WILDLIFE PLOTS
Feeding All Types of Wildlife Species
 

Everything from rabbits to deer can benefit from careful planning and placement of the right food plots. These food plots not only provide for the season of hunting but should provide for the healthy growth and development of the generations to follow. Food supplements are not handed out to the wildlife and access to many of the "normal" habitations has been circumvented in many ways.  Migratory routes have been changed along with "food routes" that species used to travel from one food source to the other as the natural "crops" matured.  

READ ABOUT FOOD PLOTS FOR WILD BIRDS

Food plots are one way to provide a better range of food sources that may have been lost to the wild and in the limited areas that many wildlife are now forced to inhabit. Many may say that only hunters plant food plots to attract something to kill. When the hunter plants for the big buck he feeds a lot of does and fawns in the process along with a host of other wildlife   who will certainly find the plot. Listed below is our Natural Game mixture, with different seeds that work together to provide all types of wildlife a healthier diet.

25 lb - PENNINGTON Natural Game Mix
A mixture Ideal For: Pheasant - Deer - Quail - Rabbit - Turkey - Duck

30% - Iron & Clay Cowpeas or Red Ripper Peas 10% - Alfalfa 10% - Browntop Millet 10% - Black Sunflower (Peredovik) 10% - Penngrain DR Sorghum 5%   - White Clover 5%   - Aeschynome (Deer Vetch) Deer, rabbit and turkey will begin to browse in about 45 days after planting.   Quail and pheasant will begin to eat the seeds that mature in about 60-70 days.  Deer will begin to graze when plants are several inches tall.  Plant near water sources for ducks.

Natural Game Mixture (above) - Actual % and ingredients subject to change due to crop production availability.

To avoid overgrazing pressure on plots located near heavy deer population, additional plots should be planted about 300 yards apart.  Excess deer grazing can damage the plants. 

Annual and perennial grasses plus legume mixtures provides from spring through summer feeding. Usually planted early spring through summer after danger of frost.  Some plant species of this mixture will continue to grow during colder months, providing quail and pheasant edible seeds for fall and winter.

Fully prepared and well placed seedbeds are the best growing mediums (Harrow and broadcast the seed).  Best food plot size is about 5000 sq.ft. of forest area with at least 50% sunshine available.  Fertilize plots for best results.  By re-seeding every spring you will develop a sustainable food plot that can result in establishing regular feeding habits for game in a given area.