Evolution of Two Great Hunting Spots - It Takes Three Years | Dream Farm w/ Bill Winke
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- In each of the past two summers I have created a new food plot on the farm - with the help of my friend Ben Sweeney and his skid steer. In this episode, I talk about the timeline for producing a great spot from scratch. One of the two was made in the timber and the other in the old pasture. I go through the how and why of each one. These two spots will be very good hunting locations in the coming years. As a sidebar, Ben also showed a really cool way to clear weed bushes from around our many wild apple trees.
For more content on the topic of land management, please check out the series I produce for HuntStand called "Deer Dirt" on their channel: / @huntstand
More information about the PH Outdoors G-series food plot planters: www.ph-outdoor...
More information about Whitetail Institute Radish and Winter-Greens blends: whitetailinsti...
A bulldozer in the right hands is the best tool for making food plots with medium sized trees. I've been making them for 20 years and can use skidsteer or dozer. I'll take good video next time with a how to in a low impact way. Also, right towards the end of dozer work spread out food plot seed and the dozer walks it in while finishing up
That is a good plan. I have used them twice and they can get a lot done fast. But as you say - has to be in the right hands. My plots were made by someone who didn't care what it looked like afterwards. It took longer to clean up after the bulldozer (push the trees and stumps out of sight) than it did to make the plots. But, I am sure with some care, the dozer would be better than the skid steer. Thanks for the input.
So what if u can't afford a dozer
@@user-wc2hh1mf3k I don’t want to come off as a prick..but I made 2 plots like Bill has here in 4 hours yesterday..I had to leave some large ash and pines trees that will have to come out later.
In most circumstances a dozer is way more efficient clearing ..not to mention they can put in an entire road system, on the way up.
Ive been manipulatng hill ground for deer with a dozer for long time. Hill ground like this medium sized tree equals dozer.
Great video. I'm in the process of opening food plots on my 400 acres. I'm doing it with my farm tractor for now. It was overwelming at first, but I'm getting it done. I will deal with the big stumps next year. But I can hunt it this season.
Yes, it is a big job but you are on the right path. Good job and good luck.
Man your subject matter as of late has been on POINT, starting with that hunting just one buck video to now. OUTSTANDING
Thanks Michael. I really appreciate the comment and the kind words. Have a great day.
Bill. You should put a water tank or tub if you will up there this year just as an experiment to see if the deer come to it since your plot will not be coming in this year. Since you’re trying different experiments with different scenarios. As always enjoy watching
It should come in this year. I planted it to Whitetail Institute Radish blend and that should start growing once we get another good rain. But, you are right, a small pond in that area would also be good - especially during the rut. Have a great day.
After having some timber harvested they made a loading area that I’ve been converting to a food plot. It’s about 150 yards from our bigger “destination” plot and in between that and sanctuary/bedding area. We’re on year 4 with this little staging plot. Started with clover, radish, and rye. Last year was the best it’s been without adding a bunch of fertilizer. I did spread lime and gypsum(helps break up compacted clay soil) and let nature do the rest. We are seeing lots of daytime activity there from deer, turkey and bears. Now it’s my new favorite afternoon spot.
Brad, they are awesome. There is nothing you can do to a hunting property to improve it more than just adding these. Not only does it make the hunting better (especially with a bow), but it improves the value of the property too. Good win-win.
May I suggest checking your compaction and it should be 200psi or less and look into Agrothrive which is a liquid fertilizer that I’ve use with great success.
Grizzlife. I will check it out. Thanks. But in my experience with liquid formulations, they serve as a stimulant for plant growth but don't serve as a substitute for restoring large amounts of nutrients (N-P-K) to the soil when they are lacking. You need to restore the N-P-K nutrients to the soil somehow.
Great video! I just finished clearing a 1/4 acre food plot in the woods, putting a box blind on one end, planting a mix of clover/ chicory, alfalfa and a brassica mix. Fertilized with 19-19-19 last week, have sprayed twice, going to til and plant August 1 - August 15 before a good soaking rain. Looking forward to the results!
Sounds perfect. Good plan.
I love watching the PH Outdoors drill contour to the ground
Yes, it does a really nice job of getting the seed into the ground even on uneven ground.
I really like the small plots. Easy to hunt, daytime movement usually is good. Even the average guy like me can make them without heavy equipment. They create good pinches also!
They are awesome. The best thing you can do to improve your hunting even (in many cases) if you are hunting on permission. Good luck.
Perfect timing on this video thanks! I created just such a small plot in the woods last winter, now I can knowledgeably start its evolution
Thanks for the comment, Kevin. Yep, those interior plots take a couple years to get into shape. Good luck.
