Dual-Purpose Food Plot
My guess is that most of you deer hunters also hunt turkeys, and that most of you turkey hunters also hunt deer. Well, if that’s the case, how would you like to create a food-plot opening that works great for both deer in the fall and turkeys in the spring? I would like to tell you how to accomplish this task with a little time and effort. But first I want give credit where credit is due. The basis for this idea was presented to me by Scot Mikols, a private lands biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Scot presented this idea to me when I spoke to him about some goals that I was trying to accomplish in managing the property I hunt. First off, I was having problems in that gobblers would often move off the area in the spring to strut in big green fields on surrounding properties. This made them extremely difficult to hunt during the spring season, as you just had to get lucky by catching them passing through. By the same token, I was also looking for ways to increase the amount of time deer spend on the same property during the fall hunting season, and to funnel their movements closer to my hunting areas. These challenges were posed because the property I hunt is mainly a large block of contiguous timber in an area of about 100 acres. Scot simply said that gobblers like to strut in open areas on high ground, so if I were to locate and clear such an area within the woodlot I would likely increase my chance for success. The thinking here was that one or more gobblers would likely use such an area to strut on instead of heading to the big green fields on the neighbors’ properties. The more I thought about it, the more I thought how well that could work for deer hunting as well.
After inspecting a topo map of the area and a soils distribution map, I identified two key locations that were either on a knoll or ridge top, where the soil was fertile enough to support good food plot crops, and that were also in close proximity to good turkey roosting areas and deer travel corridors or bedding areas. The first of these areas I got busy on last winter. I cleared every tree and shrub within an area of approximately 1/16th of an acre with a chainsaw and I created brush piles that would not interfere with a deer or turkey’s likely line of travel into or out of the opening. I created one of the brush piles surrounding a couple of large trees, and with an opening to one side, to function as a ground blind that I can access without being spotted by roosted turkeys. And I have an access trail and ladder stand on what is normally the downwind side of the opening. I cut the stumps as close to ground level as possible so that I can drive a tractor through the opening without fear of puncturing a tire or causing other damage. I used a rake and leaf blower to clear leaves and other debris. I limed the area according to soil test specifications, at a later time I also broadcast a variety of food plot crops including clover, wheat, rye, oats, and brassicas. Another task I have yet to finish is to spray the stumps with an herbicide to prevent re-sprouting. OK now I know this sounds like a heck of a lot of work, and it is, but it has already paid off for me in a big way.
On opening day of the Missouri spring turkey season, 2005, I was able to successfully harvest a 24-pound gobbler whose last act was to strut and gobble right at the edge of this opening that I had created. I’ve killed a few birds before but this one was the most mature bird and he also provided me with the most satisfying harvest I’ve ever had. I firmly believe that with proper planning and hard work many of you can benefit from this same strategy, and I hope you can realize the same success that I’ve already had.
Admittedly I have not yet had a chance to hunt deer by this opening, but my expectations are extremely high. As I said before, there is already an access trail and ladder stand on the downwind side of the opening. Also, there is good bedding cover on two sides of this spot, with a sanctuary on one of those sides. Another benefit of a ridge top or knoll such as this is that your scent generally stays above a deer’s nose, so there is much less chance that they catch your scent even if they happen to get downwind of you. I am chomping at the bit to hunt this particular spot during deer season, and I’m also anxiously awaiting the opportunity to create yet another ridge top clearing to further increase my success. For other good setups like this contact your local private lands resource specialist and join the QDMA. Good luck to you.