Non-Traditional Food Plots

December 28, 2009


Over the last two decades more and more hunters have learned the value of planting food plots as part of a Quality Deer Management (QDM) tool to enhance the body weight and antler size of deer on their property. This is also a strategy to attract and hold deer on their lands especially during the hunting seasons. Most hunters plant traditional clover crops as advertised by reliable seed companies and they have proven to be very effective in attracting and holding deer to specific areas.

While I regularly plant a variety of what I coined as traditional “signature” seeds, I also incorporate some non-traditional food plot plantings into my strategies as well. I have discovered that some plants offer a natural attractant that a lot of the traditional signature plants don’t. They have a high aromatic value especially in the fall--a time when most hunters want their crops to attract deer and other wildlife to their stands.

I have included my most successful non-traditional crops that have consistently attracted deer during hunting season. Try these crops in either small or large plots and get ready to draw your bow or flip the safety off on your firearm. They have proven to work on our 300-acre farm season after season!

SUNFLOWERS

Sunflowers are a terrific, tall-growing, aromatic crop. I plant between one to three acres of sunflowers on my farm every year since I bought it. They are easy to grow and provide deer (and other wildlife) with plenty of calories and oil content needed for healthy body development. This is just one important element when undertaking a complete QDM program of planting and deer management as well. Sunflowers are adaptive and can grow in almost any type of soil. They can be planted in rows or broadcasted in a plot that the soil has been properly prepared and then compacted into the soil. They can be used in large 20-plus acre plots or in plots as small as a one-quarter to a half-acre!

Another plus to sunflowers is that they are most often left alone by wildlife until the seeds begin to mature and drop. Sunflowers will provide food for a lot of deer, turkey, and bear early in the fall (mostly during the bow season). I have witnessed deer and turkey actually run to this crop in order to eat the sunflowers’ palatable seeds. Sunflowers mature within 100 days or so of planting as they do emit a pungent odor that is quickly picked up by all types of wildlife. If put in the ground in late June, they will mature in late September and the seeds will attract deer and other wildlife right through October. The height of this plant also offers deer a place to bed well into September. Many times I have seen a buck stand up from its bed in the sunflower plot after I have been watching the field without seeing anything else for two hours! Sunflowers should be planted at the rate of about 40 pounds per acre at a depth of about 1 ½ inches. If you have apple trees on your land, this crop will also attract hordes of honey bees which will help to pollinate your fruit trees, too. I call these types of plantings companion crops.

CARROTS

This is the ice cream crop for deer. Both the seeds and the carrots have a powerful aroma and are unmatched for vitamin content and a sweet flavor for wildlife. Carrots are rich in calcium and iron, which are very helpful to rack development. They are tolerant of some negligence after planting as well. It has been my experience that deer will be in a carrot field before they will be in just about any other crop field, including alfalfa, chicory, corn, rye, oats or wheat. That should give you an idea of how much deer like them and will seek them out as preferred food sources.

As long as carrots are close to maturity and have a developed carrot root, carrots to deer are unequaled.  Their highly aromatic odor also makes them easily found by deer. Carrots are also high in energy and are very palatable as well. Many of the leading seed manufacturers know how well deer enjoy eating carrots and include them in several of their seed blends. You can easily smell carrots in the seed mixes. Imagine how well deer will smell them as they grow and mature. The problem with carrots is that they are sometimes consumed very quickly by deer and rabbits.

SOYBEANS

Soybeans are another highly aromatic crop. A deer’s olfactory senses them easily. Soybeans are contain 25 to 35 percent protein which provides top notch nutritional value for deer. They should be planted in soil that has a pH between 5.8 and 7.0. They must be inoculated with the appropriate Rhizobium (which is strain S) in order for them to grow best. They also should be fertilized with 300 pounds of 0-20-20 phosphorous and potassium per acre for maximum tonnage. They will mature in about 140 days from planting.

Deer love them so much, that unless you have a large plot of four to five acres, they will quickly eat them to the ground before they get started. For that reason I suggest if you plant soy beans you should plan on using repellents such as Milorganite, or better yet, repellent fencing like PlotSaver or electric fencing. I also highly recommend planting soybeans with a companion crop like corn or sunflowers. The heavy stems of both plants provide not only a stalk for the soybeans to climb up on but also the stalks provide the plant protection long enough to get them started. You can plant at a rate of 20 to 30 pounds per acre and not deeper than ½-inch to 1-inch under the soil.

