Deer Food Plots: Part I - Deer Food Plot Calendar

Deer Food Plot Calendar

Careful planning and preparation go a long way toward attracting deer to your land. Deer food plots should be located so that bucks, does and fawns feel safe, ideally bordering a protective thicket or a copse of trees, away from roadways and homes. Soil should be tested to determine pH balance and fertilizer needs. Cultivation methods (by hand or by machine) need to be decided upon as well as the availability of irrigation. Rohrer Seeds also carries deer food plot mixtures that grow well in shady, semi-wooded areas.

The following deer food plot calendar will help you get the most buck for your bang . . .or your arrow . . .as hunting season approaches:

• Late spring and early summer: Tour your property to decide on the best areas for deer food plots. Make sure that there are several choice areas near trees or brush where deer will feel safe and protected. Keep deer food plots away from roads and homes. Have a soil sample of each area analyzed so that supplements can be added before planting begins. Use herbicides to clear weeds and unwanted vegetation from planting areas.
• Mid-summer: Determine the best deer food plot seeds for your area. A mixture of grains, clovers and brassicas is ideal and the pros at Rohrer Seeds can help you decide. Place your order and watch the weather! Start tilling the soil, following directions on your deer food plot seed bags. Some seeds need to be planted deeper than others for optimum growth.
• Late summer and early fall: Use this time of warmth and increasing rain to get the seeds for your deer food plots in the ground. Follow directions as some seeds need to be covered and others do not. Deer food plot seed bags come with directions on how deep to plant seeds, germination times and lots of tips. Check out deer food plot seeds that will be on sale at Rohrer Seeds, especially if you discover foods that the deer in your area seem to like better.
• Mid fall through early winter: Add fertilizer per directions, generally every 4-6 weeks during the growing season, to keep the plants hearty and attractive to deer. The friendly folks at Rohrer Seeds can answer your questions, too.