When you have the luxury of a larger food plot, go with a variety of plants.
QUESTION: I have a 5-acre field on 20 acres, and I would like to make a food plot. I was thinking of 2 acres of corn and something else on the remaining 3 acres. My property is in west-central Minnesota. What would you recommend to plant that would attract the deer and help keep them in the area? - Jerry
ANSWER: There are so many choices as to what you could plant. Some type of grain/row crop like corn or soybeans is a good idea, as it will be most attractive when you want it to be, during hunting season. But if you do proceed with that, I would also suggest some variety, particularly something that will extend the time during which your plots are attracting and nourishing deer.
I’ve had great success using perennial clover to get deer habituated to using very small plots (less than 1 acre) long before hunting season, and at green-up the following spring. It also provides protein during early spring and late summer, periods of high demand. Alfalfa might be another option. Planting some type of annual mix with brassicas will also reach peak nutrition and attraction in the fall, and the roots and tubers will provide food well into winter.
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