Spring food plots should be coming up strong now, with deer and other wildlife beginning to show up regularly. Small wire cages or forage-protection fences should be erected in at least one place in each small to medium-sized food plot, and two in plots larger than four acres. Food plots are a work in progress, but if deer and other wildlife are foraging the plots with a vengeance, it will be tough to determine the effectiveness of fertilizer application and herbicide treatments.
The control area does not need to be very big, but it should be large enough to prevent any foraging in its boundaries. The general idea is to prevent any foraging, and any dimension that accomplishes this goal will be sufficient. But as a guide, a circular enclosure with a 2- to 3-foot radius or a 3-by-3 or 4-by-4 square-foot area all will be sufficient enclosure areas. Small mesh should be used to prevent rabbits and other small game from entering the enclosure while still allowing full sunlight to penetrate to the plants.
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