When taking out timber for food plots, usually need to lime very heavy, this is great content, thanks Bill!
Good point. The leaf decay creates an acidic seedbed. Ideally, a person would burn the dead leaves off late every winter to keep from having this problem compound over time once the plot is made. I know guys that even use a leaf blower to blow them clean in the spring. Or otherwise just plan on adding some pelletized lime each spring. Have a great day.
I Love the aerial view of the pond near the end of the video, what an awesome spot
Thanks Steve. It should end up being a killer spot in a few years. Have a great day.
That new plot looks like a great location, I bet there's a few more like that around the farm!
I think so too. It is just a time thing - getting the time to develop them. It is fun to just try to tackle one per year. Have a great day.
Hard work pays off! Big farm.
You are doing great, shaping up good.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Robert. Just keep picking away. Make it a little better every year.
Better kill if you add 2,4D (10 gal water, 1 qt glyphosate, 1 qt 2,4D). Add Crop oil and AMS for even better results
Good point. I didn't want to add the 2,4-D in this case because I was planting the brassicas soon after spraying and I have learned the hard way that 2,4-D does have a short residual period of roughly 2 weeks before you can plant a broadleaf plant in the same area. I lost one entire planting several years back just to learn that fact! Thanks for the input.
Vary interesting THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR INFORMATION. Vary helpful. Hard work pays off. THANKS BILL AN JORDAN
We appreciate the comment. Thanks Steve.
Very informational and well explained. Thanks!
Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated.
NEVER STOP IMPROVING has ALWAYS been my moto, long before Home Depot came along 🤣
What's your thoughts about piling the debris in the middle of the food plot and burning it when the conditions are right ?
That would definitely work too. The logs and tops work down quickly enough naturally, it is the root structures that seem to take forever to disappear if you just push them to the side. Burning them would likely fix that problem. Good luck.
Great informative video Bill! Thankful for your great knowledge.
I appreciate your comment. Have a great day.
Another great video thanks !! Quick question I have a old lawn that’s been mowed for years if I kill the grass can I seed right into the dead grass or should I turn it over or even burn it soil is already excellent. Most of my plots are in the big timber but not this one thanks again . We also need more input from Jordan she has some really good thoughts and questions!
Thanks Paul. I will let her know. It works best if you till it first so you are sure to get good seed to soil contact. But, you can seed right into the grass withdecentresults. It works best if you can find a way to get the seed worked down to the ground. Maybe consider mowing it right after spreading the seed.
Its been really cool to follow the journey on the new farm. Been learning a lot from these videos
Thanks Brendan, I appreciate the comment and the support.
@@bill-winke no problem, sir.
Bill, a piranha tooth bar for your tractor bucket would knock those multifloral roses out quickly. I do it all the time.
I appreciate the input. That would work great on the open areas where it is just rose, but the other project was pulling the MFR from away from the apple trees. We did dozens of them that day. The MFR is in there so tight next to the apple trees that you have to be kind of surgical in getting it out. That is where the articulating jaws of the stump bucket really come in handy. Have a great day.
Another great video Bill....
Thanks Clay. Much appreciated.
Absolutely love the content I always learn so much
Thanks for the comment and the support Jason. Have a great day.
it took me a phone call and 6 hours to get my food plot set up the farmer had everything i needed and i used a hand spinning seed thrower and then. it helps if you pick a spot thats already cleared
That makes it so much more fun. I bet as the years go on he will take as much interest in the success of the plot as you do. Nice job.
Always enjoy your videos thanks much
We appreciate the comment. Thanks Steve.
its a labor of love, but very rewarding
Very true Don. I enjoy the work on the farm almost as much as the hunting. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke thx u as well as
I have a plot in the woods im working on. Just over 1/4 acre. Ended up having to plant rye last yr. Hoping to plant a few other things this yr
Yes, those take time. Once you get it dialed in it will be a great spot. Good luck.
Agree. Hate when all dug up and pushed to the sides. Like smaller woods plots look more natural
I like the natural look too. Thanks for the comment.
You have a nice place
Thanks George. I appreciate it. The bluffs can be tough to hunt sometimes, but they sure are pretty. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke It looks like Buffalo County Wisconsin
Hey Bill, thank you for sharing. How much lyme or other soil builder did you need to spread on the new plots, if any? I'm asking because your property is on the other side of the river from mine, and I will be doing some TSI to open up some small openings in the forest. I agree that giant bulldozers and excavators tear up the land, making it look unnatural and unfinished. That stump auger is a great option because the fine fibers it makes of the stump can break down faster. Keep up the great work!
