Bill,

Food plots crops, establishment techniques, etc., are like planes. There are a lot of different models and each is designed for a different mission. So, the first step is to define the mission based on the realistic resources (funding and time) available. For example, a plan to clearcut, destump, and establish food plots on 10% of a 2,100 acre lease (210 acres) may be a good plan, but might not be realistic. What to plant is also based on goal of your mission. If your mission is to simply attract deer for observation/harvest, then fall food plots might be a tool to help complete the mission. If the mission is to improve the herd’s health, then warm season food plots are probably necessary to successfully meet the objectives. The percentage of total hunting area that should be converted to food plots is extremely variable. This is based on the mission and the local deer herd density. There’s a huge difference in the amount of quality forage necessary to allow a herd to express its full potential if the herd density is 20 compared to 50 deer per square mile. The quantity of quality native vegetation is also a huge factor to consider. If a property is totally composed of mature, unthinned pines, then food plots are necessary to provide almost all of the quality forage necessary to allow a deer herd to express its potential. However, if the property has a significant component of quality native vegetation, that will supply a portion of the herd’s nutritional needs.

No matter what the food plot mission, I always…

1. Collect soil samples and have them analyzed to see how much lime and fertilizer should be added to produce the maximum yield crop.
2. I only establish as many acres of plots as I can afford to lime and fertilize appropriately. More yield can be produced from half the acreage if the soil nutrients are available compared to planting on sites with suboptimal levels of soil nutrients available.
3. Place a utilization cage in every plot. A utilization cage is a simple exclosure usually constructed from web wire (4′ tall by 10′ long to make a 3′ diameter exclosure). The goal is to exclude deer from consuming the forage within the exclosure so an accurate comparison can be made at a glance to the quantity of forage produced inside the cage to outside where the deer are browsing. The bigger the difference in height between the inside and outside of the exclosure, the greater the need for reducing the herd density, adding more acres of plots, or both actions simultaneously.

Finally, realize that all farming activities are risky. Crops fail with the best of equipment and on the best soils. Food plots are even more likely to fail. However, without risk, there is no chance of reward.

Growing Deer together,

Grant