Fall Food Plots: What to Plant and How These Blends Benefit Your Deer
By Heath Wood
As summer begins to fade and the first signs of fall appear, whitetail hunters naturally turn their attention to the upcoming season. Stands are checked, trail cameras are running, bows are tuned, and shooting practice becomes a regular part of the late summer routine. It is also the time of year when food plots move to the top of the list for many deer hunters.
A well planned fall food plot can serve several purposes beyond simply providing another place to hunt. It can offer deer a quality source of nutrition, provide a dependable food source during the hunting season, influence deer movement and, when planted in the right location, create an ideal opportunity for a close range bow shot. The key is recognizing that not every food plot needs to serve the same purpose.
Some plots are designed primarily to provide high quality nutrition, while others are planted with the goal of attracting deer during the hunting season. In some situations, the most effective plot may be nothing more than a small patch tucked into a secluded corner, logging road or shooting lane where a tractor cannot easily reach. In those locations, choosing the right seed blend can make all the difference.
Sanctuary Seed Co., from Big & J Industries, offers several blends designed for a variety of hunting and habitat situations. Three blends that deserve a closer look for fall food plots are Shooting Lane, Clover Sanctuary and Kil 'N Field.
Shooting Lane - When You Need a Plot Where You Hunt
Not every hunting property has large, open fields that are easy to access with a tractor and planter. In fact, some of the most valuable food plots can be the small ones tucked into the timber or along an existing opening.
As a young adult, one of the best food plots I ever created from a hunting perspective was nothing more than a small opening in the timber, a gas powered leaf blower, and an oldfashioned lawn rake. After blowing the leaves from an old logging road, I spent some time raking the area by hand before broadcasting a small amount of seed. The plot was tucked away in the timber, but the deer quickly found it and used it regularly.
Fast forward 25 years, and hunters now have seed blends such as Shooting Lane that are specifically designed for these types of situations. This no till blend can be broadcast over existing vegetation or lightly worked soil and combines fast germinating brassicas, cold hardy cereal grains, clovers, and tillage radish to provide a diverse source of forage.
For property owners, a blend like this can open up plenty of possibilities. A small opening along a logging road, an old skidder trail, a natural opening, an existing power line, or a shooting lane can potentially be transformed into a productive food source without bringing heavy equipment into the timber. That can be a major advantage when creating a hunting plot because location is often more important than size.
A food plot doesn't have to cover several acres to be effective. A small plot tucked between bedding cover and a larger destination food source can give deer another reason to stop and feed, potentially creating the close range bowhunting opportunity every whitetail hunter is looking for.
Clover Sanctuary - A Nutritional Investment
While some food plots are planted primarily with hunting season in mind, clover can provide benefits well beyond the fall. Seed blends such as Clover Sanctuary, which is a five cloverperennial blend, are designed to provide high protein forage and withstand grazing pressure from a large number of deer. The blend contains Alsike Clover, Klondike Ladino White Clover, Medium Red Clover, Hubam White Blossom Sweet Clover and White Dutch Clover. That variety is important because different clovers bring different characteristics to the plot. Some are better suited for wetter conditions, while others provide cold tolerance, fast growth, or extended forage availability. The result is a food plot designed to continue providing food rather than simply producing a short window of attraction.
Clover also makes sense for the hunter who views food plots as part of an overall deermanagement strategy rather than simply another hunting tactic. A healthy herd needs quality nutrition throughout the year. A productive perennial clover plot can help provide that forage while also giving deer another reason to spend time on your property.
There is another benefit to clover that shouldn't be overlooked: it can become part of your property's long term food plot strategy. Instead of starting from scratch every year, a perennial plot can continue producing with proper management. That means less annual work and another dependable food source available to deer. For hunters managing smaller properties, that can be a big advantage.
Kil 'N Field - Built for Fall and Winter
When the calendar moves toward fall, deer begin transitioning to the foods that will carry them through the colder months. Deer need extra food to build up energy for the upcoming rut and to face the brutal cold winter days later in the fall and winter. This is where Kil 'N Field really shines.
This blend combines rye grain, hard red winter wheat, Jerry oats, and 4010 forage peas. The combination is designed to provide consistent forage throughout the fall and winter, with coldhardy grains and high energy forage that remain attractive as temperatures drop.
One of the things I like about a blend such as Kil 'N Field is the variety. Different plants mature at different rates, and weather affects each one differently. Rather than putting all your eggs in one basket with a single species, a diverse blend gives you multiple sources of forage in the same plot. The oats can provide early attraction as the plot gets established, while wheat and rye bring cold tolerance and forage that can remain useful later in the season. The forage peas add another attractive, protein rich component. That makes Kil 'N Field a good choice when you want a fall food plot that continues working after the leaves have fallen and temperatures begin to drop.
As the season progresses and natural forage changes, a productive food plot can become an increasingly important destination for deer that can help concentrate movement and give hunters another piece of the puzzle when deciding where to hunt.
Plant for Deer, But Think Like a Hunter
One of the biggest mistakes hunters make with food plots is thinking only about what deer will eat. Food is important, but location is everything when hunting over a plot. A five acre food plot in the wrong location may not be nearly as valuable to a bowhunter as a small plot positioned along a natural travel route.
Before planting, take time to study how deer use the property. Identify bedding areas, natural travel routes, and major food sources, while also considering how prevailing winds will affect your access. Equally important is having a plan that allows you to reach the plot and leave it without alerting deer. These factors should be considered before the seed ever hits the ground.
For example, a larger Kil 'N Field plot can serve as a destination food source, while a smaller Shooting Lane plot can be positioned closer to bedding cover to create an additional feeding opportunity along a natural travel route. Clover Sanctuary can provide a longer term food source that remains valuable well beyond the hunting season. The goal isn't necessarily to plant the same blend throughout the property. Instead, use each blend where it best fits the way deer naturally move and use the habitat.
Don't Forget About Soil Preparation
Even the best seed blend can't overcome poor soil preparation. Before planting, take the time to understand what your soil needs. A soil test can tell you where you stand with pH and nutrients and can help you make better decisions about lime and fertilizer.
Timing also matters. Fall food plots generally need enough time to germinate and establish before colder weather arrives. Planting too early or too late can create problems, depending on the blend and your local conditions. Pay attention to rainfall, soil moisture, and the expected weather pattern rather than simply planting because the calendar says it is time, and don't underestimate seed-to-soil contact.
Whether you're planting a conventional plot or using a no till blend such as Shooting Lane, getting the seed into a favorable growing environment is essential. Follow recommended planting instructions for the specific blend and your local conditions.
A Food Plot Is More Than a Place to Kill a Deer
There is nothing wrong with planting a food plot because you want to kill a deer. That's part of the reason many of us put in the work. But a good food plot can do much more. It can improve the nutritional value of a property, provide forage during critical stress periods, influence deer movement, and give wildlife another dependable food source. More importantly, food plots should be viewed as one piece of a bigger property management plan.
Sanctuary Seed Co. offers several blends that allow hunters to approach that plan from different angles. Shooting Lane gives you an option for small, hard to reach areas. Clover Sanctuary provides a perennial, high protein forage source. Kil 'N Field is designed to provide attractive fall and winter forage through a blend of grains and peas. The best approach may be using more than one. A strategically placed small plot can influence movement. A larger destination plot can provide food, and a perennial clover plot can provide nutrition for much of the year. Put them alltogether, and you're not just planting food. You're building a better property for deer and potentially creating better opportunities for the hunter sitting in a tree when October finally arrives.