Deer eat soybeans in both the foliage state and after the beans have matured. Soybeans are an aromatic crop and are highly rated as a fall crop, too. As a plus, many times after the beans fall to the ground as they mature, they will naturally regenerate more plants that will last into fall.

CHUFAS

Chufas are another highly aromatic crop that require a little more work than the other plants do in that you may have to help the deer locate the plant the first season. Chufas are similar to peanuts producing underground tubers to which turkey and deer are attracted. However, wildlife in the colder zones may not be familiar with the tubers as Chufas are mostly grown in the south. By simply scratching a few tubers just below the surface at maturity their aroma will waft into the surrounding lands, and turkey and deer will locate them quickly and soon learn to scratch the tubers up for themselves. They will return to the Chufas again and again until all edible plants have been eaten.

Chufas can be planted at a rate of about 40 to 50 pounds for one to two acres by broadcasting the seed and disking them into the soil. They grow best in sandy soils and in warm climates. In northern regions, they do best as a warm weather crop that will last into the first frost. Plant them in south facing fields that get plenty of sunlight and warmth. If you enjoy hunting turkey you can’t go wrong planting Chufa.
 
WINTER PEAS

Winter Peas are a terrific biennial cool season crop that are high in protein. Ideally, they can be planted with the traditional clovers like Ladinos, and early rye grass. Winter Peas will tolerate heavy browsing more than their cousin Cowpeas will and for that reason they are a terrific choice in areas where the deer density is heavy.

I cannot detect an elevated aroma from them unless a substantial plot is planted. Deer, however, can detect the odor of Winter Peas easily, especially after a hard frost. They will grow well on most soils with little preparation. They are one of the easiest crops to plant in rows or by broadcasting in prepared soil. Many seed companies use them in their traditional mixes. In order to attract deer throughout the fall, plant them in early September.  Because of their cold tolerance, Winter Peas cannot be beat as a fall crop. They should be planted now deeper than one inch and must be inoculated with a Rhizobium bacteria that is specific to peas which is strain C. They like soil that has a pH level of between 6.0 and 7.5. To get the most tonnage they should be fertilized with 0-20-20 fertilizer at 300 pounds per acre (see what I mean about how quickly a QDM program can become expensive), that is integrated well into the soil. Deer will eat them until they are entirely devoured.

Following are other worthwhile crops that may not be as aromatic as the ones mentioned above. But they still provide some odor and some other benefits as well. These are all crops I have used over the time I have owned my farm and they have proven to be productive and highly attractive to deer and other wildlife.

FORAGE CHICORY  

This highly nutritious, broad-leaved perennial herb that belongs to the sunflower family is aromatic. Forage chicory can last up to five years because it develops a deep taproot, which also makes it drought tolerant, too. It will withstand heavy grazing making it a good choice in areas of high deer density. Chicory is one of the finest forages for extracting nutrients from the soil and transferring them to deer providing bigger body and antler growth. Chicory is an excellent fall and winter forage that is easy to grow in a wide variety of soils. It is drought resistant and has a high protein level that ranges from 10 to 30 percent or more! It is also a good winter crop because it can withstand cool temperatures and should be planted no later than early August if you intend for it to attract deer through the hunting season.

Forage chicory will tolerate low pH levels of about 5.0 to 6.0 but really does best when the pH level is from 6.5 to 7.0. The seed can be drilled or broadcast into prepared soil and should not be planted deeper than ¼-inch to ½-inch for best results. Cultipack the soil to help the seeds get the best seed-to-soil contact. It is recommended that you add a companion crop like clover, a legume, grain, or grass plant. You can fertilize with about 200 pounds per acre of 19-19-19. Good management requires that you mow this plant before the flower stems get bigger than six inches. You can plant about five to seven pounds of chicory seed per acre alone. Or, for a different mix, plant two to three pounds per five to six pounds of clover seed.   

BRASSICAS

Brassicas are excellent broadleaf plant choices for fall plantings. All brassicas can include a mix of several types of seeds. Some of my favorite seeds are carrots and canola (often called rapeseed), forage rape, kale, turnips, cabbage, mustard, and radishes. Most blends are packed with high protein levels. Brassicas are cool weather tolerant and will thrive in colder temperatures when other food plot plants won’t. The key to these plants is to get them into the ground about 45 days before the first chance of a heavy frost. By doing so, you will ensure that the plants will mature during the peak of bow season. As the plant develops deer will eat the tops and the stalks. Once these plants freeze, the starches in them are converted to sugar as the plant actually begins to decay. At this point, they become even more aromatic and quickly attract deer including those from your neighbor’s property!  But after a heavy frost they will paw up the bulbs out of the ground and eat them like candy apples.  Like corn, soon after a heavy frost, plan to hunt your stand of brassicas–the deer will!

