With the opening day of the spring gobbler season just a few days old, I trust you all had better luck than this old man. The one thing I can count on is come May 1 of every year I come down with a head cold. RJ reminds me it’s a head cold, it’s allergies. Either way, my ears plug up, which makes my already-failing hearing even worse. So, when I was asked how I did on opening day, I said I thought I heard a gobbler but I’m not sure. Hence, this is the price for being long in the tooth.

While turkey killing in New York State hasn’t been all that good to date, I have begun to formulate a plan for these upcoming food plots. While some think we catch a nap when the action is slow in the turkey woods, I am thinking about food plots.

Although not apparent on your favorite hunting show, there’s a great deal of preparation leading up to that dream hunt over a food plot. Without doing a little homework on food plot strategies, you may find yourself sitting over a field of dirt instead of a deer attractant this fall.

Many food plot forages grow best when temperatures are 60-65 degrees. These cool-season plants include winter peas, winter wheat, clovers and oats. Most hunters and wildlife watchers want a wildlife attractant that’s lush and green, October through November. Cool-season plants are the ticket as they can withstand several rounds of frost. Some plants, such as turnips and soybeans, even remain green after the snow begins to fly.

There is nothing better than sitting over a soybean food plot with the green tops poking out of a couple inches of fresh snow. This is a perfect setup for drawing bucks that have run the past few weeks experiencing the rigors of rut, and that are in need of a fresh snack.

Most plantings for fall food plots are legumes, dominated by clovers. Legumes are advantageous because of their relatively high grazing preference, cold hardiness, and ability to fix nitrogen. By incorporating nitrogen from the atmosphere, legumes improve soil conditions for future crops and cut costs associated with high nitrogen fertilizers. Further, many legumes are available at reasonable cost through local seed providers.

Cool-season grains play an important role in food plot management. Crops such as winter wheat and oats germinate and grow quickly, provide desirable forage, and serve as a nurse crop to nurture slower growing plants.

Brassicas have received a great deal of attention because of their ability to provide quality forage during fall and winter. Brassicas are available in two basic forms, turnips and rape. Ripe varieties are preferable as they devote greater resources to leaf growth compared to turnips that develop a large tuber.

Soil characteristics ultimately determine what can and can’t be planted on a site. Fortunately for food plot managers, soils can be amended to a certain extent. The first step is collecting a soil sample and submitting it to a testing lab. This easily accomplished and critical step is often overlooked by novice agronomists.

The minimal effort and cost of soil testing will pay big dividends in the future.

Soil tests with detailed instructions are available from County Extension offices. Simply send samples to the testing lab and results will be mailed or emailed back to you within about 10 days. Results include easy-to-read instructions to amend soils for the intended crop. On most soils found in the northeast, liming will be recommended. Rates of anywhere from two to five tons per acre — 10 to 20 pounds per 100 square feet — can be expected. Recommendations for additional nitrogen, phosphorus and potash also will be included. Following fertilization and liming, it takes about six weeks for modifications to be incorporated in the soil. Hence, one of the reasons we begin to plan now for plantings.

Despite our ability to adjust your soil chemistry, overall site characteristics may limit planting options. For example, deep valley soils are conducive to plants that may not prosper on stony ridge tops. If you happen to own ground on the latter, fear not, there are mixes that can be produced on lower quality sites. Just remember your expectations should not exceed site limitation.

An understanding of plant life cycles can help in evaluating food plot strategies. Not only do life cycles describe longevity of plants, but they also relate to germination and growth rates. Annuals complete their life cycle, germination-growth-flower-seed-death in one growing season. Perennials may live for several years or more. Biennials have a two-year lifespan, producing flowers and seed during their second growing season.

Annuals tend to germinate quickly and exhibit relatively rapid growth. Because they germinate and green up quickly, an annual should be included in food plot mixes to stabilize soil and provide forage soon after planting. Annuals especially wheat and oats also serve as a nurse crop for perennials and biennials. A potential disadvantage of annuals is they must be re-planted every year. However, some annuals reseed well and can be maintained over years without subsequent plantings.

Perennials and biennials generally take longer to establish, with maximum above ground growth occurring the year after planting. The slow start can be mediated by including annuals in the mix. Although plants may live for several years, activities such as liming, fertilizing and weed control are necessary to maintain perennials. Some perennials often require better soil conditions compared to annuals deeper, more fertile soils that retain moisture.

Selecting the proper seed mixture is important. It may take a few attempts to get the desired food plot on any given piece of ground. Remember this is not an exact science. While there are tables, graphics and tons of charts, they should be used as a basic guide. Each section of ground is different. Between hours of sunlight, type of soil, seed combinations and a lot of other variables, each food plot will be little different.

Adding food plots to your hunting ground is work, but when done properly they will produce results that may surprise you.