Three Food Plot Suggestions For Deer Hunters

If you're a new whitetail deer hunter, you might be surprised to discover that food plots are used year-round to keep deer in the area. If you have some land available, you can create your own plots to attract deer. However, a plot will take careful planning and maintenance to be successful. Consider these suggestions.

Test Your Soil

Before buying seeds, it's smart to first ensure that your land is suitable for a food plot. A slightly acidic soil supports most of the kinds of plants you'll be using to feed deer, but you may not have any idea whether your soil will work. For this reason, you should purchase a soil test kit. Test several samples across the entire area you want to use as a food plot to learn if your soil is appropriate for your plans.

Get Appropriate Equipment

If you only plan to feed one deer for a few weeks, having a rake might be all the equipment you need. However, if your plan involves creating a proper feeding habitat, you're going to need to use agriculture equipment to clear and seed a food plot. You might need a brush cutter to clear away existing plant life, for example, and you may need a seed spreader if you don't want to do it by hand. 

Even after you've set up a food plot, you're likely to need even more equipment for good food plot management. For instance, a plow is usually necessary to turn sod and clear thatch that affects the growth of plants. As such, you may want a backpack sprayer when applying herbicide across the plot.

Try Different Plants

Two popular plants are clover and oats, but do your best to plant a variety of plants that will keep deer coming back to your food plot. Corn, soybeans, and cowpeas are just a few of the plants you may want to incorporate into your plot. You may want to plant different plants at different times of the year, depending on what season it is. Food diversity will make your plot more desirable to deer in the area.

Use these tips and discuss food plots with other hunters to get an idea of what works best for food plots in your area. Once you get the hang of it, you may be able to attract more deer than ever before. For more information, contact a company that provides foot plot management.