Making Micro-Plots on Small Properties

This past weekend, I took on the task of making micro-plots on my Ohio farm, two small ones and one medium sized plot.

The micro-plots are to hunt over while the medium sized (approximately 2/3 of an acre) plot is to increase the amount of food in the middle of the property.

I planted all three to Frigid Forage Pure Trophy Clover. I prefer to plant my smaller plots to clover because it can take a lot of pressure and still survive.

I will come back in July to plant my larger plots to annuals such as Big-N-Beasty (BNB) and Autumn Quick Plot (AQP).

The clover is highly attractive during the summer and early season while the annuals are sure to draw the deer to the center of the property during the rut and late season.

It is important to have lots of attractive food to hold the deer on my property during the hunting season so my neighbors have fewer opportunities to kill the up and coming bucks.

Big N Beasty and Autumn Quick Plot both provide this strong attraction and the Pure Trophy Clover is a great all purpose food source to compliment.

This year, I tried something new. Rather than purchasing or renting a tractor, I hired a neighbor to disc up my plots. This worked very well.

As he worked one plot and moved onto another, I came behind fertilizing and seeding with my ATV. This was a huge time saver and though it did cost me some money, it was way cheaper than buying a tractor!

I left a single tree in the middle of my micro-plot. I do this sometimes when making micro-plots for several reasons. First, the Muddy tree stand I hung nearby, on the edge of this plot does not have the amount of cover I like. The tree out in the plot will allow me to draw my bow as the deer go behind it moving from right to left through the plot

Jake leaves a single tree in some of his micro-plots. He then makes a mock scrape and places his Muddy Trail Camera on the tree. The tree serves as an attraction for deer, allows Jake to draw his bow more easily when the deer go behind it and it also serves as an easy range reference.

The tree will also make a great mental yardage marker. I will put a mock scrap under it with a Muddy trail camera to inventory the bucks frequenting the plot.

Several of my larger food plots are located on a power line. This is a great way to utilize already open ground with lots of edge.

My off-season “to-do list” is getting shorter.

I still want to do some Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) work and put together some Redneck blinds.

Hunting season needs to hurry up and get here so I can get some rest!