Any suggestions for a hardy crop for a foodplot in Mass?

[OIFer]

I have access to some decent private properties and fields, but there doesnt seem to be much food available for wildlife aside from wild grasses etc. Sure, I'd like to attract more deer, but my main interest is to attract and maintain some sort of bird population in the area. There are some woodcock and a limited amount of pheasant that wander in from who knows where, but if i could get some kind of permanent foodplot going maybe i could get some birds to set up shop?

Anybody have any plant suggestions or success stories id love to hear them? Thanks in advance...

 

[Fishercat]

Are you planning on plowing or just trying to overseed? I'm guessing the latter.
Have you considered edge planting trees or shrubs? Things with fruit on them that the wildlife like.
Trees like beech, hornbeam (turkeys especially like the seeds off these), white oaks, maples. Shrubs like hazelnut, blueberry, etc.
Stay away from thorny things and invasives like raspberries or rugosa roses.

If you plan on plowing or lightly tilling, go for the more hardy cover crops. Clovers have long deep roots that don't require irrigation. They also improve the soil for better grasses to grow on top. Many are perennial and will spread. Things like field peas, winter wheat or any of the favas will always require replanting. You can go for some of the millets too.

Here's a link for game cover ideas:
http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/foodandcover.jsp
Or do a web search for
cover crops for game birds.

 

[MisterHappy]

I'd contact MassWildlife, and if they cannot give you the answer, I'm sure that they can hook you up.

I'd say that your plan for woodcock is less than ideal:
American Woodcock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Mark from MA]

Invasive as hell but autumn a olive is a good shrub for wildlife.

 

[OIFer]

Are you planning on plowing or just trying to overseed? I'm guessing the latter.
Have you considered edge planting trees or shrubs? Things with fruit on them that the wildlife like.
Trees like beech, hornbeam (turkeys especially like the seeds off these), white oaks, maples. Shrubs like hazelnut, blueberry, etc.
Stay away from thorny things and invasives like raspberries or rugosa roses.

If you plan on plowing or lightly tilling, go for the more hardy cover crops. Clovers have long deep roots that don't require irrigation. They also improve the soil for better grasses to grow on top. Many are perennial and will spread. Things like field peas, winter wheat or any of the favas will always require replanting. You can go for some of the millets too.

Here's a link for game cover ideas:
Pheasant Ecology: Food & Cover Plots
Or do a web search for
cover crops for game birds.

Thanks, I'm looking to till or plow if we can get a hold of the right equipment. I know there's plenty of Turkey in the area but they don't like this property because of predators and food issues (that's my intuition) . I'd love to see more Turkey and pheasant set up shop, its a big piece of property.

I mentioned woodcock just because they're there, I understand their diet and environment pretty well, I know the turf they like and all u can really do is keep their area protected and secret and they should keep stopping by as they are migratory.

 

[Mark from MA]

In this state pheasant are generally put and take. Some survive but in most areas they dont because of coyotes, fisher cats, foxes, bobcats, hawks and owls. The birds they stock are generally dumb and wont make it because they sit on the ground at night and get eaten.

Turkeys survive because of their incredible eyesight and they roost off the ground at night.

This states grouse population has been decimated by habitat loss and predation. Every time some green thinking a**h*** stops a clearcut they kill grouse and deer. If you want small game think thick young stands of cover

Kill every predator you see. There are plenty more to take its place.

 

[northny]

If you are willing to replant the annuals, plant 60% perrenial and 40% annual plants. Would suggest 30% clover 30% chicory then 40% brassica (an annual).
If not willing to re -plant annual section each year, go 50% clover and 50% chicory.
All three are high in nutrients.
Clover will green up first in sprint, but will go dormant in dry weather. Best if cut once or twice in season
Chickory will be right behind clover in growing in spring. It has a tap root like a dandelion, and will stay green when everything else goes brown and dormant in a dry spell. Looks like leaf lettuce. Deer love it. Its my drought insurance
Brassica (an annual) takes 120 days to become mature, and until then it is bitter and deer dont particulary like it until it goes sweet at maturity. Once it turns sweet (or hits peak paletability) they will hammer it. It will stay green after a freeze and even if coverred in snow. They will dig down in snow to eat leaves, and also dig up the root bulb (think turnip) when food becomes scare. I use brassica in hunting plots as they are still on it through early december. (this is why we do work to replant annuals each year.) Biologic calls their brassica blend MAXIMUM.
I use BIOLOGIC seeds. Not cheap, but they seem to always do well.
Dont by "cow clover" at the local feed store. Mostly stem. Get a good deer clover, doesn't grow as high but has more leaves for deer to eat.
Clover and Chickory I plant as early as possible in spring. Clover plots dont really come into their own until the following year so dont be dissapointed the first season. I usually plant Brassica early July. (wait for weak of rain and not scorching weather). I do fertilize and lime, do not irrigate anything.
I have nine one acre plots spread over 225 acers of mixed hardwood. Plenty of bugs in the plots to keep turkey happy. I have three or four resident flocks.
My suggestion is the first money you spend should be to buy the book "Grow Em Right" by Neil Dougherty. It will tell you what to do and not to do (he shares his mistakes so you dont make them).
I am in year eight of food plots, but year one with just one food plot (50 yards x 200 yards) we already saw we had more deer and turkey around, so we keep doing more and keep having better results.
If you have turkey around, dont do peas. I had a beautiful once acre plot started, and they got about two inches high, and the turkey pulled up everyone to eat seed in two days. My buddy and I spent 30 min trying to find JUST ONE surviving plant. Nothing.

 

[OIFer]

Thanks for the great input guys, I think i'll grab that book "Grow Em Right" and start planning a few spots.

 

[OIFer]

Phase 1 of food plot project complete!

Mowed clearing in brush, cut out a spot for tree stand in yonder pine tree, got the landowner to dump a load of horse manure out there, even mowed a path to approach stand without going near food plot. There should be a pic of the view from stand into plot, longest distance from stand to far plot edge is about 40 yards or so

Next on the agenda will be tilling the ground, planting, and trying to keep it watered over the hot weather...

 

[Nectaris]

Why bother? Eventually some monsanto seeds will blow onto the property and you will be sued.