I have a food plot I want to convert to brood cover later this year. It’s about 1.5 acres or a little larger. There’s a small area adjacent to it that was clear cut last year due to pine beetle damage. Other side of plot had the timber thinned at the same time. In past years I’ve had broods using this area based on cameras but nothing this year. I have found a few broken eggs in the plot area this year but I’m pretty confident the nest was not in the plot but eggs were carried there by possibly a grey fox. I think nesting cover should be better in this area next spring.
As far as the plot, I’m pretty sure there will be some clover that reseeds as well as ryegrass. I’m planning on a late fall disking and letting it go fallow. I’ll spray clethodim to take care of the ryegrass. Ideally it will come up in a decent stand of ragweed. Pretty sure there will be some thistle, I’ve been spot spraying it but know there will be more, not a fan but it does attract a lot of pollinators.
Now to the question, if the forb response isn’t adequate is there a warm season crop that could be seeded in time to offer decent cover ? Not opposed to buying ragweed and partridge pea and planting the following fall if needed. I also have another area that’s too heavy in broom sedge, brushy bluestem and Bahia that I’m starting to spray now to reduce grass stand. It’ll get disked or burned this fall as well.
What would you do ?
