Hunting Food Plots

Hunting your food plots actually starts before you ever plant them.  The three main things you need to know is Location, Location, Location!  You can test the soil, plant your desired Antler King Food Plot Seed choice, Mother Nature can water it when it needs it and you can have the best food plot in the country, but if your plot is not in the right location it may not be as productive as you would like.  So follow along with these simple tips and you’ll be more successful hunting your food plots.

As simple as it sounds…you need to find a “good” tree you can get a stand into to hunt your food plot.  Look around and determine the area you would like to put in a food plot.  Don’t be afraid to put some time and sweat equity into your location; you will reap the rewards later.  Clearing an area of underbrush and saplings around your “good” tree will help create a great opening for a food plot; which will attract a lot of deer and other wildlife.

Is there an existing corn, soybean or hay field on your property?  If so, these are great areas to establish a food plot as well.  Field edges offer great opportunities; as the deer are already using these areas and as a new food source is introduced via your food plot, it won’t take long for it to be a deer magnet.  Try to locate the established trails leading into the field, use the natural draws and funnels to help determine the best food plot location and try to make it large enough to sustain the deer herd you have on your property.  If deer have not been entering the field to feed until close to dark establish another stand location set back in the woods a bit.  Planting an Antler King No Sweat No Till Food Plot at this “new” location (set back in the woods) will create a staging area and will give you another opportunity to harvest the deer you have been watching.

Is this plot accessible to enter, hunt and exit with the prevailing wind?  This is probably the MOST overlooked step when it comes to hunting food plots.  If you try to enter, exit or hunt your plot with the wind on the back of your neck your odds of harvesting a mature deer will be greatly diminished.  If your plot is big enough try to pick out more than one stand location and this will allow you to hunt it in different wind directions.  If the wind is always wrong, pick out a different location…it will definitely be worth your time and effort.

Is your plot located in such a manner to gain the proper amount of sunlight?  Think about something that happens everyday; the sun comes up in the East and sets in the West, just remembering this can help your food plot be more successful.  As Fall progresses into Winter the sunset starts to move South a bit…it is very important to think about this as your food plot needs a minimum of a couple hours of sunlight per day to be successful.  If you plant your food plots North and South the amount of sunlight will be greatly diminished and the sun will only shine on it for a short period of time per day.  If you plant your plots East and West the sun will shine on it for longer periods of time and give your plot the extra sunlight it needs to thrive.

If you want to have the most success hunting your food plots remember it is all about finding the right location with a “good” tree or ground blind location that is easily accessible, playing the wind and allowing Mother Nature a chance to help you…in other words…Location, Location, Location!!

Planting Antler King Food Plots is the single most effective way to attract, grow and keep deer on your property and following these simple steps when selecting that location and stand site can be all the difference in harvesting that trophy deer.  The more homework and planning you can put into it, the better off you and your food plot will be!

Have a safe and successful season and good luck hunting!

Patrick McFadden – Antler King Pro-Staff (Indiana)