Shed Hunting in Big n Beasty

The Season after the Season.

It’s the end of January and deer season has come and gone.  For me, 2011 will not go down as one of the more productive seasons.  It wasn’t for the lack of trying.  Things just didn’t go my way.  From missed opportunities during bow season, to poor weather late season I’m actually glad the season is over.  It’s time to move on and prepare for 2012.   Well, maybe not just yet.  February 1^st is the start of another season, and one that just might be more enjoyable than hunting season.  I’m talking about shed season of course!

Shed hunting has quickly become a favorite pastime for me.  There is just something about finding a shed that feels good, especially if it’s a deer I was hunting.  Who knows, it might just help with the end game, wrapping that tag around his antlers.  Most of my time shed hunting is around food sources.  I have some bedding cover on my farm, but mostly its one big food plot.  That means I need the food, and lots of it!  Year in and year out I rely on Frigid Forage Big-n-Beasty Brassica mix.  Big-n-Beasty has proven to not only be a highly effective hunting plot but also a great food source to shed hunt.  Its seed blend provides nutrition throughout the entire hunting season and well into winter.  The highly recognizable purple top turnip is a tasty treat come February.  Nothing stops a deer from getting to them, nothing.

To put it simple, Frigid Forage Big-n-Beasty is such a crucial part of my foot plot strategy.  It not only provides a great place to hunt, but provides food throughout the winter.  They are a very easy and economically alternative to normal ag crops.  You don’t need big equipment and can plant them when you don’t have to worry about weed suppression.  This in turn tips the odds in my favor that the bucks I chased all year drops their sheds where I can scoop them up.

Jason Vickerman

Soil testing your food plots is one of the most important things you can do to assure a successful plot to attract and hold deer. The results obtained from the Soil Test Report will tell you the pH (level of soil acidity), organic matter content, phosphorus and potassium levels of your plot. This valuable information will help you decide what to apply for lime and fertilizer based on the food plot seed to be planted.  Soil testing will also help you decide what crops to plant in various fields as some food plot seeds are more pH sensitive than others. Note:  Most soils in forested areas where food plots are created will be somewhat acidic with a lower pH reading.

After sending your soil sample to a testing lab, you will receive a Soil Test Report in return. This report will give a laboratory analysis of the soil in your food plot as well as a lime and fertilizer recommendation based on the food plot seed to be grown. Your local soil service or fertilizer dealer can then supply you with the lime and fertilizer that will meet your needs.
Taking the time to properly test your soil every 3-4 years provides valuable information about the soil in your wildlife food plots. You can then make decisions regarding what food plot seeds to grow, whether lime is needed and how much of what fertilizer blends to apply. With fertilizer priced where it is today, knowing what is needed rather than guessing is essential. You put a lot of effort and expense into striving for the best food plots possible; don’t overlook the first and most important step.