I always plant at least one acre of turnips. They contain about 15 to 25 percent crude protein and their roots have about 10 to 15 percent protein! They are cold hardy and will last well into the winter. They prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH level of 6.0 to 6.5. They can be broadcast about four or five pounds per acre into a prepared bed of soil at a depth of no more than ¼-inch deep. Then make sure to cultipack the soil after planting. Fertilize with about 300 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre. Some folks top this off with an additional fertilizer of ammonium sulfate (34-0-0) which will markedly increase the production of this plant. They will mature about 90 to 115 days after planting.

Turnips are superb as fall/winter forage that grow well in cool weather and has a good aroma. They are especially good for small woodland or field plots. Again, these are most attractive to deer after a heavy frost when the starch turns to sugar. Turnips have good crisp roots and provide deer with delicious greens. Traditional wildlife seed blends use turnips in their brassica blends, but I find it is worthwhile to plant an entire food plot with this crop. Large bags of turnip seeds can be found with other vegetable seeds at most farm seed outlets.

WINTER WHEAT

Winter wheat is the “mother” of fall crops and is one of the most valuable wildlife plants in America. It is an excellent food plot because of that single reason. It should be planted from September through December at about 100 pounds per acre when planted by itself. It likes a soil pH of 6.0 and higher and will produce best under these conditions. Fertilize it with about 300 pounds of 19-19-19. Winter wheat sprouts before freezing occurs, then becomes dormant until the soil warms up in the spring. The wheat grows and matures until ready to be harvested by early July. Deer find winter wheat irresistible.

CABBAGE

Cabbage is another of the non-traditional crops that deer find attractive throughout the fall. Cabbage is an easy to grow plant that is hardy. It is ideal for small and large food plots. Cabbage thrives best in cool weather and should be planted in areas that get some shade during the dog-days of summer.  By planting types with different maturity dates, you can ensure this forage will be available during hunting season.

MUSTARD

I have discovered that deer find this aromatic and leafy vegetable delicious and nutritious. It is easy to grow and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Mustard is cold tolerant and produces green leaves with a pleasing aroma to deer. They can be planted in small or large food plots. Mustard is truly an unorthodox food plot plant. Although some traditional wildlife seed mixes may include some mustard, it is best to plant an entire plot with this crop. Mustard seed can be found with other vegetable seeds at most farm seed outlets.

I also plant a lot of other crops to test how they perform. I recommend that you experiment with a variety of crops to find out what best serves your management needs too. Following is a table of the crops I intend to plant this spring. Each year, I change my planting ideas so that I don’t bore the deer with the same-old, same-old, year in and year out. I do, however, sometimes plant a crop a few years in a row on occasion if I find the deer really benefit from it and are overly attracted to it as well. But I never plant the same thing more than two or three years in a row.

Here are some seed companies you can contact to purchase seeds for your land.
        
 

SEED COMPANIES

Agassiz Seed Company
 (701) 282-8118
www.agassizseed.com

Antler King
(888) 268-5371
www.antlerking.com

Mossy Oak BioLogic
Need the phone number
www.mossyoakbiologic.com

Frigid Forage
(218) 759-4656
sales@sunrichfarm.com
www.sunrichfarm.com

Hunter’s Specialties
Need the phone number
      website@hunterspec.com
www.hunterspec.com

Preferred Seed Company
(716) 895-7333
Info@PreferredSeed.com
www.preferredseed.com

Purina Mills
 (877) 454-7094 x5167
robert.echele@purinamills.com
www.deerchow.com
 
Record Rack TM
(800) 392-5757
www.record-rack.com

Seedland, Inc.
(888) 820-2080
sales@seedland.com
www.seedland.com

Tecomate
(888) 440-9108
brentmcaliley@bellsouth.net
www.tecomate.com

The Wildlife Group
(800) 221-9703
wildlifegroup@mindspring.com
www.wildlifegroup.com

Whitetail Management System - Quaker Boy
(800) 544-1600
www.quakerboygamecalls.com

Whitetail Institute
(800) 688-3030
info@whitetailinstitute.com
www.whitetailinstitute.com

Wildlife Nurseries, Inc.
(920) 231-3780

Woods N Water | PO Box 10 South New Berlin, NY 13843 | 607-548-4011