Got 73 acres in east texas. Going to cut an opening for some grass/food crop. It's not a super dense forest but enough where I had a buck 60 yards away last season and never knew it. Before I call the dozer guy wanted to bounce it off here. Thinking maybe just a 2 acre square. 415 feet by 415 feet. Or should I do strips. 4 half acre strips or something other than a sunny square with crops in the middle

Square or rectangle for me. I would make it a bit bigger since the vegetation around it will grow to the sunlight and making it smaller over time.

I'd make it more of a + than a square. (Wide open T with a narrower rd coming in to make the +. )

I'd keep the square idea, or rectangle (oblong) and go 5 acres. Square'ish is much easier when using a tractor and implements. Get allot of deer and 2 acres will be mowed down.

I agree with Rifleman with the + type!!!

What issues will he have with shading with tall trees and growth encroachment from the sides? Root competition will be high from all sides with trees and brush. I would think it will take more rain due to all the other vegetation growing to the light.

Maybe 5' along the edges...which is good so you have a solid rd to go fill feeders and throw corn along w/o messing up what you've planted. In not saying make them lanes 5yd wide, make it about 20yds and each 200yds long, the more small drains/creeks they cross the better. No real difference in planting pipeline ROWs and those do fine.

Your brush and trees must have weak root systems then if they only root 5' around the base.

oh no he didnt!

u gonna let a man question your brush and tree root systems like that RM?

Taproots.....you really don't mind the edge brush bc they'll browse that more than your plot.

square 415 x 415 ft is almost 4 acres. I'd get my measurement correct before giving them to a dozer operator.

Well....they don't have to sprawl out over several counties looking for water......

Well since you put it that way I will say this. With your long skinny food plot and only giving up 5' per side you will loose .60 of an acre with 4 plots in your system. You will only have 3.3 acres if you make them 60' wide x 600' in length. So I guess giving up 20% of your productive food plot is not that much. We have productive soil not sand

By the time ours really start being "productive" they move off them to natural browse....it's a byproduct of rain. There's no substitute for rain. I'd give up 20% to let deer feel more comfortable in them during daylight hours. Also with bucks cruising, the further you see the better...lanes give you the ability to see more cross traffic.

For deer their comfort zone is within 70 yards of cover. So if the field is 330'x330' or 2.5 acres or 330' x 660' or 5 acres they will be within their comfort zone. Food plots are for the times when native browse is mature and lower in protein. Food plots are needed by WT in the peak antler growing month of June. They are rebuilding body mass in spring during the green up.

I would clear a T and put my blind where I could look 3 direction that's what we do in sonara and with the cedars in palo pinto

Seen too many bucks hit slight openings and hightail it back to cover once they figured out what they did.

If we get summer rains to benefit plots, those deer will be on the new growth in the shade, chillin'. If it doesn't rain those plots won't be as advertised nutritionally either.

Put the spotlight away for a few years and they won't be like that Lab Lab will grow and provide great nutrition in the late spring and summer months with average rains for the area. New growth

Despite trying it, couldn't get them to eat it...and that was even with the pets that I can hand feed.

When they do learn to eat it...it will be the difference between average deer and the deer you are looking for. 30%+ protein on the leaf.