When planting food plots, there is a lot to consider and one crucial component is planting food sources for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Although you may only hunt in the Fall, your deer herd needs to eat year-round and there are certain food sources they will desire and need, depending on the time of the year. Since deer need to consume different nutrients throughout the year, we recommend planting 50% of your food plots in year-round, long-lasting perennials like our Trophy Clover Mix and Mini Max Clover Mix and 50% of your food plots in annual hunt plots (Fall and Winter forage) like Honey Hole, Slam Dunk, Fall/Winter/Spring, Lights Out, Red Zone and No Sweat. This program will offer your deer a year-round food source, increase the amount of deer that stay on your property and provide them optimum nutrition. During the Spring and Summer months when bucks are growing antlers, fawns are nursing and does are producing milk, deer crave and need high amounts of protein in their diets to maintain their health and to maximize body and antler growth. If a deer can consume a diet of at least 16% protein, they can maximize their health, body, bone and antler development. Studies have shown that A 4.5-year-old buck fed a 16% protein diet can grow antlers 15-25 inches larger (Boone and Crockett Score) than a 4.5-year-old buck fed only a 6% protein diet. It’s science…if you can provide them the nutrition that they need, you can grow Bigger Bucks and Healthier Deer on your property. Therefore, you need to plant food plots high in protein during the Spring and Summer months and we offer three food plot mixes that are high in protein. Two perennial mixes; Trophy Clover Mix (30%+ protein) and Mini Max (20-30% protein) will last 3-6 years and one annual mix, Red Zone (30%+ protein) will provide this crucial Spring, Summer and Fall feed. As the weather turns colder, deer will begin to focus their consumption on food sources that have a higher energy content so they can prepare for the breeding season and ultimately survive the winter. Fall Hunt Plots high in energy are not only vital to the health of your herd, but can offer great hunting opportunities in the Fall and Winter. Antler King® Food Plot Mixes such as Honey Hole (turnips and brassicas), Slam Dunk (radishes, peas, and brassicas), Lights Out ( oats, turnips, brassicas), Fall/Winter/Spring (fall rye, winter peas) and No Sweat (oats, rye, brassica, clover) can offer your deer herd premium food for the Fall and Winter months. Turnips, radishes and brassica plants will turn sweet after the first hard frost and deer will seek these sweet, energy-filled food sources during the colder weather. Food plot mixes with oats, rye and peas will offer both energy and protein, vital for pre-rut and post-rut deer to sustain their weight and overall health heading into Winter. To help you establish the most successful food plot program available we’ve created an easy to follow “7 Easy Steps to Planting Food Plots”, DVD, Video and Brochure that can be found on our website. You can check out the 15-minute video and brochure by following this link: Food Plots in 7 Easy Steps Categories: Food Plot Program
Tyler Francois says June 13, 2018 at 10:25 am Hey guys, I have 50 acres of property. 40 acres of it is a mixture of soft mossy bottom and the some is swamp. I was wondering if it is possible to plant and do a food plot on a mossy bottom in the middle of the woods. What im looking to do is build a 1 acre food plot in the middle of the property. Its very thick so i would need to cut alot of trees down but it would have alot of thick cover around the plot. But before i do my cutting i would like to know if anything will grow in there with it being lower and mossy floor bottoms. Thoughts?? Thank you Tyler Reply
Mike Lindahl says June 13, 2018 at 10:46 am Tyler I would want you to test your pH first in that area and see what you’re working with. Then we would want to get some lime down, improve the soil and cut some trees. We do have some clover and rye mixes that would work in that area, but it will take some work to get the site ready for planting. If it’s my property, I’m going to put in the work to cut trees and improve soil…because it sounds like an awesome spot! Then I would look at mixes like No Sweat, Fall/Winter/Spring and Game Changer Clover. Reply
Tony mason says December 9, 2018 at 9:03 am When would you plant slam dunk in northern Minnesota? Reply
Kari Bue says December 11, 2018 at 10:31 am Hi Tony- The planting range would be May 1st through September 10th for Slam Dunk in MN. Reply
Kyle Williams says January 15, 2019 at 3:15 pm Hey Guys, This would be my first time actually making a food plot by myself. I joined a club last fall and this is my first summer noticing that the other members don’t do a food plot in spring or summer. They just stick to planting once a year in early fall ish time frame. So, on the 556 acers that we have for lease i have found a spot the no one has clamed yet. It is full of old logs and stuff i have to clear out which im planning on doing this weekend. The land is a lease from the bank who also does logging on it for pines so that why i had to find an unplanted space that the loggers dont really touch. What would yall recommend for me to plant in GA for the spring and summer months…. and even fall and winter to get the edge on the other club members? Reply
Robie Pruitt says January 15, 2019 at 8:26 pm Good evening kyle, The first thing you need to do is establish a year around food source like a clover or clover chicory mix, it is very important to have a perennial mix such as clover on your property to give the deer year around food, now for your annual fall plots can you tell me about your plot area? Like how much sun it may get and soil type in your area Reply
Peter Drozda says May 22, 2020 at 9:58 pm Hey guys, Just have a few questions for my food plot I’m starting. I have a two acre food plot that is relatively sandy, cleared all the trees off gets great sun and has pasture grasses on it right now. My soil is roughly 6.3 I did put down lime already and was wondering should I spray or disc the grass, and what would be the best thing to plant for this area. I have no food plots on the 150acres yet. Reply
Robie Pruitt says May 22, 2020 at 10:16 pm Hey there Peter I would definitely kill off the plot before discing, now for planting it really depends on what your wanting out of your plot, meaning are you looking for a all year long food source which our Game Changer Clover would work out great or if your looking for a hunt over plot for the deer season I would look into our Slam Dunk or our Small Town Throw Down, all three of these grow great in sandy soil Reply
Peter Drozda says July 14, 2020 at 9:14 am Hey guys Got my slam dunk and small town throw down in the ground and it coming up great event in the sandy soil! But having trouble with some weeds! Is there anything I can do to keep the weeds to a minimum in this food plot or do I just have to let it run it’s course. Thanks for the help Reply
Joaquin says July 16, 2020 at 1:05 am What do you guys recommend to plant for fall food plots in NW Kansas Reply
Mike Galka says July 23, 2020 at 11:59 pm I have gotten my small 1/4 acre food plot ready by spraying the weeds with glyphosate and plot max, got a soil sample, applied lime and now I’m ready to plant. For my area it South Carolina it seemed slam dunk would be a good option. I am ready to plant but only have a walk behind Scott’s broadcast spreader, what setting should I be spreading the seed at? Reply
Robie Pruitt says July 27, 2020 at 8:17 am When using a walk behind spreader I recommend setting it for the least amount of seed to come out and walk fast, when using a walk behind it’s very easy to over seed a area with to much seed Reply
David Reinhart says January 9, 2021 at 2:45 pm I live in central Louisiana I am planning on a spring and summer plot along with a fall and winter plot. Will be using a soil test before I get started. But would like to know what seed is best for the south. Thanks Reply
Robie Pruitt says January 9, 2021 at 3:01 pm Hi David In your area you can’t beat a all season food source like clover and chicory, I would recommend planting either our Trophy Clover mix or our Booner Buffet if your plot will get a good amount of sun(6+ hours) and a ph of 6.5 to a 7.0. If your plot is in more of a shaded area and a poorer soil I would plant our Game Changer Clover Reply
