When does a food plot become a kill plot?

[FREEPOP]

If you have ever set over it with a weapon, without harvesting off it?

If you have taken one deer off it?

If you have taken 10% of the deer you have seen while hunting over it?

If you have taken more than 10% of the deer you have seen on it?



This whole rant of food plots is a joke. Give a guy a fish (bait) and he'll eat for a day. Give a guy a pond full of fish (food plot) and he'll eat for a lifetime.

Call it what you want, they are more different thatn they are the same.

[NorthJeff]

Something to think about!

I would refer to a "kill-plot" as one you hunt over. Same with an ag field you hunt over, orchard, stand of oaks, beech nut ridge, clearcut, etc. You could look at it like this. None of those are bait, all provide forage for a great length of time with a food plot offering the most througout the year, and most are or can be created by man.

I have one plot I like to bowhunt over that is 250 yards long and around 1.75 acres. It twists and turns and is 40 yards wide at one point..20' in another, and I have a stand on the end for a NW wind, and hunt it 3-4 times with a bow throughout the year, a couple times from a more distant stand with a rifle, but it is the only plot I have ever killed a buck over. From April through Dec. or later it provides literally tons of high quality food for the area critters, including rabbits..but it is hunted a handful of times througout the hunting season. Same with all the other plots..I have 17 totalling 8 acres. Around 11 I never hunted over this year...but all but 3 have blind or a treestand somewhere nearby. So, since the stand is there, and I may have hunted it last year, or 2 years from now..Is that a "kill-plot"? For that matter, I took 1 buck from 130 acres, with 17 plots totalling 8 acres, so is the property even a hunting parcel?

[plugger]

When you take a deer off it. If you set over it with a gun and dont get a deer it is an attempted kill plot.

[NorthJeff]

"If you set over it with a gun and dont get a deer it is an attempted kill plot."
:) :) :)

[FREEPOP]

When you take a deer off it. If you set over it with a gun and dont get a deer it is an attempted kill plot.

:D


I have a couple I hunt over (2-1/2 acres plots), one acre I planted in Power Plant for the dogs to run rabbits in (no gun), 1 acre of brassica tha I planted knowing southern deer don't like it but the rabbits do, and 4 acres that didn't take this year because of drought ($$$$).

Should've bought a bag of corn :rolleyes:

[farmlegend]

I concur with NorthJeff's remarks.

Further, I think lots of folks that are not experienced with food plots have an unrealistic vision of what food plots are. They view them as living bait piles that you set up over the top of to whack deer when they come in to fill their bellies.

Of the six bona fide food plots that I had planted last season, four would be flat-out impossible to hunt over.

I submit that there probably aren't many bait piles that have been established that were impossible to hunt over.

[FixedBlade]

I think the word "killplot" should be left as the name of some si-fi thriller. Those words togeather in the context of hunting conspire to make out hunters as killers and could be used in a very negitive way to portray hunters and hunting to the public. Lets ban the word "killplot". So my answer to your question is, there is no such thing as a killplot.

[Splitshot]

All the deer I have harvested, I killed. If you hunt a little wood lot a half mile from the food plot or bait pile and you know the travel route of the deer, is there really any difference.

Most food plots are put there by people that hunt deer. If you spend all the money it takes to plant them and decide that you will never kill one coming or going from a food plot, your a wonderful person and I'm sure someone that does kill one that you fattened up and enhanced those nice antlers appreciates it too.

[FREEPOP]

One of my biggest motivators for planting food plots is because the area I hunt has no ag. fields near by. They are about one mile away. The property would be void of a deer track come late Nov. / early Dec. Since I have started food plotting the deer are there year round. The increase of rabbits has been ten fold, ask the hawk, I see him get 3-4 every year. There are a couple of pheasants now too.
I also planted a spot at the neighbors, at some cost to myself and he said it's the best thing he ever did. He doesn't hunt over it but the deer are in there throughout the day. Planted a small plot at another friends but the deer don't hit it that much, the rabbits have taken it over, which gives us some fun with the boys.

[beer and nuts]

Thats silly to compare planting a food plot to an Ag field and orchards or similiar, these are businesses and livelyhoods for people, SLP had Ag fields way before the explosion of deer down there. And please do not compare oak stands or anything nature to food plots, you guys ain't god. Plant all you want but the real reason is to attract deer and the side benefits to other wildlife are a bonus to them just like me throwiing out corn for the last 4 months.

