Which food plot crops do deer prefer, and why?

February 10, 2021

| By Jacob Dykes, Bronson Strickland, Steve Demarais, and Marcus Lashley

“What is the best thing to plant in my food plot?” Have you ever asked this question? As University Extension professionals and wildlife scientists, we get asked that question a lot. The search for the “magic bullet” plant has yielded many great discussions, but despite deer diets being heavily studied by researchers and observed by …

Break Down the Brassicas to Choose the Best for Your Food Plots

August 19, 2020

| By Ryan Basinger

Although they have long been used as a livestock forage, brassicas came on the scene as a deer forage about 20 to 30 years ago. There are numerous species that belong to genus Brassica, and the more commonly used forages are rape, kale, turnips and radishes. Although many hunters and food plotters typically refer to …

Food Plot Species Profile: Oats

July 15, 2020

| By Ryan Basinger

It’s no secret that cereal grains – wheat, oats, cereal rye, triticale – are popular choices for planting in food plots managed for whitetails. Cereal grains are highly attractive to deer, and they perform well under a wide range of conditions. With regard to deer preference, oats consistently rank higher than the other cereal grains …

The Day Food Plots Almost Killed Me

June 30, 2020

| By Phil Bancroft

Editor’s Note: Eight years ago this week, NDA member Phil Bancroft of Florida nearly died while preparing food plots for hunting season. After his recovery, he wrote this story for a 2013 issue of Quality Whitetails magazine. We are publishing it online here for the first time as a reminder to all our readers to …

Annuals, Perennials or Both for Food Plots? How to Choose Wisely

June 24, 2020

| By Ryan Basinger

One of the most basic characteristics of a deer forage that essentially lays the foundation of a food plot program is the time of year it is available and how long it lasts. When you understand the differences between annual and perennial forages, you’ll be better able to decide which is best and most cost-effective …

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