We spend a lot of time talking about what to plant in our food plots. And that’s important. But sometimes what’s around that food plot is more important than what’s growing in it.
You can have a beautiful food plot with plenty of food, but if deer don’t feel secure, they may wait until after dark to use it. If we want to increase daytime movement, we need to give deer a place where they feel comfortable. That’s where screening comes in.
I want deer to be able to walk into a food plot without watching every vehicle, person, or other activity around them. A screen helps separate that food plot from what’s happening outside it. Whether you’re blocking a road, a neighbor’s view, or your own travel around the property, you’re helping create that security.
But screening the food plot is only part of it. Your access and your deer stands need to be hidden, too.
Can deer see you walking to your stand? Can they watch you climb into it? Can you get out at the end of the hunt without spooking everything feeding in the plot? These are things we need to think about before hunting season, not when we’re sitting in the stand watching deer run away.
A good screen can help you get in and out without being seen. It can also help conceal your stand or blind. You still have to pay attention to wind and noise, but hiding your movement is a big part of keeping pressure down.
As hunters and land managers, we want to build the deer use on our properties during the season, not shrink it. One of the fastest ways to shrink the number of deer you’re seeing is to let them know they’re being hunted.
You might still have deer on the property, but now they’re showing up after dark. Or they’re feeding somewhere else where they feel more comfortable. Every time we get caught coming or going, we give them another reason to change what they’re doing.
That’s why I look at screening as part of the food plot, not something extra.
Our number one choice for establishing a food plot screen is our HD Food Plot Screen, followed by our RC line of switchgrass for a longer-term screen. Both need to be planned and planted ahead of time so they can establish and provide the cover you need. Don’t wait until hunting season to start thinking about it.
When you’re planning your next food plot, take a step back and look at the whole setup. What can deer see? Where is your stand? How are you getting in? How are you getting out?
The seed you plant matters. But making deer feel secure while they’re eating it can make all the difference.
Give them good food. Give them security. And keep them from knowing they’re being hunted.
