Deer Food Plot Tips for Summer

One of the primary aspects of quality deer management, the improvement of deer habitat through the supplementation of a high-quality food plot, provides the building blocks that improve wildlife health. Habitat management through the use of food plots is labor intensive. Year-round nutrition is important to deer populations, as there are two periods of habitat stress. Winter stress occurs when little food is available. Summer stress happens due to the biological need for a large amount nutrition for body growth, antler growth, maintenance and lactation. Summer food plots consist of agricultural crops planted for supplemental deer nutrition.

  1. Warm-season Plots

    • Warm-season plots may be planted in spring and early summer for deer forage during the summer and fall. Millet, peas, corn, alfalfa and soybeans are popular food plot crops. According to Bowhunter.com, corn provides deer with a high-energy food source and cover to comfortably graze.

    Types of Food Plots

    • There are two basic types of food plot locations: nutritional plots and hunting plots. A property can feature one or both types of plots. Nutritional plots of 1 to 5 acres provide forage in order to fulfill management program goals, such as increased antler growth. Hunting plots are usually smaller than one acre and provide hunters with a place to harvest deer.

      Locate summer food plots equally throughout a property. Because deer primarily graze around the edge of a field, long, irregular plots are the ideal shape for both forage and hunting purposes. When planting summer plots in large fields, focus on the areas in the middle for warm-season plants. Cool-season plants around the outer edge will help the deer save resources through close proximity to cover during the hunting season.

      To combine a location into both a nutritional and hunting plot, consider interplanting of crops. For example, a segment of land can be planted with 60 percent soybeans and 40 percent clover. The soybeans provide quality nutrition during the summer, while the clover attracts deer during the fall and winter months.

    Location

    • Planting a food plot is expensive, no matter the season. The summer months require making specific considerations when choosing what to plant. In order to save time and money, determine whether the location chosen can support plant growth. Take into account the soil type, drought or flood conditions, erosion problems, temperature extremes and the forage preferences of the deer in the area. According to Buckmanager.com, timely planting and the proper soil preparation provide increased protection against crop failure due to lack of moisture and extreme temperatures. Locations near a water source usually see a higher wildlife population and increased frequency of foraging deer.

    Maintenance

    • Established food plots require little maintenance. In order for the maximum utilization by deer, both nutrition and hunting plots should be visited rarely. If a property owner wishes to determine the actual usage of the plot by wildlife, there are many digital wildlife cameras on the market that can send pictures to a remote computer.