What do you feed deer in late winter?

Other good choices for winter forage are brassicas (greens and root bulbs) and sugar beets (greens and root bulbs). Both of these food types are favorites of deer because they are palatable and provide the nutrients necessary to help deer thrive during the winter and are particularly high in protein content.

How late can you plant a deer food plot?

Anything after August 20th would be leaving it to chance. I should also note you don’t want to plant too early, either. If you plant too early, there’s a chance the plot will over mature and become unattractive. Whitetails like young growth and the 45-60 DUFF planting window will give you just that.

What can I plant for a late food plot?

For your late season hunting plots, you should plant rye, winter wheat, winter peas, or turnips. If you purchase seed mix that has been formulated specifically for planting a food plot, follow the fertilizing recommendations on the packaging from the manufacturer.

What do you feed deer in late season?

It’s a dream scenario for most hunters: having one of the best late season deer food sources around. But it doesn’t have to be just corn or beans. Other good late season food plots include grains (e.g., wheat, oats, rye, etc.), turnips, radishes, and winter peas.

Is it OK to feed deer in winter?

It is important to resist the urge to feed deer in the winter. Providing supplemental food for deer is not in their best interest, as their activity, movement, and feeding naturally decrease in the winter. Deer utilize their body fat and browse on natural available vegetation.

When should I plant a winter food plot?

You can frost seed or plant in the spring when daytime high temps start to reach 63-65 degrees. Fall plantings should be planted prior to the onset of autumn rains. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your food plots are panted at least 30-45 days prior to the first frost.

How late can you plant turnips for deer?

Turnips can be planted in late summer in northern climates or early fall in the southern states. Different turnip varieties produce different proportions of leaves and roots. Garden varieties tend to grow large roots and should be avoided.

Is clover a good late season food plot?

If you live in a state that can experience a dry summer or worst yet, then clover may not be the best food plot seed selection going into the fall. If you live in an area that typically has a cold and harsh winter, establishing your clover plot during the late winter/early spring months will likely be a better option.

What can you plant in late deer season?

Perhaps the best all-around, late-season plants are brassicas. The brassica family includes several well-known plants including broccoli, kale, turnips and rapeseed. From a deer hunter’s perspective, however, the preferred food-plot brassicas are lumped into the category of forage brassicas.

What do you feed a whitetail deer in the winter?

Providing a variety of different food sources within your deer feed mix is a good way to reduce the chance of acidosis. If you’re looking for something else in the mix or what to feed deer instead of corn, a better and safer option for winter deer feeding is to use deer food pellets or other high fiber deer feed.

What is the best food plot for deer hunting?

Clovers. Clovers, whether crimson, red, white, or arrowleaf, are a staple of food for deer. Clover food plots work well as a general ground covering alone or in conjunction with other deer favorites. Clover grows well in poor soil conditions and provides a staple of nutritional value for deer.

What do deer eat during the late season?

The deer like to eat the actual turnips typically late season, and then eat the leaves throughout the season. They’re easy to grow in well-drained soil. In my experience, deer will feed on this plant after the season, so it can make for a few easy shed hunts in the spring.

What should I plant in my deer food plot?

Different crops draw deer at different times in the year, and if you want your food plot to be a truly productive place to hunt deer, you are going to want to diversify your crop. Try to plant a mix of annual summer crops (sunflowers, sorghum, soybeans, cowpeas, etc.), and more resilient annual fall and winter food crops (turnips, kale, wheat , etc.).

Do you know when to plant food plot for deer?

These early season plots require careful planning because they are plowed and planted in the spring or summer but that hard work in the warmer months will definitely lead to the best food plots for deer in the fall.