While some owners repel deer from their yard or garden because of the trouble they may cause, others want to invite them into their place for viewing or hunting purposes. If you want to have deer on your property, there are many ways you can accomplish this. You can bring deer to your property with plants that wildlife eat by planting food plots. This post shares ideas on food plot basics to ensure steady deer visits to your land during hunting season.
Choose the Spot for the Food Plot Carefully
When picking a food plot site, find a spot on your land where weeds and grass grow readily. Great choices include old fields and open spaces that have been farmed before. Also, you must take into account the area that surrounds the plot. Ensure deer can access the area easily without going out of their way. It should be close enough to cover that you can hunt the deer. The perfect spot gets at least four hours of sunshine every day and a great amount of moisture. Moreover, you must also test the soil, a pH of 7 is ideal for the majority of food plot forages; however, most will do fine with a pH of at least 6.
Get your Hands Dirty
To get started, apply an herbicide to the area to kill native plants. Do this about a month apart. After you clear dead vegetation, stir up the dirt and prepare it for planting. You can use a garden rake when making a very small plot. But, if you want a plot that is approaching an acre in size, you need an ATV that pull an implement.
Pick your Seeds
These days, you can find purpose-made food plot mixes on the market. In general, it is better to stick to these name-brand mixes than blending your own. Clover is a popular food plot option as a perennial; however, you can also choose annuals like rye and oats. When you opt for those mixes, make sure to stick with a reputable food plot seed company.
Sow the Seeds
Seeds such as chicory and clover are vulnerable when buried too deep, so a 1/8” is plenty. You must also be mindful of the method you use for spreading seed. Consider using a grass seed spreader and follow the seed company’s recommendations to produce a food plot that benefits all types of wildlife and increase your land’s deer population.