Food plots

Do any of you guys put out food plots for deer?? Whats the best thing to plant and at what time of the year should they be planted?

Well, we kinda HAD a food plot... It started off really good then it got Dry... Now it's bedding, some places the grass and weeds are 8ft tall, and some are 5-6ft deer bed in it alot

We do alot of small bowhunting plots on 3 properties (20, 31, and 50 acres). Our plots range from 1/8 to 1/2 acre being the biggest. Don't break ground anymore to plant them either. Spray the area down with glysophate using a backpack sprayer, maybe a little raking, spread lime and fertilizer (if you can afford the fert, I rarely use it), and broadcast my seed on top of the ground. We try to have mostly perennial clover plots. I like a ladino/alsike/red mix. Best to plant clovers in the fall. Planted in the spring you battle weeds and heat and drought can kill the young plants. Winter wheat/crimson clover plot is my go to hunting plot, planted in the fall. Our deer feed the whole season on it Sept 15-Jan 15. I have no luck with deer eating brassica other than nibbling on the rape. Yet for some reason I continue to plant it. Trying radish for the first time this year, so we will see how that goes. Most things you plant in the spring will require breaking ground (corn, beans, peas). Food plots can be very easy, alot of fun, and rewarding. Cereal grains like rye (not rye grass) and winter wheat, crimson clover, and brassica are great for a first time plotter. All of those seeds will grow very easily in marginal soils and with little prep work.

J.K. wrote:Well, we kinda HAD a food plot... It started off really good :) then it got Dry... Now it's bedding, some places the grass and weeds are 8ft tall, and some are 5-6ft :) deer bed in it alot :D

While I'm a food plot addict, a good bedding area and good timber management are worth more than plots. Browse makes up the bulk of a deers diet. Good habitat will yield more deer than a good clover plot. Also a good water source is a must.

Theres a creek 30 yrds from the bottom of the creek so they also have that

It runs along the entire 4 acre field

Sodbuster wrote:We do alot of small bowhunting plots on 3 properties (20, 31, and 50 acres). Our plots range from 1/8 to 1/2 acre being the biggest. Don't break ground anymore to plant them either. Spray the area down with glysophate using a backpack sprayer, maybe a little raking, spread lime and fertilizer (if you can afford the fert, I rarely use it), and broadcast my seed on top of the ground. We try to have mostly perennial clover plots. I like a ladino/alsike/red mix. Best to plant clovers in the fall. Planted in the spring you battle weeds and heat and drought can kill the young plants. Winter wheat/crimson clover plot is my go to hunting plot, planted in the fall. Our deer feed the whole season on it Sept 15-Jan 15. I have no luck with deer eating brassica other than nibbling on the rape. Yet for some reason I continue to plant it. Trying radish for the first time this year, so we will see how that goes. Most things you plant in the spring will require breaking ground (corn, beans, peas). Food plots can be very easy, alot of fun, and rewarding. Cereal grains like rye (not rye grass) and winter wheat, crimson clover, and brassica are great for a first time plotter. All of those seeds will grow very easily in marginal soils and with little prep work.

Thanks for that information!

I doubt that i will plant anything this fall yet but i really want to try this for next season . . Seems like it could be allot of fun !