Brian Lovett
Sometimes, doing the right thing produces fringe benefits. Consider food plots.
When land managers get into the food plot game, they’re usually trying to
improve the health and quality of wildlife on their property. Along the way,
they might be paving the way for some great spring memories with younger
hunters. If there’s a better combination than children, food plots and spring
turkey hunting, I’ve yet to see it. They go together, as a great man once said,
like peas and carrots.
The
Advantages of Food Plots
It’s easy to understand why food
plots benefit turkey hunters: They attract turkeys.
Turkeys thrive in
spots with a mix of timber and open areas. When those open areas produce
nutritious clover and attract important summer insects, it’s even
better.
A friend of mine and an expert turkey caller once said “The
biggest fallacy I remember from when I started turkey hunting was that you had
to hunt woods, You don’t have to hunt a lot of woods. You want to hunt where the
agriculture is and where the fields are. That’s where turkeys like to hang out
because it’s where many of their food sources are, especially in spring. They’re
always out there picking or grabbing something, so that’s where you want to
be.”
In early spring, before mast and agricultural food sources are available, birds hit food plots to munch on clover and other green vegetation. Gobblers also use these areas to strut and attract hens, and hens often nest in brushy areas on the edges of food plots.
“Clover has always been a
popular planting, especially in food plots,” said Andrea Mezera, assistant
upland wildlife ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
“It’s a good species to use in wildlife openings because it also helps control
erosion. It’s also a very popular species for turkeys and other wildlife, such
as deer, to feed on.”
The benefits don’t stop in spring. Food plots
provide great nutrition for poults during summer.
“Clover attracts
insects such as grasshoppers, which turkeys feed on,” Mezera said. “This is
especially important for young poults, as insects provide food that is high in
protein, which is good for developing poults.”
Because turkeys often
roost on the edges of open spaces, food plots and similar openings can also
concentrate birds, giving hunters a likely starting spot for morning outings.
Food
Plots and Kids
Turkey hunters with several seasons on their
butt pads will tell you they’d rather shoot a turkey in the woods rather than a
field. Why? Because the cover of the woods provides ideal setups where hunters
can shoot a turkey the instant it’s in range. Further, experienced hunters can
track turkey movements through gobbling, drumming and other sounds, so they
don’t need to watch a turkey to know he’s coming.
Youngsters, however,
are different. They don’t know what to expect, or how to deal with the many
twists and turns inherent in turkey hunting. That’s where food plots provide
invaluable advantages.
The first advantage is simple: Food plots allow a clear view of what’s happening. It’s one thing to tell a first-time turkey hunter what to expect. It’s quite another to have the neophyte experience it. A youngster hunting the edge of a food plot can see firsthand all the great stuff about which he’s heard, including flydown, strutting, gobbling, social interaction and, if things go well, a successful conclusion to the hunt.
Likewise, food plot setups are perfect for
mentors to guide and hunt with first-timers. As the newbie watches turkeys do
their thing in the food plot, the mentor can explain what’s happening and tell
the youngster what to do next. That’s especially important at the moment of
truth, when a gobbler comes within range and the intensity
increases.
Food
plots and other openings also make things easier on hunters and their mentors
because it places their focus in one direction: straight ahead in the open
field.
The thing about field hunting is you can block out your back side.
That way, 90 percent of your concentration can be out in that clearing or field.
Of course, because food plots only have cover around the edges, you
might need some special gear for concealment. Modern portable blinds are
perfect, and they actually provide another huge advantage for children: They let
them move and be comfortable.
After all, if a young hunter can see a
turkey, the bird can see the hunter, and one move will end the morning quickly.
A blind lets youngsters stretch, move and, most important, position themselves
for a shot. That helps them avoid boredom while learning one of turkey hunting’s
biggest lessons: patience.
The down side to blinds is that they limit you
to one spot. However, if you’re hunting a food plot, you’ve pretty much cast
your lot there, anyway.
The
Perfect Setup
I was treated to a classic food-plot turkey
hunt several years ago during Wisconsin’s special youth weekend. The youngster
who accompanied me had never hunted anything, let alone a sharp-spurred old
gobbler, so I knew I’d have to offer guidance at every step.
The second
morning, we relocated from a large field to the edge of a logging-road food plot
where we’d heard a bird gobble. A friend accompanied the youngster to the edge
of the plot, and I stayed back 30 yards over a small rise to float-call to the
bird. After my first series of yelps, the bird hammered back. Thirty seconds
later, he hammered back 100 yards from where he’d been. He was coming.
I
quickly switched to soft clucking and purring and watched the show unfold. With
my buddy constantly whispering instructions, the young hunter eased his gun up
and shifted to his right. Soon, drumming filled the air, and I could see the
young hunter’s chest heave and fall in anticipation.
It seemed like it
took forever for the 12-gauge to bark, but when it did, I jumped up and was
relieved to see a flopping longbeard 20-some steps from the youngster.
The food plot setup had been perfect. The bird was obviously comfortable
in that area and had no reservations about strutting up an old logging road into
the small opening. Better yet, the first-timer had seen it all unfold and was
officially hooked on turkey hunting.
Here’s hoping every food-plotter
can share a similar experience on their land this spring.
