Favorite Rifle Season Food Plots

[Nitro2]

I have a couple of ½ to 1 acre sites that I am planning on planting next year. Being a rifle/muzzleloader hunter only, I am interested in planting something specifically to attract deer in November and December.

Any recommendations on what to plant based on experience?

[sandbur3]

For attraction, plant the annuals. Cold hearty oats, rye, and wheat. Also try winter peas and brassica. No all may work in your area. Use lots of nitrogen. I also blend in a bit of clover for the health of the deer the next spring and summer.

[Luv2hunteup]

For small sites you will need alot of plant matter along with something that is not palatable early in the season. My vote will be to plant Ed Spin's mid Michigan brassica mix with between 30%-50% tyfon turnip added in. Plant in early August for best results.

I do have some pics in my gallery, this mix was planted early August in the EUP.

[Pinefarm]

I've found that the deer used my clover plots all Summer and Fall. I think it depends where you're at in the state. The deer ate my brassica's from the time they started greening up. But my area is light sand and pine/oak/beech and while our section now has some very good second growth and aspen second growth coming up due to a lot of work, I think deer in neighboring sections would chew on barbed wire because it looked like a twig. But luckily, that's all changing fast. A large section of private timber down the road was just cut a couple weeks ago and there is another large section already marked with a new "lumber truck" road that was just put in. The cutting may have already started. So, our native food sources are makiing a quick rebound from the rock bottom we had about 5 years ago. Everything was old and there wasn't any new growth anywhere.
But, if you live around decent farmland down south, it sounds like many guys can't give brassica's away.
I see you're from Bay City. Is that where you hunt too? Do any other neighbors have food plots that you could ask? Guys that are trying to improve things will be helpful to anyone who is helping with the cause because any plot you put in will help all the deer in the area. There is no such thing as "your deer" or "my deer". There's only "local area deer" that everyone shares. Maybe you can ask them. You should also inquire to any local QDMA chapter and ask fellow members. I'm sure you'd find some help there too.

[chevyjam2001]

I would have to say winter wheat, rye and oats mix. I planted some around the beggining of Sept and the deer didn't even start using it heavily until the first snowfall. I had a nice patch of brassicas but they are not being eaten much. I took 2 does off of my ww field the last week of the late antlerless season.

[sandbur3]

Luv2hunt- What do you add to Ed's brassica? You said add 30-50% of something? Thanks

[Nitro2]

My hunting property is near Houghton Lake, and unfortunately, I have not seen or heard of any other food plot activity in the area. The land in the area is 50% wooded, 25% hay fields and 25% un-farmed fields.

[Backwoods-Savage]

I would have to say winter wheat, rye and oats mix. I planted some around the beggining of Sept and the deer didn't even start using it heavily until the first snowfall. I had a nice patch of brassicas but they are not being eaten much. I took 2 does off of my ww field the last week of the late antlerless season.

That's amazing. We plant oats and rye in August and by late October, it appears sheep have been grazing because it is eaten right to the ground. Practically nothing there by rifle season.

This year it didn't grow much due to the lack of moisture. Haven't tried wheat for some time because the last two times we planted a small patch of wheat, the turkeys got 100% of it before it had a chance. They do the same with oats and rye if any has been spilled or they find a few that weren't covered enough. We plant 3-4" deep now to try to save some of the seed and it is mostly working. Still chase the birds out whenever we can.

[Pinefarm]

I'd have to think that brassica's would be a good attractor for late November and December in that area. What's the soil like?

[Nitro2]

Both spots are a light to medium clay soil. Ph is 6.2 without lime in one, 7.0 in another (already limed). I planted Biologic Premium Perrenial on the 7.0 site in mid-August, and it never got more than 1" tall. My guess is that it was grazed flat from day one as it had decent rainfall through the mid-October (I know, I should have put a utilization cage on it).

[chevyjam2001]

Well I am sure part of my problem was the 320 acres of corn standing arouding me until 3 days before the gun opener. I also put austrian winter peas in with that mix and they didn't even get touched.