Food plots for fall

Planting fall foods for deer can start in the late summer or can be as late as November and December. But October is prime time to get plots planted to kick start the food availability around hunting stands. Land managers with immediate hunting opportunities in mind should plant crops that provide immediate forage availability or within a week of planting/germination.

Forage availability can be as soon as the plants erupt from the soil surface to several months down the line. Peas, beans, and cereal grains will become tasty and available for consumption as soon as they break through the soil surface. But brassicas and some other food plot varieties don’t become palatable until the end of their growth cycle. For land managers in hunt mode, the best fall planting varieties should be something that provides forage with immediate opportunities.

What to plant?

But what is the right variety to plant? Normally, recommendations for plantings are generally going to be more centered around a single species planting such as cowpeas, buckwheat, soybeans, oats, wheat, or others that require a uniform preparation and maintenance strategy. Single plantings allow a farmer to use uniform techniques to make sure the planting depth, soil supplementation, and herbicide selection are optimum for that specific planting. However, deer sometimes prefer a variety of forage options that can be just the edge a hunter needs to get the does and the big bucks into the plot at just the right time.

If there was ever a time a hunter can plant a wide spectrum of plants in their food plots, the October planting season would more than qualify for a change.

Typically, mixtures of broadleaf and grass plantings can be problematic with respect to herbicide uses, planting depths, and sometimes soil chemistry additives. The biggest hurdle with planting mixtures is controlling competition with herbicides. Fortunately, the October planting will have fewer issues with competition that can normally pose a risk for food plots. Basically, herbicides aren’t required for fall plots. Most competing plants can be set back with normal cultivation techniques allowing enough time for the target plantings to germinate and grow.

The fall food plot can be comprised of a mixture of cereal grains and legumes such as mixing oats, rye, and wheat with several varieties of peas and even some different species of clover. Sunflowers can also be added to this mix as their new tender shoots are like a trip to the ice cream shop. All these plants listed above will provide immediate availability soon after planting and the deer will keep coming to these food sources as long as the food remains viable.

Hunters can prepare their own mixes or purchase seed mixtures from one of the popular seed companies. As a note, most of the fall mixes will contain brassicas in the bag. The brassicas are less important for an October planting where immediate consumption is anticipated. Brassicas such as rape, turnip, kale, and radish, can provide wonderful nutrition to deer and other wildlife, but typical availability of brassica varieties is at the end of its growth cycle well after deer season has concluded. And if a winter food source is the goal for hunters and land managers after hunting season is over, some brassicas in the mix are ok. But these plants also take up a lot of space and can shade out or compete with the peas, clover, oats, and other plants you are trying to propagate for immediate consumption.

Land managers should effectively break up the soil through tilling or disking to kill any existing vegetation, and to prepare a smooth seed bed for incoming plantings. Next, a balanced fertilizer of 10-10-10 or something similar should be used to provide necessary nutrients for incoming plantings. Finally, the seeds should be broadcast evenly across the plot and lightly covered with soil. And lightly covered is important here as many of the seeds will be small and only need small soil coverage. It is also recommended to plant in moist soils and/or right before a light rain to promote germination and to provide enough moisture for the tender plants to grow and thrive.