Anyone thinking next year yet?

[Born2Hunt]

We are thinking that next year we are going to plant Whitetail institutes clover, chicory plus,alfa rack,power plant and winter greens for a total of 25 acres of food plot on a 110 acre property. We've gone mad!

[LETMGROW]

We haven't gone mad. We are mad. We planted some products that didn't live up to our expectations.
Now is the time to sort out our shortcomings and plan for next year's varieties.
Learning by mistake is costly. Not learning is EXPENSIVE!!!!

[wtnhunt]

Yep, spring will plant more peas and sorghum again in the same spots. Thinking we will plant more of hamannfarms winter blend next year. Probably a total of one acre. Will plant some rr corn around the edges of two sides of our big clover plot and will plant about another acres worth of clover mix, probably either the hamann farms clover trefoil grower mix or the pennington rackmaster clover and rye supreme, either way it will be a fall planting.

[sskybnd]

me and my partner walked around yesterday talking about where we wanted to plant some food plots, that will hopefully draw the deer from around the area something that will make the deer want to stay on our property, we have a great bedding area across the road 3 to yr old pines but our land is mostly pine so they just move through the area, but were thinking something for spring that way we might be able to get some good size deer, something with alot of proten.

[anderson3]

Always thinking about next year, even when buying seed in the spring! For other folks, I always try to encourage the long view, for sure.

For my own property, I am trying to make changes that will improve deer hunting ten years from now...for my kids...in case hunting land access or quality is reduced on surrounding properties. When I sit in a tree stand, I make all sorts of ambitious plans for timber stand work. 'That tree needs to go; there would be a good spot to mark a few good ones and cut the rest.' etc. Too bad I never quite get it all done.

My plans for next year, on my place, may be similar to some of yours:
1. fertilize native plants to improve cover quality in some strips of open land.
2. move two food plot sites on the reclaimed strip mine area...some current plots there are just too wet.
3. timber stand: punch holes in the canopy with hard thinning cuts in a few areas; leave tops lay for browse, cover, and seedling protection.

[QDMAworks4me]

OH YES, I am planning to put in some corn and also put in some food plots over to our other property so we can have some honey holes over there!!! Have no figured out for sure what it is I am going to plant on our other property yet will have to wait will have to wait and see after doing some research!!

[Hillbilly]

I'm gonna be hunting hard next year, got acess to some new land, and let me tell you, its gonna be nice..... awesome land... acorn ridge is the place....

[Tominator]

I am. Then I set my foot in my present bean plot and sunk 4" into the mud. Really wet around here.

[jwf]

are there plenty of land in west tn to lease or hunt on an help or put out food plots

[luckyman4]

Always thinking about next year. . . especially when I'm on stand watching squirrels!!

I plan to build several box blinds next year, seems there is never enough to go around when the weather is crappy.

On our home property, I've got a couple medium sized trees to remove that will open up a big shooting lane and also allow some good light into an area that will probably have winter wheat in it next fall. Of course, there is apple tree pruning to do every year.

On another property, I will be cutting a trail through a tree line so I can access some stands without going through a field and also so I can move around during turkey season without getting busted as easily. That trail is going to open up some very good areas I haven't been able to access yet, and I'll build brush piles all along it for rabbit hunting.

On a real small property we own, I'm going to clear out an area that is currently goldenrod and make a food plot there. I've been thinking about this one for a while because that golden rod is a great bedding area, and probably the biggest draw for this particular property. This year, however, we have been competing with a couple standing cornfields down the road, and its tough to compete with food AND cover with just cover, so I'm going to take 1/4 -1/2 acre and plant it with something in the spring (I'm thinking peas - they can be planted EARLY and grow fast) then plant Brassicas in late July. I need to open up some more rifle shooting lanes on that property and make more brush piles for rabbits.

On a couple other pieces that we don't have exclusive access to, I will fertilize near our stands, hopefully making those areas preferable without investing the time and money in food plots.

Weather permitting, I'll start some of the chainsaw work and blind building this winter, when I'm not rabbit hunting.

So, lots of thinking about next year going on. . . hopefully I won't have to think about driving 4 hours every weekend to make it happen!!

[Finn]

My plans are to retire early and get my backside in Wisconsin to start working on plots.

Right now, I can't get up there enough to make many plans as it's just my Dad who would work on stuff.

2008, yep....got lots of plans for that year's plots.

[Swamphunter]

I am thinking of planting a couple of apple trees on the 70 acre parcel that I own. I do not have any clearings or them means to prepare the ground for food plots. Plant some apple trees now, and in 10 years...GREAT!

[LETMGROW]

Hey, Swamphunter have I got a deal for you! I just happen to have a JCB 1400 3C loader backhoe which will clear all the land you want. It's for sale!
I'm glad so many are thinking about next years projects already.