Pennsylvania Game News - April 2019 - 17

the seed germinates along with the surviving clover from the previous planting.
When frost seeding, use half the
amount of seed recommended for a bare
plot. It keeps your plot lush and thick.

SOIL, SEED & FEATURES
On average, Pennsylvania soils have a
very low pH level, which can stunt plant
growth and influence vegetative palatability to animals. But, where it exists,
the problem can be fixed easily by adding
lime to soil.
What's better, lime can be added to
your plot at any time; it doesn't need to
be added all at once. I prefer adding a few
hundred pounds when it is convenient.
Doing this several times a year can help
you achieve a target pH of around 6.5
easily.
Pellet lime is the easiest to use; just
apply it with your seed spreader and
you're done.
Another consideration is using a notill planting method. Whenever you till
ground, you are disrupting and destroying
some of its organic matter. And, often
times, tilling is not needed.
Many small, hard seeds - including
some grain seeds - can be planted using
a no-till method. What that means is
almost all food-plot seeds can be planted
by: removing native vegetation, disrupting
soil with a drag or a rake and spreading
seed before a rain.
Deer are browsers, so the more you can
offer them, the better. Try adding some
brush along the edges of your plot to give
them security and another source of food.
A water hole in your plot also can
be a big attraction, and it's easy to add.
Excavate for and place a 15-gallon or
larger cattle trough, then, allow it to fill
with rainwater. It immediately will make
your food-plot more attractive.
APRIL 2019

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Teddy Klark is an avid hunter and habitat manager, and co-owner of North Ridge Wildlife Forage,
a food plot seed company with blends designed specifically for Pennsylvania and its unique conditions.

Another way to draw attention and
keep it is planting two foods, such as
clover and brassica blends, side-by-side.
Every blend has a different peak attraction
time, so your one-two punch will increase
the draw and longevity of your plot.
Also consider the placement of the
plot itself. It's nice to provide yourself
with an easy walk in, especially if you
can approach quietly and keep your scent
from blowing to the food plot. And plots
placed near deer bedding areas often will
draw more activity if they can be hunted
discretely.
Also know that most deer will enter
your plot from the corners.
Keep this in mind when hanging your
tree stands.

MICRO PLOT SCORES BIG
This past archery season was one of
my shortest, but also one of my most
memorable.
I have a 6-acre parcel in Clearfield
County with a one-eighth-acre food plot
on it.
Over the past year, I located and
daylighted three old chestnut trees that
were overshadowed by taller maples.
They went on to produce a heavy yield of
chestnuts that drew deer, bear, even fox.
I also added a small water hole to
my plot and I was amazed at the array
of wildlife that used it. Everything from
deer to turkeys to squirrels visited daily
for a drink.
I also made a small clearcut on a hilltop
17

Pennsylvania Game News - April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - April 2019