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| Whitetail Deer Food Plots |
Here you will find facts to help you:
- Select Food Plot Locations
- Understand Deer Habitats
- Plant Food Plots That Attract Deer
- Make Use of Native Vegetation That Attract Deer
- Grow The Best Deer Food Plot And More......
Deer Habitats - Food Plot Placement & Size
Deer habitats can cover several hundreds of acres as deer are a roaming herd breed. Food plots sizes can range from 1000 square feet to several acres. Deer feed singly or in small herds
and the variety that can be planted can be diverse. Some of the deer feeds that can be planted include: grasses, legumes, vetches, soybeans, peas, and herbs to name a few. Deer
travel in small groups several miles searching for the different types of plants that each season offers. They also consume types of minerals, salts and water found along the
way. Nature provides the best in food plots but with the encroachment of man on deer habitats, among other factors, we may find that nature needs a little help. The
best food plots and minerals add to the diversity of natural vegetation that may not be in abundance or of poor quality in a particular year or area. By studying the natural food that is
available for deer you can then provide supplemental or additional nutritional food by planting various food plot crops and providing minerals. Remember that a source of water near your food plots is most
beneficial to you and the deer. Deer will actively graze food plots planted in their habitat areas.
Many times in areas with high deer populations, they may damage food plot
plants by heavily grazing the available plants. Be sure you plant enough
food plots to support the deer population. Food plots can be
established from early spring to early fall. The best planting time is
early spring with mixes that provide crops that mature all through
spring, summer and fall for a more year-round food resource for the deer.
Many of the mixtures we sell are especially designed with this in mind with the
additions of perennials and annual seeds. For detailed instructions on planting
and maintaining successful food plots see our
planting food plots page. The size and shape of your food plots can make a difference. The size of the plots or overall acres
to be planted can be difficult to determine. One rule of thumb is to plant at least 2 to 5 acres for every 100 acres of habitat. You should start off on the lighter side of the
percentage and work to build more plots as deer utilization increases. Depending on native vegetation that appeal to deer, density of deer populations and feeding habits, you will need to increase the total number of
acres of food plots you plant over time to maintain a reasonable amount of growth within each plot.
Regions that are still inhabited by larger
wilderness areas can benefit from planting food plots for the enticement
needed just to get a look at the more elusive of the
deer populations.
Deer Food Plots - Plant Year Round
Some people plant deer food plots only in the hunting season, but it has been proven that it is best to keep deer food plots all year even having a summer deer food plot.
Please see this page in our online store for a variety of deer food plot seed mixtures
that grow all year. Food plot mixtures should contain annuals and perennials that will attract and maintain deer. The annuals provide a nurse crop for the perennials as they establish
quickly during the first year. Also you may supplement any of these deer food plot seed mixtures with individual food plot seeds such as clovers, brassicas, deer vetch to name a few crops.
Deer do not stop eating after
hunting season, so why would you not continue to feed them? By providing deer food plots year round you benefit by keeping the deer herd coming back to your property or hunting lease. The deer
benefit from a constant and nutritious food supply. The hot summer months can be as taxing on a deer herd's diet as the cold winter months.
Deer will eat almost anything green with nice tender young growth. I have yet to find anything that I plant for myself that deer will refuse and deer put forth the best
efforts to reach; short of tall or electric fences and if you plant it they will come. The encroachment of homes and more and more land being taken away from wildlife makes many a garden
an "all you can eat" buffet just waiting to happen. In these closer contact areas deer food plots have to be designed for attraction using as much of the deer's favorite foods as possible.
Deer food plots can be planted from vetches, deer tongue and
herbs that contain oils in the leaves as the scent can draw
them from a distance. Beans, peas, clovers, sorghums,
millets, ryes, grasses, almost any kind of vegetation
similar to these can be planted to attract deer. Good food plot management would include the cultivation of native vegetation such as trees that fruit, produce acorns, berry
producers, berry bushes, weed seeds and other vegetation that grow regionally to attract deer to food plots. Brassicas are another food that deer love to
eat and have proven desirable results deer in food plots. Brassicas (turnips, kale and rape are a few examples of brassicas) do well in colder weather and thus help deer through the
winter season. Plant brassicas 30 days before the first frost in the fall. We sell brassicas by Bio Logic, Pennington and Imperial Whitetail, please feel free to check for more information on this
nutritious and useful food plot crop by going through our menu at the right.
Seedland Food Plot Seed
The folks at Seedland are committed to providing you with the latest in information and quality food plot products. We have developed this website, Wildlifeseeds.com, to assist you in
selecting and planting food plot seeds for wildlife management as well as hunting.
Seedland sells food plot seed by quality seed companies such as Mossy Oak Bio
Logic, Pennington and the Whitetail Institute.
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Food Plot Information & Seed For Whitetail Deer |
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