Paul, you really need a soil test to do it right. Whitetail Institute has a great system I am using now that ties soil tests to an app called Plot Perfection. I have only bought a few apps in my life but this system is worth it. You can sample every plot every year and just send them the dirt along with which plot it came from and what you want to plant there and they log the results right on your app. It's a really cool system.
😊 Dream Big brother 🙏
Thanks Edward. You too!
Will you hunt the small pond during the rut? Looks like a great transition
I think that's where the stand will end up. I probably won't start there. I will likely be as far downwind as possible to start so that will be the trees out by the edge of the larger ag field.
I like your utilization of marginal areas like the old pasture but I’m curious. Have you considered converting any of that to something like warm season grasses or edge feathering? I feel like that could move doe bedding closer to your food leaving more room in the timber for bucks.
That is a good thought, but I am going to let all that marginal ground around that top field sit for a few years. There are hundreds of small (just a few feet tall) wild apple trees coming up in there. In fact, we pulled or sprayed at least ten of them just to make this plot. I want to give nature a few more years in this area (since the cows are now out) to see what will come up here naturally before I start doing anything. Burning would be an option, but that would kill most of the apple trees. This spot is super unique in all the properties I have owned or looked at in the sheer number of wild apple trees either already up and bearing fruit, or growing. If they all all make it, this will be really cool in about ten years with several hundred apple trees creating lots of food and bedding cover in this area.
@@bill-winkeI like that a lot! On my home farm I had the chance to witness what comes once cows are removed and it’s beautiful. We’re 20 years outside of cows being on it now, after generations of my grandfathers using it as pasture, and you could see the natural succession get better year after year. I hope it goes well for you!
@@jacobnelson870 Thanks Jacob. I appreciate it.
When clearing timber, what direction or position do you suggest placing stumps and trees? I don’t want to impact deer travel but burning it all would also take a lot of time and money. We are doing 5 (1 -2) acre openings with a dozer
Steven, I know a lot of guys like to pile the trees up in ways to create funnels. I don't like that myself. If you aren't wanting to do that, I would suggest pushing the trees separately as far back into the timber as you can in every direction so they are spread out and not a visual distraction when hunting the spot. I have done it this way in the rare cases where I did hire a bulldozer to create plots. Good luck. Sounds like a great project.
Jordan made the best comment in this one when she asked about the pasture bs wooded areas. The topsoil is pretty excellent in pastures (from what I’ve seen) here across river from you in wisc. Get into woods and not much topsoil comparatively speaking.
They also dry out way faster in the timber on a dry year because of all the tree roots under the soil. They work great on wet years, but much tougher on dry years.
8:28 Bill your farm looks beautiful. What area of Iowa is it?
Dan
Dan, North East Iowa. This is the area where I grew up
Being from the South i am really curious as to what's feeding on the apple trees.
Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, maybe raccoons - those are the main things. I bet other stuff here and there too, like woodchucks/groundhogs. Everything seems to key on them when they are dropping.
Brassicas planted in mid July ? Seems early ? Tried that myself once the plants and bulbs were too big to the point that deer didn’t touch till after season ended. Or are you planting just to break down the soil ?
You may be farther south. Usually, they recommend a July 25 planting date for brassicas in this region. I just hate missing any mid-summer rains and if the seeds are in the ground a bit early (by mid-July) there is some chance that I will catch a rain that I might not otherwise catch if I wait until late July to plant. It didn't happen this year as it has been dry since I planted. The ideal planting date for brassicas is roughly 60 days before first frost and 90 days before the first hard killing freeze. First frost here is around September 25, so July 25 is prime time for brassica planting in this area. Have a great day.
Hey Bill, I have a first year food plot I am planting this year into brassicas. Have you had success planting brassicas into the dead vegetation on the ground? I’m worried my seed won’t get great soil contact and might struggle to grow through the thatch.
Ben, you either need a hard rain or you need to shake things up a little. You can do that by dragging something across it or even possibly by mowing it with a bush hog. I would be worried about getting good seed to soil contact otherwise, especially if the weeds are thick. Another option is to burn the residue off with fire first to get a clean seedbed. Good luck.
Step #1 ....Lime !
Those timber plots are almost always acidic. Good point.
Bill when you plant your radishes do you top kill the grains/ weeds or whatever was growing there?
Yes. I sprayed them first. It would have been better to drill the radishes because it has turned dry around here now.
@@bill-winke same here in MI
we have a stumpex for stump removal, its works great but its slooooow, like watching paint dry. What is the name of that faster auger?
