Summer Foodplots & Projects

The Iowa Sportsman, Magazine, Whitetails, hunting, deer hunting, how to scout for deer, deer food plot

Summer Projects for Whitetail Hunters

If you’ve been hunting for any period of time, you know a lot of hunting comes down to luck. I’ve always been a fan of trying to make my own luck, or get myself set up in as good a spot as possible to be ready for when a trophy walks by.

With that said, setting yourself up for a successful season starts now. There is nothing worse than sitting in a stand thinking about all the maintenance things you should have done. Do them now.

Food Plot Maintenance

First of all, if you’ve planted some spring food plots, like corn and soybeans or milo, go and check them. Your corn and soybeans might be ready for a second spray. Doing this will help you increase the yield so it will last later in the season.

One of the biggest problems with corn and soybeans is that deer will hammer them. Sometimes they maul them to the point you need to move to plan B. If it’s late June or early July, you can still replant soybeans, or you can switch to milo, which will head out around youth season and should still be there during early bow season.

If you don’t have time to replant right now, you can switch to a fall food plot. Evaluate what you have left and decide if you should mow and disc it under, and or overseed. If you have minimal weeds, you can overseed brassicas with pretty decent success in late July or August.

Another option is to perform a burn-down, which uses herbicide to eliminate existing vegetation and prepare the area for a fall food plot. Getting ahead of weeds early can make fall plot preparation much easier, particularly for hunters working with limited tillage equipment. Early June is often the best time to spray glyphosate (Roundup), since most weeds are actively growing and more susceptible to control before they mature. Taking care of weeds now helps reduce thick thatch and overgrowth later in the summer, resulting in a cleaner seedbed and a smoother planting process when fall arrives.

Clover and Alfalfa

Grass is one of the biggest threats to a healthy clover food plot if it is left unmanaged. While clover can compete well against many broadleaf weeds, grasses are especially aggressive because they grow fast, spread quickly, and compete directly with clover for sunlight, moisture, and soil nutrients. If grasses are allowed to take over, they can eventually choke out large sections of a clover plot and greatly reduce both forage production and attractiveness to deer.

One of the biggest problems with grass pressure is shading. Clover thrives when it receives plenty of sunlight, but tall grasses can form a canopy over the top of the plot, limiting light penetration and slowing clover growth. Grasses also develop dense root systems that rob moisture and nutrients from the soil, putting additional stress on the clover during hot summer months.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance is the key to keeping clover productive year after year. Mowing several times during the growing season helps suppress grasses and encourages fresh clover growth.

When it comes to maintaining clover and alfalfa food plots, the right mowing equipment depends largely on the size of the plot, the terrain, and what equipment you already own. Hunters and land managers today have more options than ever, ranging from small ATV pull-behind mowers to full-size tractor implements.

For smaller and hard-to-reach food plots, ATV and UTV pull-behind mowers are extremely popular. Rough-cut pull-behind mowers are designed to handle thick grass, weeds, and light brush while being compact enough to access remote plots deep in the timber. You can find models that are built specifically for rough terrain, trails, and wildlife openings. Pull-behind systems are especially valuable for hunters without tractors because they can be towed with an ATV or UTV already used around the property.

Flail mowers are becoming increasingly popular for food plot work because they finely chop vegetation and leave a more even mulch layer behind compared to traditional rotary brush mowers. They also tend to handle uneven ground and heavy growth more smoothly. Rotary rough-cut mowers, however, are generally simpler, cheaper, and easier to maintain.

For landowners with tractors, brushcutters remain the gold standard and can help you cover a lot of area, and will tackle small trees, brush, and grass.

Set Blinds and Stands

Seasoned hunters know that the first time you hunt your stand is the best. You’re capitalizing on the low-pressure environment; the element of surprise is in your favor. Keep this in mind. Remember, we want to get set up for success, and that includes giving your land time to “rest” and a break without human intrusion.

That means you need to get your blinds and stands set up now in July. Spend some time and think about last year and how the deer moved through the property. There will be spots that are tried and true, whether they’re funnel areas or close to bedding, you know they will put you in close proximity to deer. Now is the time to get those stands set and trimmed. If you have a mobile blind, like one on a trailer, or a mobile stand, now is a good time to get those moved. Give them time for deer to get used to seeing them there.

If you’re more of a pop-up blind hunter, it’s a little early in my opinion because you don’t want them to get damaged. I do, however, like to get them up at least a month before the season starts. Brush them in and hide them. Deer are cautious of blinds, so give it some time.

Scout Locations

At the end of the season, I like to reflect on new or better stand locations. Move the stands now, it’s ok to set a few up while the season is going on, and it’s ok to do a hang-and-hunt during the season. However, if I know I’m going to move a stand, I get it done early. Bring your chainsaw and pole saws because now is the time to trim shooting lanes.

On another note, if I want to redirect traffic closer to my stand, I will put a couple of brush piles on deer trails that “Y” off away from my stand. I do this to attempt to redirect traffic to a trail closer to my stand.

July is a notoriously hot month, but putting in some effort will get you set up to have a successful season this fall.