There’s an old saying, “If you feed them, they will come.” At least that’s the way I remember it. If you’re wanting to attract deer there’s no better way than to lay out a buffet on the property you hunt on. Like always, you’ll need your own land or the land owner’s permission to do this, but if you have that figured out we’ll guide you through the rest.
Choosing Your Spot
Before you begin, consider where the deer are feeding at this time of year. For example, if there are already a lot of deer around your property, try putting out food plots that offer high-protein food such as clovers. Make sure that your plantings are on ground that is not too rocky or hard for them to dig into with their hooves—this will make it easier for them to access their favorite treats!
Choosing The Plant
While deer eat just about anything that grows in the woods, you’re not going to attract any deer by filling your plot with the same plants that they can find anywhere else. To attract deer, you are going to be better off by planting clovers, or something with berries. Grasses are easier to plant but don’t provide the same level of nutrition, and crops that you might find in the garden will definitely draw in the game you’re after but they also take much more work to plant and maintain. In summary, decide what kind of time and effort you want to put into your food plots before deciding on what to fill them with. Keep in mind that you don’t just want to attract the deer, but you also want to bulk them up. Better food for them makes better food for you after the hunt.
Once you’ve decided what kind of plot you want to make, spread out the seeds evenly over the ground so they don’t grow too close together or too far apart. You will also want to determine how much space you have available so that you can calculate how many plants can fit into each square foot area. You want the food plots to be large enough so that the deer won’t feel crowded.
Maintaining Your Plot
Depending on the crop you choose, maintaining your food plots might require next to no effort or weekly maintenance. Once your plot is established and growing well, maintain it like you would a garden by keeping weeds away from it (especially during dry spells), fertilizing every few months. Invasive weeds can suck the life out of your plants and remove the appeal they had to the wildlife you seek.
Deer Hunting Tips | Food Plots | Big Buck Bounty | Mississippi and Alabama
Planting food plots can really improve your hunting season if done right. Not only will it herd the deer into a spot of your choosing, but it will make them tall and strong when the season comes around. Discover more hunting tips from Big Buck Bounty every month! Join the Big Buck Bounty newsletter and take a look at some prize-winning bucks found on private and public lands over the years. Browse public hunting lands in Mississippi and Alabama and see if your buck lands in the trophy room!
