Why Plant Food Plots? 

Wildlife thrives on diversity. By introducing different food sources into the landscape, landowners can ensure a balanced and reliable diet for various species throughout the year. This becomes especially important during periods of seasonal scarcity, such as late fall through early spring. 

During the fall and winter months, natural forage becomes scarce, and most native vegetation goes dormant. A well-managed food plot can provide a lush, green oasis when everything else turns brown. This is particularly attractive to deer, elk, turkeys, and other wildlife looking for easy, nutritious food sources. 

Food plots increase the likelihood of seeing and supporting wildlife on your property. Whether you’re a hunter hoping to attract big game or a wildlife enthusiast wanting to encourage birds and small mammals to utilize your land, a well-placed plot can concentrate activity in areas that are convenient and safe for observation. 

Species selection can be a critical component for wildlife nutrition based on the time of year. Plants such as buckwheat, cowpeas, and soybeans can provide excellent protein for does and cows in milk, as well as bucks in velvet during the early summer months. For long-lasting protein sources, clovers and alfalfa are both excellent providers of protein, and other minerals and vitamins, enhancing overall health for your wildlife while also being drought-resistant and maintaining productivity in stressful conditions. 

Where to Plant Food Plots? 

When choosing locations to plant food plots, the topography of your land plays a crucial role in food plot success. Drainages and low-lying areas generally hold more moisture, making them ideal for sustaining vegetation, especially in drier seasons. However, water availability should still be evaluated. Can the area support irrigation if needed? Avoid placing food plots on high ridges unless you're confident they’ll get adequate rainfall or supplemental watering. 

Choosing the right area to plant is just as important as what you plant. Open grassy meadows with good sunlight exposure are often ideal, but can be a risk for exposing soil to potentially viable weed seeds in the area. On the other hand, areas dominated by weeds may signal poor soil health. Weeds thrive in depleted soils, and disturbing these areas can worsen conditions. Rather than tearing up established native grasslands, which are valuable habitats, focus on enhancing soil quality with targeted seeding and soil-building cover crops in more disturbed locations. With a proper soil sample, you can figure out what nutrients are needed in an area when planting your plots. To collect a soil sample, you will need to extract a small amount of soil (less than a sandwich-sized plastic bag) from the top 6-8 inches of soil in the area where a food plot is planned to be planted. There are many labs around the country, including local co-ops, county extensions, and private companies that will test your soil for a reasonable rate. 

What to Plant? 

Your choice of crops should align with your goal: 

• Attracting Big Game (deer, elk, etc.): Consider planting clovers, brassicas (like turnips or radishes), and cereal grains such as oats, triticale, and/or winter wheat. 
• Game Birds (quail, pheasant, turkey, etc.): Grasses and grains like sorghum, millet, and native warm-season grasses provide both food and cover. 
• Wildlife Viewing: A diverse mix of blooming clovers and colorful legumes not only attracts a wide range of wildlife but also pollinators like bees and butterflies. 

Local conditions must also be a guide for your planting choices: 

• Warm Soils vs. Cool Soils: Some species, like brassicas, thrive in cooler conditions, while legumes often do better in warm soils. 
• Shade vs. Full Sun: Assess canopy cover and sunlight exposure before selecting your mix. Clovers can handle partial shade, whereas grain species typically require full sun. 
• Soil Samples: Before planting, test your soil for pH and nutrient levels. This allows you to amend deficiencies and select plant varieties best suited for your conditions. 

Popular Options 

• Clovers: High in protein, nitrogen-fixing, and appealing to deer, elk, bears, and rabbits. 
• Brassicas: Include turnips, radishes, and kale; fast-growing and great for late-season feeding. 
• Grasses and Grains: Oats, wheat, rye, millet, and sorghum are staple crops for both large game and upland birds. They also double as great bedding and cover. 

How to Plant Food Plots? 

One of the most common topics discussed after deciding what to plant for a plot and where to plant it for maximum efficiency, is what the best method of planting will be to provide the best survivability or germination of your seed. Just like planting a garden, the goal is to get the highest success rate in production for every seed you put in the ground. 

Whether you have a tractor with implements or an ATV with a couple of drag options to rough up the soil, there are food plot options for you! To be successful, you do not need to have the biggest equipment or the “no-till” drill set up that the neighboring farmer has. Many people I know use an old 4-foot by 4-foot blanket harrow behind a 4-wheeler to rough up the soil to provide as much exposed soil as they can.  

Once the soil is exposed, you are able to spread the seed over the desired area. Depending on the size of seed being planted, you may need to harrow over the seed to help bury it under half-inch to a full inch of soil for best protection and germination success. If the seed is small, such as a clover, alfalfa, most grasses, etc. then laying the seed directly on top of the soil will be sufficient.  

The final step to a successful planting of a food plot is ensuring the best “seed to soil contact” that you can get. This can be achieved by either planting before a good rainstorm and allowing the rain to “pack” your seed into the soil or using a type of packer to press the seed and compact the soils around it. This final step is a critical one that has been proven over generations of farming to increase the success rate of seed germination. 

Final Thoughts 

A common thought around the food plotting world is that food plots need to look like a perfectly manicured football field. However, in nature and in all wildlife habitats across the world, “Diversity is Key”. So, as I have been taught, if a few sprigs of grass are coming up in your clover, or some volunteer wheat is growing in your turnip patch, let it grow… The deer, elk, turkey, and whatever other critters you might have eating their dinner in your food plots will not mind a little bit more options in their salad! 

Food plots are more than just bait stations—they're tools for ecological and wildlife stewardship. With careful planning, you can improve wildlife health, increase biodiversity, and create unforgettable outdoor experiences. Always consider your land’s natural features, wildlife goals, and regional climate to maximize success. By doing so, you’ll help to create a thriving habitat that supports generations of wild visitors.