Best Food Plots for Deer

If you’re reading this article, then you’re either curious about me and “what the heck is he up to” or you’re wondering if you can pick up some information about “best food plot soils”. For the purposes of KENTUCKY DEER HUNTING, don’t worry about food plot soils! I said it. Plant what you want to see grow, what you enjoy and what you think will work best for your area. You can read everything you can get your hands on about being an efficient “farmer” and all the professional advice out there will tell you:   

#1) That’s not a good idea 

#2) That’s a waste of money 

#3) That won’t work 

#4) You need better soil to plant that   

If you are trying to manage you land for deer or just want a nice looking kill plot during a Kentucky whitetail hunt, then try something! In fact, cut it in half and plant a stripped food plot! Oh yes, don’t forget to double the seeding rates! Who cares about wasting $25 in seed. That pickup truck you drove to your property just chugged 6 gallons of gas getting there!    

My “Real” Suggestions: If your soil sucks. Meaning you just bulldozed it, there is a lot of shade, lot of weeds, lots of rock, or whatever, then plant Cereal Rye, Winter Wheat and Oats. It will come up great! You could cut it in half and try something else as well.   You need good sunlight to plant brassicas…and if you don’t have good sunlight, then you likely don’t have 3+ acres to plant soybeans (sort of expensive though. Plant what you think you’ll enjoy looking at! A deer food plot a hunter enjoys is a food plot the hunter cares about! He will come back, spray for weeds, mow, maybe fertilize, etc.!    Back to my theory about who cares about your soil! Your soil will get better over time. 

Selling Kentucky deer hunts on land you own doesn’t allow you to go around buying land just because the Ph level is optimum. Immediately start buying $4 50 pound bags of pelletized lime. Save your money on the soil samples for now! (Not really. You can get them for cheap or free. Soil samples are also part of the fun! It’s just like looking at say SD cards from trail cameras. It’s an exciting time for all Kentucky hunting outfitters.) Creating the best food plots for whitetail deer is such a privilege.  You will slowly build up your soil from the things you plant year after year which will make the best food plots for deer. Your soil will get better! Remember, you can darn near grow stuff in rocks as long as it has sunlight, water, and some fertilizer.    As you learn what works on your property, you’ll find that is like putting together the train set vs. simply playing with an already built train set.