August 2006 Food Plot Update

Deer Antlers

Mineral Licks

It has been a relatively dry summer here in northern West Virginia, but we finally got some much-needed rain over the last weekend of August. Hopefully it’s enough moisture to propel our new plots into the fall.

By the latter days of August our clover plots started to show the effects of the dry conditions and the deer have moved some of their feeding into the cut hayfields. Once again this year it looks like the clover plots aren't going to provide much attraction late into the fall. Hopefully the plots that we are currently planting and those we planted this spring will continue to attract and provide nutrition for the deer.

Oldhouse Food Plot

On August 19th we started disking the oldhouse food plot. This was a tough decision to make since deer were still using the plot but I doubt that it would have attracted many deer late into the fall and especially in deer season.

The ground was dry and hard but we were able to rough it up a bit. Hopefully we'll get some rain over the next couple of weeks to loosen it up and we can get it disked up good and plant over the Labor Day weekend.

I haven't completely made up my mind yet but I'm thinking about planting a variety of seed blends in the plot. I have both Maximum and Ultra Forage seed left from the spring and I also have a little Imperial Whitetail Clover seed. I also have some Lablab Plus left but I doubt if I plant this seed blend in this plot this fall. What happens in our existing plots over the next couple of weeks may have a bearing on what we plant here.

The dry weather and steady deer browsing has taken its toll on the cornpatch food plot. Fortunately the freshly cut hayfields have offered some relief.

We mowed the plot on August 19th and we were mostly mowing grass. I've let this plot down this year since I haven't had the opportunity to apply any fertilizer or lime. If only there were more than 24 hours in a day. I'm sure I'm not the only hunter/food plot grower who isn't able to get it all just right.

This plot has still provided a lot of forage for the deer and I expect it to jump back up again next spring.

Throughout August we saw deer feeding in and bedding in the old garden food plot. I was amazed how much time the deer spent in this plot since the clover wasn't doing well. I'm sure an apple tree along the edge of the plot attracted some attention but the deer were regular visitors to the little bit of clover that was left.

We mowed the plot on the 19th with our lawn tractor. It was supposed to rain that evening and we were chased into the barn early by thunder and lightning but I don't think it ever rained. A good soaking rain after the plots were mowed would have been just what the doctor ordered but I don't think we got it.

I'm starting to think about the fate of this plot come next spring. I'd like to keep a perennial planted here since this isn't a hunting spot. Maybe we'll try something with a little chicory or alfalfa in it, but don't hold me to this I have a lot of time to change my mind several times.

We started disking the middle plot on August 5th. The dirt started to work up real nice in most of the plot and we returned to go after it again on the 11th. It rained on this visit so we didn't get to disk the plot as much as we would have liked but we think we still got the ground worked up pretty good with our smaller disks. We added 250 pound of lime and some 19-19-19 fertilizer before we planted Evolved Harvest Shot Plot. Shot Plot is a rape and turnip mix similar to the Maximum and Ultra Forage. I'm curious to see how well it grows and when the deer start to eat it.

Since the ground was muddy we didn't drag the plot before and after planting. We simply packed it down with our ATV's.

On our August 19th visit the Shot Plot had sprouted and looked like it had a good start but it hadn't grown much more through the 26th probably due to the dry weather.

In August this plot consisted of sorghum, weeds and grass. The good news is that we are still getting plenty of pictures of deer eating in the plot.

I've decided to let this plot go for the fall and winter and see what happens and plant something here again in the spring.

The hayfield plot has grown in size and could now be considered to be three food plots.

The Powerplant is still there with the sorghum growing and there are still traces of beans and sunflowers here and there.

The Maximum seems to have reached it maximum height and is now waiting for something to come and eat it.

On August 5th we finished disking, fertilized with a high phosphorous fertilizer and planted LabLab Plus.

As of August 19th the LabLab Plus had sprouted and leafed real nice. We caught a few deer feeding in it with our digital game cameras and saw one deer eating when we put our cameras out on our last visit. It may be a little difficult monitoring this plot with our cameras since it is farther from the tree line, but we'll give it a try. So far the LabLab Plus is doing well and hopefully the rain we received lately will help it along.

Right Of Way Food Plot

Similar to the Maximum, the Ultra Forage has grown nice and tall and seems ready to be eaten. We have captured a couple pictures of deer eating in the plot but they are very few. We can also see where something has eaten some of the leaves on one edge of the plot but don't know what may have done this.

A gas company truck backed into the plot and kicked a turnip out of the ground. The turnip is a good three inches in diameter and is quite impressive. If only the deer thought the same. My mother wants to get some of them to eat. I may have to watch for her on my game cameras.

September should see us disking and planting the oldhouse food plot and praying for rain. If we have time I'd also like to plant the rest of the LabLab Plus somewhere in the hayfield or possibly some Maximum or Ultra Forage if we have some left over. You know how it goes though; it all depends on the weather and how much time we have.

Since our next visit will be during the Labor Day Holiday I expect to see some pictures of bucks that have shed their velvet. With this time of year getting so close I wouldn't have expected to get a picture of a buck with a bent antler tine, but that is exactly what we saw in our last pictures.

The nine point buck we have been watching all summer and all last fall as a seven point has bent his G3 on the left side. I would have thought that at this late date their antlers would be hardened enough to resist being damaged, but I guess that I am wrong once again. If this buck's antler bent while tussling with another buck I would like to see what the other bucks antlers look like.

Take a look at our crooked antler buck.

I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of deer we are getting pictures of at our two well established mineral licks. It's obvious from the big holes that they visit these licks, but I hadn't realized how much they visited them throughout the spring and summer until we started monitoring them with our game cameras. In previous hunting seasons I had observed deer using the licks but not to the extent that they have this spring and summer.

The good news is that if you can provide something good for them in these mineral licks there is no doubt that they are using them. I think it's difficult to say exactly how much increased mineral intake helps the deer herd but I think there must be some reason they are drawn to them. Deer have the ability to pick the most nutritious foods to eat and I doubt that there is any difference when it comes to their craving for salt and minerals. Lately I've used 30-06 Vitamin/Mineral Supplement and will likely continue to do so. Hopefully it is helping them get the minerals they need.