Switching to a new whitetail lease is another giant story I quite honestly just haven't felt like writing about at this point yet, however...new lease, new food plots!
I was offered my new lease during June so it was too late in the year to complete my preferred No-Till Method described HERE. Between working with landowners on their own parcels and releasing my new book in May, it has been a very busy year of doing very little to my own hunting land.
It was a mad-scramble to find someone to tear up my soil and to get some plots prepared on "virgin ground". There was 1 small plot on the land last year, but the bulk of the land hasn't been farmed in decades. After a spraying in late June, I was lucky to finally find someone to chisel-plow and disc on August 9th/10th.
My Personal Food Plot Mix:
1. On the left 1/2 of each plot I first broadcast 50#s of oats per acre, and then on the right 1/2 50#s of beans per acre.
2. A friend of mine helped me plant, and he used and ATV and a spiked-tooth drag to level the field, as well as to work the seed into the soil.
3. After the oats and beans were worked into the soil I hand-broadcasted 8 pounds per acre of Northwoods Whitetails Brassica blend over the bean 1/2, and 5#s per acre of tillage radish into the oats portion. I would have preferred peas over the radish...but the pH is suspect, to say the least.
4. Immediately after planting it rained for about 2 hours-at least something was on time within the process!
5. Towards the end of August I will broadcast 100#s of winter rye on top of the oats and radish, and then another 100#s closer towards the bow opener to help produce the effects of the Layered Food Plot that I describe HERE.
6. If there is a crop failure of the brassica due to drought or poor soils, I will cover the entire food plot system with 200#s of rye per acre and enjoy the season.
I look forward to writing about the journey about the change from old to the new lease soon, but for now my plots are planted and I am feeling hopeful!
Updated! As you can see below, the food plots were a huge success for 2014. They were basically a "fool proof" method for making sure I could enjoy my new lease as much as possible.
