Food plots for sw ga

What's yalls opinions on what to plant in southwest ga (Colquitt County) that really draws the deer in. I've planed peas done throw and grow and several different things. But never anything that just really brings them in. Would really appreciate any advice.

You'll get some really good advice if you post this in the food plot section. But I'll give you my best shot.

We plant a variety of things, but I like a cereal grain like oats, wheat, abruzzi rye....planted with some crimson clover. Or if we dont use the clover, we find a mix of the oats/wheat/rye.

IMO - the throw and grow is nothing more than yard rye and is not preferred by deer. Deer love peas, but they are a summer plot plant and wont make it thru the frost.

MOST IMPORTANT - dont plant too early. Deer in our neck of the woods have so much to eat in late summer/early fall, that if planted too early, the food plots mature and dont have the new growth that deer prefer. We wait until mid-october to plant depending on rain. The oats/wheat/rye will germinate in a few days and within 2 weeks will look really nice (again, with rain). If you plant these too early (September) they will be a foot tall by the time deer need them and wont be attractive to them.

Hope this helps!

catch22 said:

You'll get some really good advice if you post this in the food plot section. But I'll give you my best shot.

We plant a variety of things, but I like a cereal grain like oats, wheat, abruzzi rye....planted with some crimson clover. Or if we dont use the clover, we find a mix of the oats/wheat/rye.

IMO - the throw and grow is nothing more than yard rye and is not preferred by deer. Deer love peas, but they are a summer plot plant and wont make it thru the frost.

MOST IMPORTANT - dont plant too early. Deer in our neck of the woods have so much to eat in late summer/early fall, that if planted too early, the food plots mature and dont have the new growth that deer prefer. We wait until mid-october to plant depending on rain. The oats/wheat/rye will germinate in a few days and within 2 weeks will look really nice (again, with rain). If you plant these too early (September) they will be a foot tall by the time deer need them and wont be attractive to them.

Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

Good advice here. I'd do a soil test too though and get the dirt right.

Where to begin

First, whitetail deer get everything they need in the habitat they live in, contrary to popular belief they do not need a food plot. I have found that most deer activity on food plots is way past deer season in the winter time when they are looking for more food and variety in their diet. Now, there are exceptions and one of my club members has shown me the error of my ways.

He planted a fine food plot. Sprayed it dead during the summer. Turned over the soil, used plenty of lime and fertilizer, planted the most expensive food plot seed he could find. He had 2 different doe family groups in his food plot every evening. I told him " you blaze up that deer group and they will not show up again in the daylight". He did over a doe, and they left just like I told him they would.

Now, does this mean I am anti food plot. No! Food plots are a fine deer and all other wildlife food source that attract game and keep more game on your property.

The problem with hunters, they watch too much TV and other TV host killing deer in a zoo and they think this is the way to go. It could not be further from the truth.

Plant you a food plot, as many as you can afford, and hunt 200 or 300 yrds in a circle around these food plots where the deer actually live.

Good luck

s&r

oh yeah

I like peas, big seeded peas for a summer time food plot. You will spend a lot of money and the good Lord has to provide you with rain. But, if you can get them up and the deer find them, you will catch lots of game on camera.

Good Luck

s&r

Here in Lee I've used every product imaginable, but keep coming back to Oats and clover or No Plow for my plots. I get really good results year in and year out with Imperial Whitetail No Plow. Some of my biggest bucks have come from No Plow. It really pulls em in.

Imperial Whitetail Clover or Alfalfa will give you very good results (assuming the PH is correct for the product, 6.8 or above) , but you have to have a source of water when it gets as dry and hot as we are now experiencing. Weather like this (right now) will kill it off unless irrigated.

One of the best food plots, for late season, that you won't have to plant, is hunting over picked cotton. That's SWGA's best unknown food plot, especially after Christmas until the season's close. Cotton bolls that the picker missed are hanging there for the deer to glean off the plants and the cotton seed they eat will average in the mid-40's protein percentage! Wonderful source of protein when it's cold, relatively speaking.

Iron clay peas are a one shot deal for the most part here...buy a $35-$40 bag of peas, plant it and watch a half dozen does pick it clean in one evening. Then you go back and buy another bag...so on and so forth....it can get expensive and frustrating. I only use it for opening week of bow season here...plow it in the week before season opens and one week later the deer are coming in to munch on it. After about the second or third week of bow season I'm gearing up to plant my fall plots of No Plow or Oats/clover. I won't bother planting peas if I have a peanut field to hunt on, bow hunting field edges 20-40 yards from the main entrance trail, OR hunting the main entrance trail 50-100 yards back. Watch your prevailing winds to pick your stand and carry a Thermacell !

Like others have said, I can't stress the importance of soil fertility and PH! PH is the first item you need to address with lime, preferably dolomitic lime to bring your PH up. Then fertilize to soil test recommendations. To work best, you need to apply lime up to six months prior to planting so it will have time to work.

Best of luck and I hope our comments have helped you.

squealmaker said:

What's yalls opinions on what to plant in southwest ga (Colquitt County) that really draws the deer in. I've planed peas done throw and grow and several different things. But never anything that just really brings them in. Would really appreciate any advice.

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Whether or not you "draw them in" or not depends in large part on what else they have available to eat in the area. There is plenty of agriculture in Colquitt County. If you plant a acre or two of peas or throw and grow, I wouldn't expect to see a ton of deer if there is a 100 acre soybean field, peanut field, corn field, or something else right of the road. It also stays warm enough long enough down there that there is plenty of browse available late in the year. I have planted wheat and rye above the fall line that they wouldn't touch until heavy frost finally killed off all of the other available browse. They would then mow it down in a now time, often after deer season when it went out Jan. 1. Honestly I don't think you are going to be able to draw the deer you want to draw with a small plot in that area. It doesn't mean you can plant something and see deer over it, you just have to have a lot of food it you want to see and hold a lot of deer.

Thanks guys. Great advice.

Sunflowers