Tag: spring food plots

Time to Think About Spring Food Plots for Deer

Warm season annuals such as milo, millets, other sorghum varieties, and legumes, such as beans, peas, and lablab may be planted and southern latitudes after about mid-April for warm season food plots for white-tailed deer. Of course, don’t forget the biggest limitation on food plots — rain! Go for drought resistant plants every chance you get. For the best chance at success, located the richest soil/s on your property, properly prepare them for planting and get your seeds in the ground just prior to the growing season.

Millet

There are numerous plant species and even varieties of plant species available commercially that can work for plots intended for whitetail. All of these plants will grow, but they may not all be well suited to your area or even the soils found on your specific property. A good rule for food plots is to just keep in simple. Deer eat a tremendous number of plants, so just plant the one that is best adapted to your area. If you plant it (and it grows), they will come.

Dryland Alfalfa for Whitetail Food Plots
Dry Land Alfalfa

With that in mind, varieties of dry land alfalfa, a warm season perennial legume that comes back from the roots each year, or another grazing-type variety of alfalfa can be planted in food plots. An important thing to keep in mind, legumes have 20-30% protein content and fix nitrogen into the soil! That’s a double whammy considering the price of fertilizer. Continue reading “Time to Think About Spring Food Plots for Deer”

Warm Season Whitetail Food Plots Considerations

Thoughts on Spring and Summer Food Plots

Warm-season (Spring-Summer) plant species are most reliable, work best when food plots for white-tailed deer are located in bottomland habitat. This out-performance is because low-lying sites retain the highest amount of soil moisture is during the dry, summer months. This is important information to remember for the success of your food plot, as well as your overall deer management program.

However, care should be taken to select a site that is not prone to flooding from nearby streams, rivers, or other waterways. Flooding is not necessarily a bad idea if we were talking about food plots for waterfowl, but no so much when we think about food plots for deer. Also, should the plot also be expected to serve as a food source and hunting area during cooler months a flooded out food plot is going to offer you zero access.

Warm-Season Food Plots Considerations

Warm Season Food Plots are Hot

On the other hand, dry upland sites are not good sites for warm-season deer plots, so try avoid such areas and stick to the better soils on your hunting property to increase your odds of a successful food plot. Of course, not every property has moisture-rich bottomland soil. In this case, position plots at least 50 yards from woodlands, since nearby trees will wick water from upland soils.

But if you have the option, go to the lower elevations of the property because that is where the water is found. This seems simple, and it is, but it can make a huge difference between a successful warm season foraging site for deer and a complete failure of a food plot.

Fast Growers for Spring & Summer Plots

Warm-season plant species should be selected for their ability to grow quickly and compete with native weeds. Remember, with either warm or cool-season supplemental forages, soil samples should be taken to determine lime and fertilizer requirements. Failure to properly prepare the soil may result in drastically reduced yield or excessive weed competition. A good source for local information will be your county extension agent and they can usually help with soil testing for your food plots.

So whether you are planning on establishing a cool (fall) season food plot or a spring food plot, the best thing you can do is ensure you do your research before doing anything else. There are many commercial sources for seed, but check around with several sources before you make your selection. Seed sources have a vested interest in selling you seeds, but it may not be the best seed for your soil — or for the deer on your property. Good luck with your future food plots and deer management program.

Talking Food Plots and Deer Hunting

If you have any questions about warm season food plots or any other inquiries regarding white-tailed deer hunting or management, just drop me a line in the comment box.