Food plots can greatly benefit wildlife, especially during the extreme cold and deep snow encountered through the sometimes harsh winter months. When normal supplies become scarcer, supplemental food plots can be even more critical.
To help ensure that wildlife have adequate food supplies during this more difficult time of the year, there is an option. The Erie-Ottawa-Sandusky local chapter of Pheasants Forever will once again conduct their annual PF Food Plot Seed Program.
Food plots provide a critical link between food, cover, and movement for not only pheasants, but other wildlife species, as well. Landowners in this three-county area who are interested in planting a food plot can submit a request for seed, either corn or sorghum.
A limited amount of sunflower and soybean seed may also be available. The main stipulation for any of these food plots is that they must not be harvested! That’s to ensure these areas remain as a source of food and shelter for wildlife over the next winter and into 2023.
The suggested seeding rates are as follows: 15 lbs./acre for the Round-up Ready Corn, 40-50 lbs./acre for the Soybeans, 10 lbs./acre for the Grain Sorghum, and 5 lbs./acre for the Sunflower. Like everything else during these trying Covid times, the PF seed supply is limited. As such, orders for the free seed will be available first come, first serve, with EOS Pheasants Forever Members a priority.
To submit your request for this year’s E-O-S Pheasants Forever Food Plot Seed, Erie County landowners may contact Tim White, Wildlife Specialist, Erie Conservation District, at 419-626-5211. Sandusky and Ottawa County landowners will need to contact Joe Uhinck, EOS Habitat Chairman, at the Ottawa SWCD office, 419-898-1595.
Since formed in 1982, Pheasants Forever has helped to improve over 19 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, not to mention the benefits of cleaning our waterways and safeguarding our soils. More than 203,000 acres of upland habitat has been purchased, all permanently protected and open to public hunting and outdoor recreation
If you are not currently a Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever member, please give it some consideration today! You can visit their website to learn more, membership information and where your nearest Ohio PF Chapter is located.