It's called the Danuser Stump Auger: www.danuser.com/attachments/stump-auger
@@bill-winke looked it up. The Stumpex is still better
@@ChilcoteForestryServices Will do. Thanks. It does look pretty cool. fecon.com/product/stumpex/
I’m curious if you are spraying generic gly or actual RU?
I can get 41% gly at half the cost of brand name.
The local co-op only has the PowerMax 3, I think. That is an actual RoundUp product. I don't use much spray in a year but I should look around for some other sources. Thanks for the comment.
Will you be trying any liquid fertilizer ?
Ron, probably not. Liquid fertilizer is not readily available here and harder to move around. It is pretty easy to get to both of these plots with a tractor and ATV so I can carry a lot of dry fertilizer in the bucket of the tractor and then spread it with the rear mounted spreader on my ATV. That has worked well for me in the past. Just need to make sure I have a rain coming before I spread any nitrogen (urea) or I will lose some to evaporation. Have a great day.
Spraying always bums me out and feels incongruent with wildlife.
Yes, but it is hard to manage weeds effectively without it. I don't like spraying something the deer will eat. Spraying stuff they aren't eating is no big deal to me.
Is Deer gro plot start really a lime alternative? My USDA office says no. Deer GRO is calcium chloride, lime is calcium carbonate. True liquid lime, is made of calcium carbonate correct? Why are youtubers promoting a product that is not really benefiting the soil? Can you do a video explaining the difference between calcium chloride and calcium carbonate(lime). Ive heard calcium chloride is used on highways as a brine since it don't freeze, as well as in tires.. I'd like to use liquid lime, but feel I've been tricked by false marketing and people getting paid lots of $$ to promote a product that really is not beneficial to my soil and food plots.
If you do some research, the experts say that calcium chloride is not a liming agent. I don't know the exact formulation of the DeerGro product. I used it many years ago, but not extensively. I guess the best liquid limes are very similar to the chemical formulation for the solid lime but particle size is smaller and ideally purer so it can carry in the liquid. I have just been using pelletized lime from the co-op as a substitute for the ground limestone (ag lime) that most farmers apply. The Pel-Lime is also ground finer and will work into the soil quicker, but it is not going to last as long as true ag lime since there is no easy way to replace a ton of lime with something other than a ton of lime! Eventually, I will just apply the ground limestone, when I have the time. I would do the research when it comes to liquid products. From what I have read, some are definitely better than others. Good luck.
Food plots are a fascinating study in hunting and human nature. A large expenditure in labor and money that concentrates deer, which in turn, potentially increases the number of deer (doe factories) and the chance of disease within the herd. Then, when difficult growing conditions ensue, such as drought, the grower finds themselves in the "when you need them, you can't grow them" situation - expending labor and money on a failing effort. Lastly, if the landowner truly wants to impact their herd, they require at least 3 percent of total habitat planted in both warm and cool-season forages and most are likely not planting enough food to truly help the herd. Like I said - fascinating. But if the hunter has a solid stand approach, he or she can bet on pretty easy and productive evening hunting.
A 1 acre brassica plot can produce up to 4 tons. 8000 pounds divided by 15 deer = 533 pounds per deer. 533 divided by 10 pounds of food per day per deer = 53 days of food in the most crucial time for deer assuming they ate nothing else. Seems worthwhile to me. That’s just a scenario for my small parcel. I bet Bill here produces enough food to support 100 deer for the winter
Yes, we didn't run out of food last year. Still tons of it left in the spring. This year may be different without all the acorns we had last year.
That can be the case in some situations. I have a friend who once said, "I would just take handfuls of $20 bills and set them on fire but planting food plots is more fun." He was hunting/managing in southern IN at a time when the population was way too high. They ate everything he planted almost as soon as it came up. I am not sure of the status of that area now.
Waste of time and money. Hunting skills are all u need, not bait/food plot.
Not everyone hunts over food plots. Some of us enjoy putting forth the time and effort into increasing the habitat and value of our properties, improving soil quality and providing the wildlife with the necessary nutrition to survive the harsh winters.
@@hvlineman5227 well enjoy that. Investing that much time and money into dirt. Tractors, gas, tractor maintenence, time, tractor attachments, seed, fertilizer, etc...... and not even hunting it, 🤔
That’s right, I don’t hunt my food plots. And I kill mature bucks most years. You do you. Let me hunt the way I want.
@@hvlineman5227 that's awesome. Iowa deer hunting is like shooting fish in bucket. But, good for u.
This isn't the place for you David.