How ATVs & UTVs Revolutionize Food Plot

How ATVs & UTVs Revolutionize Food Plot

By Jessica Graham

Ask any private-land hunter about the most used tool, there will be several different answers, but without a doubt, an ATV or UTV will be at the top of the list and for a good reason. They are so versatile, and can be used for a myriad of different reasons. They are essential for land, to help you get your work done, and they can be leveraged to put in food plots from start to finish. ATVs and UTVs have become an essential part of the hunting landscape, and they are a natural fit for making and maintaining food plots. There are a number of food plot implements that can be attached to your Utility ATV or UTV, from plows, spreaders, and sprayers. These implements can help you till the soil, plant your crop, and maintain the plot. Here, we will discuss the various ATV/UTV equipment available for plowing, discing, and finishing soil for food plots. We will also explore how you can use an ATV/UTV to make a wildlife food plot.

Attachment Systems
If you do not have a two inch receiver hitch on your vehicle, you should consider adding one. There are a lot of compatible implements that can fit into the receiver to help you get your tasks accomplished. Once you have the receiver hitch, you can add a ball mount to the receiver hitch for towing trailers. Also, once you have the receiver, there are some systems that convert the two-inch receiver on your ATV or UTV into a three-point system like on a tractor, complete with an electronic control to raise and lower the implement. From there, you can select disc-plows, harrows, chisel plows, and more. It is a one-stop setup for making an entire food plot.

Some ATVs and UTVs have power takeoff (PTO) shafts. PTO is a valuable element when you think of providing power to secondary functions. You will have enough power to run hydraulic and mechanical pumps and other attached implements. The PTO efficiently transmits an engine’s power to another machine and one that does not have its own motor or engine through a driveshaft. The driveshaft is connected from the device to the UTVs power takeoff shaft. You will not have the PTO of a tractor, but you may be able to power some light equipment. However, not all ATVs and UTVs come with PTO shafts. If your vehicle doesn’t have one, you can add one on. There are kits available that can be mounted on the end of a crankcase and are PTO-driven to convert to hydraulics. Quick couplers attach implements to the front of the vehicle for use with the PTO.

Mow the Ground
Depending on how you are planning on getting your food plot started, you might want to start with mowing or brush cutting the current vegetation. If you have already frost seeded your clover food plot, then you will likely be looking at a mower or brushcutter to maintain the food plot.

Pull-behind bush hogs, are popular pull-behind attachments for ATVs and UTVs. They feature a spinning horizontal blade that efficiently cuts through tall grass, weeds, and light brush. These cutters come in various cutting widths, allowing users to choose the most suitable option based on the size of the area to be maintained. This is a good option if you’re planning on using a brush cutter to maintain a food plot, and keep weeds at bay. Flail mowers are another pull-behind option that excels in cutting tougher vegetation. They feature a series of small, independently rotating blades that offer a more thorough and controlled cut. Flail mowers are ideal for areas with dense brush, and their design reduces the risk of throwing debris, making them safer for use in populated or sensitive environments. Finish mowers are designed with multiple blades that are mounted on a single rotating cylinder or disk. The blades are positioned in a way that allows them to overlap, ensuring a clean and even cut.The primary purpose of a finish mower is to provide a smooth and even cut, leaving behind a well-groomed appearance. It is not intended for cutting tall or rough vegetation but rather for maintaining already established grass at a consistent height. Like any other equipment, mowers require regular maintenance. This includes keeping the blades sharp, lubricating moving parts, and ensuring that the cutting adjustment is functioning properly. Boom mowers are integrated systems that extend from the side or rear of an ATV or UTV, providing a versatile reach for cutting vegetation along roadsides, ditches, or fence lines. They offer adjustable cutting heights and are effective for tackling overgrown areas that may be challenging to reach with traditional mowers.

Tillage Equipment
Once you’re ready to break the soil, there are some different options you can choose from if you need to turn dirt for your food plot. When using ATVs or UTVs for plowing and tilling food plots, it’s essential to choose implements that match the size of the area to be worked and the type of soil. Additionally, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific ATV or UTV model. Plow blades can be mounted to the front of an ATV or UTV. They come in various widths and are designed for pushing and moving soil, snow, or other debris. Plow blades are excellent for breaking ground and clearing the surface before tilling. Specialized ATV or UTV tillers are designed for cultivating and tilling soil and leave you with a well-prepared seed bed. ATV/UTV tillers come in various widths to match the size of the food plot.

If you do not want to spend the money on a tiller, you might consider something like a disc-plow that connects to your vehicle’s receiver. It uses the weight of the machine to push into the ground, so you’ll need ramps to set the depth when you plow. You will also want a harrow to help you get better seed bed with the disc. You can also use a harrow or a cultipacker to get adequate seed-to-soil contact and ensure a promising food plot.

Sprayers
Various sprayer attachments are available for ATVs and UTVs, designed to be mounted on the vehicle for efficient spraying. You can choose one with a boom with nozzles that spray, or boomless sprayers that eliminate the need for a traditional boom. Instead, they use a wide nozzle or a set of nozzles that provide a broader spray pattern, covering a larger area with each pass. Sprayers can help you do a chemical burn down of the vegetation instead of mowing. You can spray before or after you plant and they will for sure help you maintain a pristine food plot.

Seeders and Planters
ATV-mounted seeder and spreader attachments are commonly used for seeds, fertilizers, or other granular materials. They can be easily mounted to the ATV and are effective for covering larger areas quickly. The most popular options are usually broadcast spreaders. They can be towed on the ATV. While traditional tractor-mounted seed drills are common, there are ATV-specific drill seeders designed for smaller-scale planting. These drill seeders often have a narrower working width and can be easily towed behind an ATV. They are suitable for planting rows of seeds with precision.

Although drills and planters are not as common as broadcast seeders, certain planters are specifically designed for ATV use. These planters are equipped with row units for planting seeds in rows. Some advanced ATV seeding equipment comes with electric or hydraulic systems.

Final Thoughts
With a few implements, you can be on the way towards creating and maintaining a food plot on your acreage. There are some other implements and tools I’ve found useful. One implement that we’ve used for odd jobs is a single-shank ripper. It has helped us create a furrow for planting tubers, and for miscellaneous items. Trailers also deserve an honorable mention, I’m sure you’ll use yours all the time for various projects. Plows, snowblowers, rakes and blades all are stapples you will find on most acreages, and they make compatible equipment for ATVs and UTVs. ATVs and UTVs can’t do everything, but you will be surprised and impressed with the things you can get done with your recreational vehicles.

Moreover, the ever-expanding range of ATV and UTV accessories, from specialized implements for land management to recreational add-ons. You can use your ATVs for work and for fun. Manufacturers are catering to our use of our recreational vehicles with a plethora of implements to help you plant food plots on your acreages. I just covered a few of the implements and their uses, but as you look into customizing a plan for this spring, you will find so many options.