Habitat improvement techniques are more important than food plots for deer, turkey and other game animals, yet many hunters overlook habitat enhancement because it is more labor intensive and time consuming. However, there is nothing better adapted to an area than native plants, and wildlife have developed to eat them, so management practices such as timber management, brush management, prescribed burning and diking should be implemented before food plots.

As one might expect, food plot plantings will depend upon which wildlife species you want to attract, as well as the seasonal requirements of the plant species you decide to seed. Remember,  not all wildlife species benefit from all food plot plantings, but well thought out food plot seed mixes do provide benefits to a variety of wildlife species.  Also, keep in mind that not all plant species can grow in harmony. In certain cases, taller plants can shade out trailing or low-growing species.

It is important to take the proper steps when preparing food plots for wildlife. In short, the process of planting a food plot the same as planting a farm crop. Before beginning, learn as much as you can about how to plant a food plot. The most important factor is to pair the soil type and expected available moisture to the species that is to be planted, as well as ensuring that the species you plant will in fact attract the wildlife you are interested in.

Begin by identifying areas on the property where the targeted wildlife species are often observed. Then look for suitable food plot sites for planting, which are generally flat where soil moisture is above average. It is very important to plant plots  when adequate soil moisture is present to improve seed germination and establishment. If environmental conditions are poor, then pelleted feeds may be a better option, otherwise the time and money spent developing food plots will be wasted. With this in mind, the very best time to plant a food plot is just prior to a nice, soaking rain.

Research has found that well-planned food plots offer significant, measurable benefits for whitetail deer. Other game animals respond readily to plots planted to appropriate forage, too. With this is mind, let’s take a step-by-step approach on how to plant food plots for whitetail deer and other wildlife. Before jumping ahead too much, the importance of selecting a good location for your food plot should not be understated. Look for fertile soil on level ground that is close to cover, ideally near areas that wildlife often frequent.

After identifying the food plot location, first collect and send off your soil samples for testing. Next, prepare the seedbed by plowing and/or disking the soil. After initial breaking, lime and fertilizer should be incorporated, as recommended by the soil test, into the soil at this time. Next, plant large seeds such as wheat, oats, and peas into the prepared seedbed, then lightly disk/drag seeds into the food plot, covering approximately 1 inch deep.

The next step will be to firm the seedbed with a cultipacker. This is not completely necessary for large seeds, but it is an especially important step when preparing to plant small seeds such as ladino clover. After packing, plant small seeds such as clovers and alfalfa, then cultipack the seedbed a second time to ensure good, firm seed-to-soil contact. This will improve germination rate, provide more food for wildlife, and allow you to get the most from your food plot.

The leaves and seeds of legumes serve as high quality forage for a variety of wildlife species, but special steps must be taken if legumes are used in food plots. If legume seeds are desired, then treat the seeds with the appropriate innoculant before planting or buy pre-inoculated seed. Proper seed inoculation helps ensure food plot success, can save on fertilizer costs, and can save you money.

The steps above cover the pre-growth steps on how to plant a food plot for game such as dove, quail and turkey, but if the plot is for whitetail deer then it’s not over after the seeds are in the ground. Planting success and use of deer food plots should be monitored using exclusion cages. Exclusion cages allow managers and hunters to observe how much forage is being consumed by whitetail deer over a period and to evaluate the success of the planting. If deer are overgrazing a plot immediately after germination, then more acreage should be planted int the future.

Exclusion cages for food plots for whitetail deer can be made from a variety of materials. Landowners can use cages fabricated from cattle panels or welded-wire that are two to four feet in diameter, or even from chicken wire wrapped around four stakes driven into the ground. Food plots for deer can be difficult to establish in areas that have high whitetail densities. Exclusion cages are a “must do” for gauging deer use of supplemental forage.

There are numerous commercial food plot mixes available for wildlife, though most target the hunter. Some food plot seeds are well worth what there cost, but some are not. Most commercial plot blends contain quality seed that can grow solid food plots if planted properly at the right time on the proper site. Many food plot mixes are great, but they may not be great for your area. Do your homework before dropping a wallet full of cash on a mix that does not perform in your area.

