Is there a "plant once" crop for a deer food plot?

[CMV]

Is there something I can plant once on about 1/2 acre that will just keep coming back year after year for a food plot? I don't want to spray, till, replant every year. But would like something to attract deer (turkeys too if plants do that) in the fall. There's plenty for them to eat on adjacent properties and probably hard to get them away from the acorns once those start falling, but if there's something I can do once, and then just do minimal maintenance I'd like that.

I get some success with corn + Deer Cane, Beet Crush, or similar in late fall & winter but thinking real vegetation might be better.

 

[bheld]

Clover will last a few years - esp if fertilized 1-2 times per year.

 

[MossRoad]

Think long-term.

Plant alternating rows of pines and mixed oak trees that produce acorns. The pines will grow fast and provide shelter for deer and turkey. The mixed oaks will be stressed by the pyramid shape of the fast growing pines and shoot up tall and straight. It'll take a dozen years or more to get the acorns going well (ours took over 20), but once you start getting acorns, deer and turkey will not only over-night there like they did when the trees were small, they'll start feeding on the acorns.

 

[jaxs]

Yup,honeysuckle. Deer love it and it's evergreen and hardy as you will find. I wouldn't plant it all in a single "plot",a little here and there will spread to sustain deer year round. Once established,use a machete or other tool to cut some back 2-4 months before season in areas near blinds. New regrowth is deer candy.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Is there something I can plant once on about 1/2 acre that will just keep coming back year after year for a food plot? I don't want to spray, till, replant every year. But would like something to attract deer (turkeys too if plants do that) in the fall. There's plenty for them to eat on adjacent properties and probably hard to get them away from the acorns once those start falling, but if there's something I can do once, and then just do minimal maintenance I'd like that.

I get some success with corn + Deer Cane, Beet Crush, or similar in late fall & winter but thinking real vegetation might be better.

I'll tell you one thing. They REALLY like my purple hull peas. They eat the leaves, vines and the peas...assuming they ever make it from the flower stage. They have to be replanted every year; I suppose if they don't eat them to the ground and some of the peas reach maturity, they might conceivably reseed and produce a volunteer crop, but I wouldn't count on it.

Purple Hull Peas Can Put Your Food Plots into High Gear

 

[BrokenTrack]

Clover...it is a nitrogen fixer so it pulls nitrogen out of the air, and deposits it through its roots, so no need to fertilize.

I plant my fields in 50% clover/50% timothy and the deer love it. (I add oats when I sow at 100 pounds to the acre to discourage weeds, but after it is boot high, I bushog the oats and then the clover/timothy comes up for a nice field.

 

[antlers125]

For any health benefits the short answer is no. As stated, clover will give you 3 years max, if fertilized & mowed a couple of times of the year. That is about the longest I am aware of.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Red Oaks produce large acorns high in protein.

It's on my to do list this coming spring.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

This?

perennial deer food plots - Google Search

 

[EddieWalker]

How hot does it get in summer where you live? Here in East Texas, we plant stuff that the deer really love to eat for hunting season, when it's cool out, but dies as soon as summer hits. The plants that survive all year round are already growing naturally here, so the goal with a food plot is to give them what they can't find naturally, and more importantly, what they cannot resists eating!!

If you plant something that survives year round, will it be more attractive to the deer then their native browse? Will you have to water it or take care of it?

In my opinion, everything that is possible to grow to attract deer has been tried, and it's been pretty much figured out what works the best. While it varies around the country due to your local climate and soil, what works best there has already been created and sold there.

 

[cqaigy2]

Think long-term.

Plant alternating rows of pines and mixed oak trees that produce acorns. The pines will grow fast and provide shelter for deer and turkey. The mixed oaks will be stressed by the pyramid shape of the fast growing pines and shoot up tall and straight. It'll take a dozen years or more to get the acorns going well (ours took over 20), but once you start getting acorns, deer and turkey will not only over-night there like they did when the trees were small, they'll start feeding on the acorns.

This is looking long term for sure, something like a legacy for those who follow.

 

[Streetcar]

Hloneysuckle is a terrible weed, do not plant it. Deer love oak trees so they must be protected. They have killed 8 ft tall trees that I thought were safe and pulled protection

 

[Gary Fowler]

To me a deer is just an overgrown goat. The more prickly it is, the better they like it. They will walk thru a bunch of field peas to get to an okra or cantaloupe vine. Once the deer at my place found my okra, I haven't been able to grow any since, they nibble it to the ground.
As for perennial, cant help you there.

 

[CMV]

The clover sounds lowest maintenance. Should be good for the honeybees as well - or is it a different type of clover vs what grows wild?

Not doing anything 'long term' since i don't intend to live here and keep this property forever. Don't plan to retire in NC, so maybe 10 yrs most.

 

[boomer1025]

Plant some Alfalfa and red and white Clover mix. That should cover the deer an honeybees food and will come back year after year for a long time.

 

[3gunr]

Plant some Alfalfa and red and white Clover mix. That should cover the deer an honeybees food and will come back year after year for a long time.

Turkeys also love clover as do other small game . A clover plot if maintained can last up to 6 yrs .they need to be mowed and periodically sprayed for weeds and grasses. Don meally has really good you tube videos on food plots.

 

[jaxs]

Is there something I can plant once on about 1/2 acre that will just keep coming back year after year for a food plot? I don't want to spray, till, replant every year. But would like something to attract deer (turkeys too if plants do that) in the fall. There's plenty for them to eat on adjacent properties and probably hard to get them away from the acorns once those start falling, but if there's something I can do once, and then just do minimal maintenance I'd like that.

I get some success with corn + Deer Cane, Beet Crush, or similar in late fall & winter but thinking real vegetation might be better.

The clover sounds lowest maintenance. Should be good for the honeybees as well - or is it a different type of clover vs what grows wild?

Not doing anything 'long term' since i don't intend to live here and keep this property forever. Don't plan to retire in NC, so maybe 10 yrs most.

Perhaps you can start with making your mind up.

 

[Doofy]

I've planted red/white sweet clover mix for any critter or bee that can use it. Moose and caribou enjoy it on occasion. Rodents (red- backed voles) really like it and they feed the owls, hawks and other birds and the red fox. We enjoy the photo ops.

 

[oosik]

When we had a garden the deer seemed to like most everything in the garden. It was something different.

 

[dieselscout80]

Turkeys also love clover as do other small game . A clover plot if maintained can last up to 6 yrs .they need to be mowed and periodically sprayed for weeds and grasses. Don meally has really good you tube videos on food plots.

3gunr,

What are you spraying on clover to kill the weeds?