[FREEPOP]

Thats silly to compare planting a food plot to an Ag field and orchards or similiar, these are businesses and livelyhoods for people, SLP had Ag fields way before the explosion of deer down there. And please do not compare oak stands or anything nature to food plots, you guys ain't god. Plant all you want but the real reason is to attract deer and the side benefits to other wildlife are a bonus to them just like me throwiing out corn for the last 4 months.

Don't have to be God to plant some fruit trees.

Clover plot or field, wheet, or alfalfa, not much difference between the three. Wild animals still eat them.

Livelyhoods, try and convince the few small time farmers of that :lol: :lol:

Watch how far you throw the corn away from your house.

[beer and nuts]

"" I submit that there probably aren't many bait piles that have been established that were impossible to hunt over."""-Farmlegend. Again, I think lots of folks that are not experienced with bait piles have an unrealistic vision of what bait piles are when you view them for wildlife viewing. I would speculate my corn feeding(aka..established bait pile), which I do not hunt over, is far out producing alot of food plots in my area(I've seen a few inthe last 3 days yote hunting on private property, no digging no tracks in them). Also my dad is feeding(aka... established bait pile for deer too) approx. 150 plus mallards, numerous deer and a gizillion squirrels and some grouse.

And I can name dozens of other poeple doing the same thing all winter with established bait piles that are NOT and/or even NEVER hunted over.

If food plots are your passion and you like the hard work and seek the benefit from your hard work in establishing them, great, but be realistic in what they are and why your planting them. The seed companies do not put large horned giant bucks on the packaging because everybody is planting them for cottontails!!!

[plugger]

It is true that you dont have to feed very much grain to surpass most food plots in tdn, (total digestible nutrients). Food plots are enjoyable to plant and hunt but there not the gods gift to whitetails some make them out to be.

[Kaiser Sose]

I have several foodplots ranging from 30'x30' all the way up to 4 acres. Oftentimes, I entertain guests and/or clients that are unfamiliar with the property. Success for many of these people is simply seeing a deer (or several) than actually killing one. As such, I have 4 tripod stands on one 4 acre foodplot where I can position 1 or 2 guests and then I'll take one of the remaining tripods.

Typically a half dozen or so deer make it into this food plot every afternoon, sometimes, even more. Believe me, these deer know EXACTLY where these stands are and stay way clear of them if there is even the slightest suspicion of it being occupied. Nonetheless, my guest are full of glee simply by seeing deer while afield, and tell me so.

On the flip side, I could (and have in the past) put dowm a bag of carrots and bring in the deer much closer to them. As has been the case in the past, most often these people end up shooting a fawn of spike in the excitement of the moment. This is OK, but not really in my management scheme. And I am a gentleman about it. By putting guests over my foodplots, they see more deer and have just a good a time without killing fawns and spikes.

[Ferg]

When does a food plot become a kill plot - ?

ferg....

[Kaiser Sose]

When does a food plot become a kill plot - ?

ferg....

Simply stated, it becomes a kill plot if you hunt over it with the intention of harvesting a deer, irrespective of the size of the plot. It becomes a foodplot anytime you're not there, which amounts to about 99.5% of the time, day and night, year round.

[huntingfool43]

If a plot is planted and hunted over IMO it is a kill plot. If it is left alone for the wildlife to use unmolested, it is a food plot.

[NorthJeff]

"Plant all you want but the real reason is to attract deer and the side benefits to other wildlife are a bonus to them just like me throwiing out corn for the last 4 months."

You are flat out dead wrong on that opinion B&N. Up here corn is out for on average a week or less at a time when deer are already working on negative energy reserves. The corn during rifle season does not build fat reserves, does not build body size, but only prolongs the loss of energy reserves. On the otherhand, food plots contribute to increased fawn production, increased body sizes, fat reserves, the overall health of the mother including milk production, antler growth and when planted strategically, will contribute more than ag land to the overall health of the herd as well as decreasing winter mortality. Deer can feed on quality forage 2 months or longer in the fall with food plots, and 4-6 weeks earlier in the spring when they exit winter. Also, if the deer herd stays around and snow depths are not prohibitive, the deer can dine on brassica for the majority of winter. Even not though, feeding on that quality forage for a few months longer combined with fall and early spring is at a time when it is the most critical in northern climates for deer to have quality forage. On most midwest summer ranges deer have more than enough food...winter is the limiting factor and that includes mid-fall and early spring.

Also, as I've said many times on here before, if someone gave me the choice of having food plots and managing the habitat on my property...or hunting...I wouldn't hunt. Managing the property, habitat, and local deer herd is a year-round activity that typically involves my entire family...hunting is only a few months of extremely limited activity on the property.