Before planting, hunters and managers should consider food plot placement, size, shape and distribution across a property carefully. Although the size, shape and distribution of food plots vary for different wildlife species, knowing how to plant a food plot is the key to wildlife management and hunting success. Do it the right way from the start and both you, your food plots and the wildlife on your property will be in much better shape.

Ducks love millet. Browntop and white proso millet are highly sought after by several duck species, so if you have this in your food plot you will have birds on top of you. Browntop millet has a maturation date of only 60 days, and white proso millet of 70 days, meaning these species will grow quick for both you and the ducks in the fall. An important consideration with food plot seeds for waterfowl is how quick the seed deteriorates under water. You want the seeds to be edible while they remain under water throughout the season for hungry, migrating birds.

Browntop and proso millet have a deterioration rate of about 25 percent after 90 days of inundation, making this mixture a great food plot mix for ducks. Plant along lakes, beaver ponds and marsh areas inhabited by ducks or used by ducks during their migratory season. Millet food plots are best when sited in areas that are prone to seasonal flooding or that can be flooded manually when plants have matured. For this duck-attracting seed mix, seed 15 pounds of browntop millet and 15 pounds of white proso millet per acre during the early fall, hope for cold weather and load up on steel shot.

Another great choice for food plots for ducks is Japanese millet. This millet can be flooded shallowly, but not over-topped by water, soon after emergence and establishment. Shallow flooding supports wetland habitat into the growing season, but also helps provide weed control. Japanese millet has a maturation date of 90 days after germination a seed deterioration rate of 57 percent after 90 days of inundation. The seeds of Japanese millet are not as hardy as those of browntop or proso milet, but a big positive is that Japanese millet will often re-establish in food plot areas where previously grown, if the plant is allowed to mature and produce seed.

This is good for several reasons. First, Japanese millet can save you money on your food plots on an annual basis. Secondly, naturalized Japanese millet, those plants which occur naturally at least one growing season after planted,  can be manipulated legally for duck and waterfowl hunting purposes. Hunters can also manipulate other naturally occurring moist-soil wetland plants. Japanese millet should be seeded to food plots at the rate of 25 pounds per acre.

Chufa is often used in food plots for turkey, but it can also be planted for ducks. Waterfowl love the tubers. so this plant can really pull in the birds. Chufa grows best in well-drained sandy loams, but it can be grown in predominantly clay soils as well, which is a good thing because most guys do not duck hunt over well-drained sandy soils. Chufa does need nutrient-rich soil though, so get a soil test and and increase P and K levels as necessary.

Chufa is a great food plot for ducks and goose hunting when seeded at a rate of 40 pounds per acre, but it does take more work than other food plots. After your chufa has grown to 6 to 12 inches in height, top dress with ammonium nitrate at the rate of about 90 to 180 pounds per acre. Chufa matures approximately 100 days after germination. Chufa plots are excellent for migratory waterfowl, but they can get expensive because the seeds are expensive, it requires a lot of fertilizer and you may have to control competition from weeds.

Other food plots that work well for whitetail deer as well as for geese are winter wheat and/or ryegrass. Farmers know that geese and some duck species relish wheat, and geese will readily consume ryegrass fields or food plots. Wheat should be planted at the rate of about 90 pounds per acre, ryegrass at 25 pounds per acre, and then either left on dry land or flooded after it reaches about 6 inches in height. Shallow-flooded wheat and/or ryegrass produces an excellent food source for geese and wigeon, but snow geese and white-fronted geese (speckled bellies) will also use these food plots in uplands.

High-quality food plot mixes for ducks and geese do not have to be expensive, or fancy for that matter. A great seed mix is just to combine corn and milo (grain sorghum). Ducks and geese love these two seeds, so having them available on your property during the hunting season make perfect sense. A good rule of thumb on this mix is to seed about 7 pounds of seed corn and 5 pounds of milo per acre of food plot. These seeds hold up fairly well for ducks and gees, with about a 50% seed deterioration rate after 90 days.