and they get to sit back and watch it grow. The ol’ saying you grow it and they will come, is definitely true. There is no better feeling or nothing more satisfying for me then putting in the hard work in the Summer months to finish a plot, watch it grow, watch deer frequent it and then the icing on the cake comes when you harvest a deer off something that you grew with your own sweat and hard work.
This past week I finally got started on my Fall Plots. After a lil maintenance on the FORD 8N, a new food plot toy purchased, I was ready to start hammering out my plots. My first plot is in and awaiting for the forecasted storms to hit. This first plot is a little honey hole of a plot and about a quarter of an acre in size. I started out last Saturday by spraying the weeds. On Wednesday evening I went in with the new brush mower and knocked down and chopped up all the weeds. I then dragged the plot with my drag to pick up all the loose vegetation. I then put down my lime and let it sit for a few days. With today’s forecast still calling for storms and showers for Saturday afternoon until Sunday, I got back on the tractor through some fertilizer down. Then with my disc attached, disced up the plot mixing the lime, fertilizer, and great soil that I have at this plot. This is when I started to notice the BLACK GOLD starting to appear. I again hooked up the drag to the tractor to even out and firm up the seed bed to prepare it for planting. This also helps rakes up any last vegetation holding on, which I think is critical to help minimize the competing weeds and give your seeds a jump start and chance to grow first.
Then earlier today came decision time, as I was still undecided what to plant on this plot. I kind of use this location as my test plot to see how things grow in general. This year I ended up going with about ½ the plot with Bio Logic’s Hot Spot and the other half Evolved Harvests Shot Plot (a Rape / Turnip mix). This was what I planted this whole plot in last year and it grew like gangbusters and I had Turnips almost twice the size of a pop can and I had the leave top around 36” tall by the time the deer started to mow it down. I planted this Rape/Turnip mix again this year because I wanted to see what happens if I planted it 1.5 months later and more during traditional Fall plot planting times. Will they still grow as tall and big?? My guess is NO. Only time will tell, I guess. This is my first time planting the Hot Spot seeds and the selected blend of winter peas and buckwheat designed to be fast-germinating, extremely attractive to deer intrigued me to give it a whirl and se how it grows and how the deer react to it. Well it was a hot one today and water was a must as seen in the ingredients pic. Along with the Pole saw to create a lil more sun and less shade on the plot. One plot down, only four to go!
Now I just gotta hope it rains on Saturday night and Sunday like they are talking about. 
Well here we sit less than 1.5 months until Archery seasons start across the Upper Midwest ( only 49 more days for me 
), it seems the Summer is only getting hotter, and we all are starting to dream about those cool crisp mornings we all live for. It also seems Deer season has pretty much gone away from a 4-5 month deal and is turning into a 365 days per year type deal and for myself… I absolutely love it.
Everyone seems to be “amping” up earlier and earlier every passing year. It is not too late to get in the game and get your Fall plots in. So if you are not afraid of a lil (ok a lot of ) hard work, some hot days and some sweat you will most likely be greatly rewarded this Fall and feel that great gift of self accomplishment. There is no need to start out and plant acres upon acres of food plots. I started out with hand tools and doing one tenth acre plot. I now am part of 8 plots and about 10 acres total and one of those plots is 6 acres itself. The best hunting food plots in my opinion are the off the beaten path lil’ Honey holes of a quarter of an acre to an acre in size. So whatcha waiting for??? Until next time Lip is outie! 
**CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE**