Members Food plots

In 1999 I purchased 51 acres located in Northeast PA. Shortly after that I leased an additional 107 acres adjacent to my property. In 2000 I had a pond built to give wildlife a constant source of water and myself a place to fish. Last year I built up the pond banks and planted whitetail clover. In the past I experimented with food plots but nothing serious until this past year.

In March of 2005 I attended a QDMA short course sponsored by the Pike County Branch. It was there that I met Neil Dougherty from North Country Whitetails. After listening to his presentation, I caught the land management bug. I started by clearing areas around some of my neglected apple trees, to allow more exposure to sunlight. I pruned and fertilized the trees. This proved to help the apple production in a short period of time.

I still wanted to further manage my land so I decided to have Neil come to my property for a site evaluation.

On April 28^th Neil met me at my camp. We spent six hours walking the property. As we walked, Neil made suggestions on stand sites, food plot locations, clear cuts and sanctuaries

He seemed to recognize deer bedding areas and travel routes as if he hunted the land for years; it was amazing what I learned in just six hours.

As time went on the bug became more of an obsession. I signed up for the July 2005 “Whitetail Weekend” with Neil, Craig Dougherty and Charlie Alzheimer, at Neil’s camp and demo center in Steuben County New York.

I arrived early Friday afternoon greeted by Neil, Sharon Scholl his great assistant (office Support Etc.) and Craig Dougherty. The following morning at breakfast I met Charlie Alsheimer. Later that afternoon I went to his deer enclosure and observed some pretty nice bucks up close and personal. That weekend was just adding to my obsession. We spent two days talking, walking and learning alot about deer and their habitat. That Sunday I sat down with Neil and went over my site evaluation, soil samples and the report he prepared for me.

After returning from that weekend the work began. I started out clearing plot sites with my bulldozer. The results of the soil samples showed very low PH. I had 22 tons of lime spread commercially which is much cheaper than by the bag for this quantity. After the lime and fertilizer were put down, five other club members and I used my 35 HP tractor with six-foot rototiller to prepare soil for planting. For the smaller plots we used my four wheeler and plot master to prepare the soil. On August 5^th we planted a mixture of brassica chicory, and clover, then rolled the soil. In all, we created and planted 9 plots ranging from 1/4 acre to 1.1/4 acres. Now it was time to wait for rain. We waited and waited which made if hard for germination to occur, until finally it rained in September.

The plants grew slowly at first, and then finally took off. We put barometers in each plot. Each barometer was 3 feet in diameter and 4-feet high made of wire fencing, to monitor the growth and effect that deer have on the plots. I also put trail cameras at a few plots. We started making clear cuts by hinge cutting trees to create browse and cover. We then designated sanctuaries on the property to improve the ability to hold deer.

Hunting season came, first it was archery, and we harvested a couple of doe and one decent 7-point buck. Then Rifle season came. One junior hunter harvested a spike buck; his first. The other hunters harvested doe. After all this hard work it finally paid off. I harvested a doe and the largest deer of my life a picture perfect 8 pointer. After this season we can raise the bar on the size of buck to be harvested.

In my mind there is no doubt that pruning and releasing apple trees, creating food plots and clear cuts for browse and cover along with designating sanctuaries has increased the hunting opportunities. Nothing to me is more satisfying than managing your own piece of land and seeing results.

Pick your spot and start clearing.

When Cleared Lime, Fertilize and Sow your Seeds.

Pray for Rain and Waite.

Check it out in the fall.

Do the Math and Get it Done!

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Send mail to tacco@ptd.net with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: 06/21/08

Send mail to tacco@ptd.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 06/21/08