Greener Pastures Archives - Page 17 of 20

June 2, 2026

Although teal may show up as early as September, the majority of ducks will arrive in the Carolinas much later.

Plant fast-maturing crops for duck impoundments now

Duck season is closing in for anxious waterfowlers, and after another extremely dry spring and early summer, corn crops continue to suffer. […]

Taking time to do research on the soil in an area where you plan to locate a food plot can go a long way toward making it a success.

Productive fall food plots result from planning, planting

Jeff Burleson

Our cool-season food plots often make or break us in the fall. Nothing excites a hunter more than a trophy buck prancing across one of our food plots, knee deep in a lush field of greens. […]

Mowing a food plot to help deter the growth of invasive weeds and grasses is an important step in making sure your desired foliage is in tip-top shape to provide grazing for deer.

Clip warm-season food plots now

Jeff Burleson

Warm-season food plots supplement deer with a rich source of balanced nutrition over the late spring and summer, during a critical time of need for both male and female deer. […]

Bucks that get plenty of protein in their diets have the potential to grow heavier, larger sets of antlers.

Spring, summer are protein times

Jeff Burleson

Food. All animals crave it, ingest it and seek out certain varieties with special characteristics to fulfill their physical needs. […]

Clover is a protein-rich food-plot filler with a tremendous upside in the spring for does nursing fawns, bucks growing antlers and tender forage for turkey poults.

It’s time to refresh clover patches

Jeff Burleson

Food plots have critical periods, with some parts of the year more important than others. In the spring, herbaceous and woody plants end their dormancy and begin competing for available nutrients, sunlight and space. […]

Deer get a high percentage of protein from chicory, and they are drawn to it because it produces forage year-round.

Chicory should be food-plot staple

Jeff Burleson

The major planting season in the Carolinas for warm-season food plots generally is April through early May. […]

A buffer zone of planted trees and volunteer vegetation around fields or food plots will cut down on disturbances to wildlife that might keep them from visiting these areas — especially during hunting season.

Buffers eliminate deer disturbance

Jeff Burleson

The southeastern states offer deer hunters an extended period to pursue their trophies. With the hunting season spanning the entire mating ritual, consistent disturbance becomes a real issue for deer and hunters. […]

Setting aside an area of your hunting land as a sanctuary could put a trophy buck in your crosshairs as the season draws to a close.

Create temporary buck sanctuaries

Jeff Burleson

The majority of deer hunters in North Carolina and South Carolina enjoy some of the longest seasons in the entire country. […]

As deer browse it down, clover will regenerate and provide even more forage — as long as it’s fertilized to add nutrients to the soil.

Clover patches need November fertilizing

Jeff Burleson

November means business for the majority of deer hunters. With the rut peaking and cool weather settling in, few hunters consider food-plot management or improvement something to schedule this month as they focus on maximizing their time in the deer stand. But choice food plots need attention after heavy activity and browsing this month, with clover in desperate need of nutrient replenishment. […]

A finely-worked food plot of clover will provide deer and other wildlife species with plenty of protein, and it may also help attract big bucks within range of nearby hunters.

They’re after me Lucky Charms again!

Jeff Burleson

Cultivating a rich stand of clover will pull deer from afar to feast on this magically delicious legume. […]