When we talk about building a successful food plot program, attraction should always be at the front of the conversation. Diversity is extremely important, and nutrition, soil health, and plot location all play a major role in success. But at the end of the day, if deer aren't attracted to your food plot, the rest of it doesn't matter nearly as much.
A successful food plot should become a destination. It should be a place deer want to visit, a place they seek out, and ultimately a place they choose when they have other available food sources.
Think about going to a buffet for dinner. Imagine going to that same buffet every night and finding only one food available. Even if it's something you enjoy, eventually you're going to want another option. You're going to look for something different.
Deer are no different.
Deer preferences change throughout the year. Weather changes, plants mature, native browse availability changes, and the nutritional demands of a deer change as the season progresses. What is highly attractive in September may not be the preferred food source in November or December. This is why diversity is so important when building a destination food plot.
However, diversity needs to have a purpose. Simply putting a large number of different seeds in a bag doesn't automatically create a great food plot blend. Every species should be included for a reason, and the ultimate goal should be to create and maintain attraction.
At Northwoods Whitetails, we don't believe in asking one plant species to carry an entire food plot throughout the season. Our clover blends contain multiple species of clover because different clovers can perform differently depending on soil conditions, weather, and the time of year. One clover may perform extremely well while another is still establishing, while another may thrive under slightly different growing conditions. By combining multiple clover species, the goal is to keep something attractive and productive in front of the deer.
We take the same approach with our annual brassica blends. Multiple brassica species provide deer with additional choices as the plants mature and the season progresses. Deer may prefer one species early and then shift their preference to another later in the season. Instead of relying on one brassica to provide attraction throughout the entire hunting season, we use diversity to create more opportunities for deer to find something they want.
Think about the buffet again. We aren't putting one pan of food on the table and hoping everyone wants it every night. We're building a buffet and giving deer choices.
Cereal grains also play an important role in destination food plots. They can provide quick attraction while adding another level of diversity to the plot. Young, tender cereal grains can quickly become a highly attractive food source. While other plants in a blend are developing and maturing, cereal grains can give deer a reason to begin visiting the food plot.
Once deer start consistently using a food plot, that plot can begin to become part of their regular movement and feeding pattern. That's an important step in turning a food plot into a true destination.
There is a lot of talk in the food plot industry about the number of species included in a seed blend. Five species, seven species, or even ten or more species may sound impressive on a seed tag, but the number itself isn't what matters most. The real question should be whether those species are working together to create attraction.
At Northwoods Whitetails, we believe in purposeful diversity. Multiple clovers, multiple brassicas, cereal grains, different growth patterns, and different maturity windows can provide more opportunities for deer to find an attractive food source as conditions and preferences change throughout the season.
The ultimate goal isn't simply to grow a green food plot. The goal is to build a destination—a food plot deer choose over other available food sources, a plot they visit consistently, and a plot that continues to offer something attractive as the season changes.
Deer have choices. They have native browse, agricultural crops, acorns, and neighboring food plots competing for their attention. Your food plot is competing with those food sources every day.
That's why attraction has to come first. Diversity helps maintain that attraction and gives deer more reasons to continue using the plot throughout the season.
We don't want to plant a single food source and simply hope deer want it all season. We want to give them choices. We want to give them a reason to visit and, more importantly, a reason to keep coming back.
Attraction first. Diversity with a purpose. Build the destination.
That's the Northwoods Whitetails approach to food plots.
