Food plots key component to successful land management
Farmers and gardeners aren’t the only ones out in the dirt and fields this summer. Outdoorsmen looking to grow their “deer gardens” are out in the afternoon sun, planting the best crop for a successful fall deer harvest.
“Food plots are extremely popular among hunters. They’re a tremendous food for deer and other wildlife species,” said Kip Adams, director of education & outreach and certified wildlife biologist with the Quality Deer Management Association.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission notes that food plots are “intended to provide an additional food source for wildlife, especially deer. As herbaceous foods diminish through summer, fall food plots can become attractive to wildlife.”
Food plots typically contain a healthy combination of popular deer crops including a variety of clovers, oats, beets and wheat. Various brassica varieties are out there, too.
But according to Adams, plots aren’t the only land management methods that should be taken into account for a successful harvest.
“I’m a big fan of food plots, and get tremendous value from them, but I don’t kid myself in thinking it’s the only thing I need,” Adams said. “It’s just part of an overall land management plan.”
“Some people think you can grow deer herds on just food plots, which is not the case at all. Food plots are just the icing on the cake,” he added.
Adams said there are three main components in an overall land management plan — forest environment, early successional habitat and then food plots.
Providing good cover and bedding for deer in your wooded property is key. Adams suggested either hiring a professional forester, or doing the word yourself during the summer. That might mean cutting trees and letting sunlight reach the forest floor to provide a flush of new vegetation, he said.
As for early successional habitats, or old farming fields that aren’t quite woods yet, but full of brush, Adams said those fields are great for deer populations.
“It’s very inexpensive to manage old fields,” he said, adding that hunters can get rid of cool season grasses because they’re not needed and only take up space. Crops like legumes and other forbes can flourish then.
Those brushy fields also provide perfect deer cover, he said.
According to Adams, it’s not just about the results — it’s about the process, too.
“They’re a great way for people to get engaged with the habitat. Many people love to get their hands dirty. It ties them back to the earth,” he said. “It can be a lot of fun.”
For those looking pursue food plots before the 2017-18 hunting season begins, Adams said there’s still time.
“There’s still an abundance of time this summer and early fall to provide food for deer and other species,” he said.
According to the game commission, fall plantings should occur 40 to 50 days before the first frost. In our southwestern Pennsylvania region, prime time is between the middle to end of August, but no later than the beginning of September.
“Seeds can be broadcast or drilled,” according to their website. “If broadcasting is used, seeds should be disced into the plot, followed by cultipacking. This increases seed to soil contact and improves germination.”