Food Plots 101 | Small Food Plots

Many deer and turkey hunters will be putting in food plots this month. The majority of these plots will be under an acre in size. A lot of advice is out there on what to plant in food plots, but a small percentage of that information deals with these small food plots. With the lack of information deer hunters resort to buying a cheap throw and grow style food plot bag on the shelves of sporting goods store. Most of these bags contain a mix of species that are no better than the weeds you will be combating in the plot. This year make a good decision with your food plots and go with the best species for small food plots. The best species for small food plots is white clover (Ladino or Durana). Either Ladino or its small leafed, but more aggressive spreading cousin Durana clover, are the king of small food plots. They are shade tolerant, heavy browse tolerant, extremely attractive, and are easy to establish. These are all the requirements a small food plot species needs, and it excels far above all of these. With little work and preparation these plots can be established as kill plots in small clearings, ground exposed on a recently open canopy, or on the edges of larger crop fields. Clover is one of the first food plot species to sprout and be full by spring time turkey hunting, and is available through the majority of deer hunting season except the late season months. The attributes make white clover an unbeatable species for small food plots.