Food Plots for White-tailed Deer
Food plots have been used for decades to by hunters as a means to supplement the diets of deer during times of stress or during periods of the year when nutritional natural forage was in short supply. Food plots can attract wildlife species such as white-tailed deer or wild turkey for hunting, viewing or photography. There are often misinformation about food plots for deer and their role in whitetail and habitat management. Food plots should never be planted as a substitute for habitat or to artificially increase deer populations above the carrying capacity of the land. In short, the planting of spring and winter food plots will not make up for improper management, such as overgrazing by livestock, low fawn recruitment or poor native habitat. Food plots work best when they are either used as either small hunting plots or as larger food plots intended strictly for supplemental food for white-tailed deer.
Annual food plots for whitetail are relatively inexpensive to develop and maintain. Additionally, biologists and deer managers will be quick to tell you that deer readily respond to food plots. As good as food plots are for attracting and feeding deer, there is an economic investment in materials, equipment, seeds, fuel, and labor that must be considered. Of course, the payback is a field full of deer filling their bellies on green, lush vegetation. Hunting plots typically range are typically about 1/4 to 1/2 acre in size, whereas full-fledged food plots will be substantially larger. When used for whitetail diet supplementation, it’s important to assess whether the plot will impact overall health of the deer population, antler development in bucks, or improved suitability of the land for deer?
Addressing several of these questions up front, while considering your goals, will help determine the size of the food plot necessary to see results. Landowners and hunters must weigh these and other considerations before preparing and planting food plots for white-tailed deer. We recommend developing a comprehensive deer management plan must be developed to address long-term goals and objectives and determining upfront whether food plots will play a role. It’s important to determine the goal for a spring and/or winter food plots prior to taking action. Proper planning and learning how to successfully establish a plot is always the key to success!
Why Food Plots for Deer?
Planting food plots specifically for white-tailed deer is increasingly practiced today by many landowners, land managers and hunters across the US. The reason is because food plots can serve to buffer against the climatic extremes and their effect on native plants. White-tailed deer are selective feeders, preferring highly digestible foods, so within their home range whitetail are selecting specific plants that are palatable and highly nutritious. Whitetail always eat certain preferred native plants when they are available, but when food plots are present on a property they help absorb some of the browsing pressure away from native plants. This keeps both the deer and the habitat healthy.
Whitetail deer benefit most from food plots during the spring and fall when their nutritional requirements are greatest. Food intake for whitetail increases dramatically during these times of the year as bucks are growing antlers and accumulating fat for the winter, while does are nursing and weaning their young, and fawns are switching from a milk-based diet to primarily vegetation. Food plots for deer are excellent for helping maintain a constant nutritional plane for animals, but deer should never become totally dependent on food plots or supplemental feeding. This dependency will cause serious problems for habitat and the deer herd. A good food plot can withstand heavy use and will help provide nutritious forage throughout the year, but deer numbers should be reduced through a harvest management program that is population-based or native plants and habitat will decline.
Food Plots: A Part of Deer Management
Planting food plots for white-tailed deer or any wildlife species is not a solution for deficiencies in the habitat or improper land management practices. In most areas, food plots for deer can provide nutritious forage during periods of the year when climatic extremes occur. This will help keep the local deer herd in good shape, maintaining body condition for ideal antler and fawn production. Of course, a lack of timely rainfall or adequate soil moisture may influence establishment of deer food plots. If food plots are planted for deer, both cool (fall-winter) and warm (spring-summer) season plots should be established.
Keep in mind that proper planning and soil preparation is necessary to successfully grow food plots for deer and other wildlife. Food plots should be located near cover and in areas frequently used by whitetail and well-sited in areas where erosion will not be a problem. Fertilization greatly increases palatability for plants by deer. Many no-till food plots can also be established by overseeding improved or non-native pastures during the fall. This equates to food for deer without soil cultivation. When planting food plots for deer, waterfowl or upland game birds, always follow recommended seeding rates and planting depths.