Wildlife Food Plots – How To	800-566-1691 Contact Us

August 2008
by: Terry Freeman

Putting in food plots for wildlife is not difficult.  A good wildlife food plot can be done with a small investment of both time and money.  A basic understanding of the soil, the game you wish to attract, and what the wildlife you are interested in like to eat will help make your food plots successful. 

When done properly, food plots can provide improved hunting opportunities, a chance for the family to view wildlife, or develop a healthier wildlife population.  Putting in food plots should also be fun!  It’s a great activity for a family or members of a hunting club or other conservation organization.

Why Put In a Food Plot?
Why do you want to put in a food plot?  This is a great question to ask your self before investing time, sweat, and money.  Is the goal to increase the health and quality of the game on your property?  Do you simply want to increase your chances of seeing more wildlife?  Which species of wildlife you want to attract?

Get together with the interested folks.  Ask them these questions and prepare a list of goals for the project.  Once these questions are answered completing the project will be much easier.

Preparing the Site
Soil is the building block from which plants grow.  Without proper soil nutrient levels plants will not achieve their maximum yield.  Sampling and testing the soil is very important.  Its only way to know for sure the nutrient levels in the soil and what to add to achieve the best plant growth.  It’s a good idea to get a copy of your county soil survey from your local Soil and Water Conservation District office.  A USGS topography map will also come in handy as you begin the planning process.

Using a shovel and a plastic bucket walk in a zigzag pattern through the area you want to plant.  Take random soil samples to a depth of six to eight inches and place the samples in the bucket.  The key to soil sampling is taking random samples.  The more samples you take, the more accurate your results.

After completing the sampling process, thoroughly mix the soil in the bucket and take enough out to fill the sample bag provided by the lab.  Sampling kits are available through your local state university extension office.  If your state doesn’t have an extension office there are commercial soil-testing labs that will analyze the sample for you.  If the soil is moist, allow it to air dry before mailing.  Once dried, follow the instructions on the form for mailing it to the lab.

You should receive your soil test results within about two weeks.  The report will tell you your present soil nutrient levels.  It should also recommend lime and fertilizer based on the forage you intend to plant.  As a rule of thumb, soil testing should be done once every three years.  If you have questions about your soil test report contact your county extension office.

“The Plot Thickens”
As you consider the site for your food plot give some thought its size. Your plot can be any size, but it should be large enough to be useful to wildlife.  To be effective, your plot should be at least 1,000 square feet.  No more than a 1/4 to 1/2 acre of food plot is usually needed for each 20 acres of land.  If your food plot is expected to provide winter cover then it must be an acre or more.

Food plots can be planted in long strips adjacent to good winter cover.  Near escape cover such as a brushy fencerow, field border, windbreak, woodland edge, or wetland also work well.  Strip width can vary, but the wider the strips the more food and cover is created.  The closer the food plot is to good dense cover and a drinking water source, the more use it will have by wildlife.

What and When to Plant
Two factors will help determine what to plant in your food plot.  The first is your goal(s) for the project.  What game are you trying to improve or attract?  Wildlife species differ in the plants that they like.  The second is the landscape around the proposed food plot site. If acres and acres of corn and soybeans surround your food plot site planting more of the same probably won’t attract game to your property.  However, if there are none of these fields in your area you may be able to attract wildlife that uses these crops by planting them.

There are common crops used in wildlife food plots.  However, these crops vary widely by location along with the wildlife they attract, planting dates, and seeding rates.

Where Do I Get Seed?
Seed may be purchased from businesses that supply seeds to farmers.  Check with the farmers in your area.  They may be able to suggest a particular seed dealer.  In addition, many wildlife organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Federation , Pheasants Forever, Quail Unlimited , Quality Deer Management, or Ducks Unlimited may provide seeds for food plots, or at least be able to offer suggestions.

Some county soil and water conservation districts also sell wildlife food plot seeds.  Also check with any sporting goods stores in your area.  Many of these businesses sell pre-packaged food plot seeds.

Equipment
Many food plots can be established with a minimum investment in equipment.  A small tractor, disk, and corn planter or grain drill will often do the job.  Whether you own tractor or an ATV, there is a complete arsenal of implements available on this website.

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