It's about the deer, habitat, and other critters ........ Some may view a food plot as a "kill-plot", but that is a very narrow and innaccurate interpretation of what most plots actually provide..whether land owners realize it or not.

[FREEPOP]

It is apparent that some are firmly entrenched in the belief that there is no difference between a bait pile and a food plot, after good review of the facts. They are in the minority though.

We can be thankful that the NRC and all involved understand the true benefits habitat improvements can have. It doesn't take much of an open mind or objectivity to understand, IMHO.

Oh, and I am silly enough to plant stuff just for cottontails, I believe huntingfool43 can vouch for that. Hunting is more about "ME", at least to me. I do it for my dogs, friends, kids etc. and for the animals we persue, and I know HF43 can vouch for this

[n.pike]

"" I submit that there probably aren't many bait piles that have been established that were impossible to hunt over."""-Farmlegend. Again, I think lots of folks that are not experienced with bait piles have an unrealistic vision of what bait piles are when you view them for wildlife viewing. I would speculate my corn feeding(aka..established bait pile), which I do not hunt over, is far out producing alot of food plots in my area(I've seen a few inthe last 3 days yote hunting on private property, no digging no tracks in them). Also my dad is feeding(aka... established bait pile for deer too) approx. 150 plus mallards, numerous deer and a gizillion squirrels and some grouse.

And I can name dozens of other poeple doing the same thing all winter with established bait piles that are NOT and/or even NEVER hunted over.

If food plots are your passion and you like the hard work and seek the benefit from your hard work in establishing them, great, but be realistic in what they are and why your planting them. The seed companies do not put large horned giant bucks on the packaging because everybody is planting them for cottontails!!!
B & N, I'll buy you a beverage of your choice. Finally the wisest statement on the subject.

[Splitshot]

I am sure that there are many people in this country that plant food plots or put out food just because they love wildlife. I just don’t think to many of them post on this site or on a deer management forum viewed mainly by hunters however.

North Jeff could be the exception, but I think some of us are wondering if your statement wasn’t just rhetorical. Of course you could prove it by not hunting on your land where you planted all your food plots. Just kidding Jeff, you don’t have to prove to us how much fervor you have for deer, we already know.

On the other hand I myself go through about 50 lbs of sunflower seed a month just so I can enjoy the birds and I also enjoy “Birds and Blooms”. I didn’t want to come out of the closet so to speak, but I wanted you all to know more than one person on this site could be altruistic. Oh and I just used that word again because Whit complemented me on using it yesterday. You know me, always looking for another pat on the back.

While the term “kill plot” might have been a little graphic for some, in most instances at least in the discussions on this forum it is accurate. I mean in my opinion it is accurate.

And just for my good friend John, in the future I will refer to food plots as bunny kill plots even as I await an invitation to come down and blast a couple. Do any of those bunnies have more than a 6" spread? Between the ears I mean?

[beer and nuts]

Its amazing how the deer survived without food plots the last 80 years...I'm sure glad you guys have saved them...

Ever think "up there" MIGHT be different than "down here". I'm not saying your doing anything detrimental to the herd but your acting like your the saving grace for them.

"""Also, if the deer herd stays around and snow depths are not prohibitive, the deer can dine on brassica for the majority of winter.""" Do you beleive some food plots artificially keep deer too long in some areas(non wintering areas) when they should have started their annual migration to their deer yards?

""""It's about the deer, habitat, and other critters and the sooner some of you let that soak into your head you will be able to reach a much higher and more positive level of understanding. Some may view a food plot as a "kill-plot", but that is a very narrow and innaccurate interpretation of what most plots actually provide..whether land owners realize it or not.""""" Narrow minded??, I really think most realize there is a supplemental bonus for other wildlife(and no I do not feel I have reached a higher understanding because I knew that..jeeez!), but the narrow mindedness might come from others who do not think 95% of people that plant food plots are doing it for one major reason and that is to attract deer...period! Until seed companies start advertsing to me that I can grow 40 pound cottontails with their magic notill seed, I would think its pretty easy to realize where peoples intentions are based on the marketing of seed companies and why they buy it, till it, water it and grow it!

ps..I feed deer with corn/second cutting up until the time the snow is gone and things start to turn green...strictly supplemental. Maybe some on here do not realize how many landowners actually feed deer for more than just November?

[Splitshot]

Beer and Nuts,

I almost forgot to ask, what do you call it if you plant 4 acres of corn?

[Ferg]

This as lost sight of the orignal topic - if we want to continue this discussion - let's start a new thread - thanks guys -

ferg....