Managing Food Plots

As we move through the summer months, there are still tasks to complete as a land manger. The heat may have you wanting to sit inside in the air conditioning, but tasks that you do now can have a direct effect on the success you have this fall and winter.

Soybeans are a heavily browsed upon forage during the summer months. For land mangers that plant them specifically for food plots, it is vital that some sort of protection be applied to the emerging soybeans. Many install an electric fence, but Tom likes to apply Milorganite to to his soybeans. It is an organic fertilizer that doubles as a deer deterrent thanks to the odor it puts off. The effects of the Milorganite only a last a few weeks, but that gives the soybeans time to grow and increase their odds of surpassing the effects of the deer browse through the late summer months.

Jeff Butler, of Full Draw Hunts, is cleaning up his clover plots. By mowing the plots, the weeds will be set back to a more manageable height. The abundant moisture in the Midwest will allow the food plots to quickly begin growing again and an application of Raptor and Pursuit will take care of all of the undesirables in the clover leaving a lush green food plot as we enter late summer and deer hunting season.

Casey is also applying nitrogen to his corn food plots. Most deer managers don’t have easy access to a tool bar. They can either rent it or have the local co-op apply it for them. Having it applied is a cost effective way to increase the production of corn that was planted for wildlife. Corn loves nitrogen and by side-dressing this anhydrous, Casey is greatly increasing his available food this hunting season.