How to Grow Deer Food Plots
- 1). Explore your deer hunting area for open plots. If there are no open areas, look for an ideal area to clear. Preferably, this will be an area where multiple trails converge.
- 2). Clear a 10- to 20-foot circle at the convergence point. Cut down any trees with a saw and use a bulldozer to clear the stumps. If the plot has weeds and other vegetation that could compete with your plot, use an herbicide such as glyphosphate to eliminate these plants so you can start with a clean plot.
- 3). Expand the converging trails so there is a clear space 3- to 5-feet wide and 20- to
50-yards long. When deer walk along the trails, they will eventually come to your cleared plot. - 4). Wait two weeks after applying your herbicide before planting your crops. Reapply herbicide if you notice more weeds sprouting up.
- 5). Study local rainfall trends and the deer density in your area so you can plan appropriate foods to grow. You can easily check your area's average rainfall by looking up weather statistics online. Deer like corn and soybeans, but corn needs a lot of water to do well. Deer also like clover, but there are different types of clover suited to different soil conditions.
- 6). Contact the agricultural extension office of your local university to ask advice about your planting selection, and what varieties of clover to plant.
- 7). Send a soil sample to your local agricultural extension office. You can get a test kit from the office, which comes with a questionnaire to fill out. The questionnaire includes questions about what you plan to plant. The results will come back with advice about the types of lime and fertilizer you should use.
- 8). Prepare your plot for sowing seeds by scratching the ground with a garden rake or using a garden roto-tiller and spreading fertilizer and lime.
- 9). Plant clover on half of your plot and corn on the other half if you have a low or moderate deer density and high rainfall. The clover will provide food in the summer, and the corn will provide food in the fall and winter. Check the instructions on your seed packets for specific directions about how deep and how far apart to plant your seeds.
- 10
Plant soybeans on 60 percent of your plot and clover on the remaining 40 percent if you have a high deer density and low rainfall.
Source...