What is the difference between a food plot and baiting?
In food plots, deer tend to forage above the ground rather than right on it. In the food plot/bait site discussion, deer eat at ground level from bait sites and well above this in food plots, at least until the plots are eaten to the ground.
Should I put a corn feeder in a food plot?
Using feeders in conjunction with a food plot is a fail safe, of sorts, in case your plants die or get eaten too quickly. It also provides another quality source of protein that produces healthier deer when your food plots can’t.
Is planting a food plot considered baiting?
Many also say food plots essentially accomplish the same goal as baiting; concentrating deer on a food source. Those who bait might argue that a standing soybean field is in fact more attractive than a pile of supplement or corn.
Are food plots worth it?
Sometimes called “kill plots,” these fields are definitely proven to work for any whitetail hunter that has access to a large chunk of whitetail habitat, and an undying desire to take a mature bucks. A well-thought-out food plot plan will help you attract mature bucks, drawing them from surrounding properties.
Why are deer not coming to my food plot?
You’re planting in the wrong place Just building a food plot doesn’t mean that deer will come. You may be putting your food plots where deer don’t feel secure, or your plots may be too far from bedding cover. The longer it takes deer to travel to the food, the less likely they are to show up before dark.
How do I attract deer to my feeder?
Scatter a bag around the feeder. Or use a spin feeder by first pouring in a couple bags of corn with that’ll initially dispense followed by the pellets. When the deer locate the piles, gradually increase the distance toward the feeder until you have corn under it. Then, you can start to fill the feeder as well.
What is food plot hunting?
Food plots provide supplemental nutrition to deer and other wildlife but are looked upon with disdain by some purist hunters who believe their setups over natural mast is more real. Both situations, and others, have their place in the deer hunting world.
What is the best feed to attract deer?
Plants that typically attract deer include red clover, chicory, and orchard grass. Certain high-protein crops, such as peas, soybeans, turnips, alfalfa, sorghum, kale, or corn, are also attractants that the animals enjoy feeding on. Deer like the nutritious nuts that come from chestnuts and acorns as well.
How many deer will a 1 acre food plot support?
three deer
Both Fort Perry and Gary Schwarz’s El Tecomate support 3.5 deer per acre of food plot, but both programs intensively farm and include a supplemental “safety net.” A reasonable across-the-board rule of thumb with a bit of a cushion is, an acre of food plot will support about three deer.
Should you mow clover food plots?
“It’s a myth that you have to mow in order to have a nutritious clover plot,” said Craig. “That’s just wrong. If the clover is doing well in May and June and deer are eating it, let them eat it. Don’t mow it!
Is it bad to over seed a food plot?
Tim Kent, who works for Evolved Harvest, says one of the primary reasons food plots fail to flourish is because a soil test wasn’t done. A soil test in itself won’t make your plot plants grow, but it will tell what they need to grow. Too much seed can create too much competition for nutrients in the soil.