Eff ective Food Plots for White-Tailed Deer in Alabama
Effective Food Plots for White-Tailed Deer in Alabama
Photo by Tess R. Jolly
By Chris Cook and Bill Gray
Wildlife Biologists
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
Effective Food Plots for White-tailed Deer in Alabama
by
Chris Cook and Bill Gray Wildlife Biologists
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
M. Barnett Lawley Commissioner Fred R. Harders
Assistant Director
M. N. `Corky" Pugh Director
Gary H. Moody Chief, Wildlife Section
September 2005
Support for development of this publication was provided by the Wildlife Restoration Program and the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries with funds provided
by your purchase of hunting licenses and equipment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
Location and Size .......................................................................................................................... 1 Cool-Season Considerations ................................................................................................................. 3 Warm-Season Considerations .............................................................................................................. 4
Preparing to Plant ........................................................................................................................ 4 Soil Testing ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Interpreting Soil Test Results ............................................................................................................................... 5 Lime and Fertilizer ................................................................................................................................ 7 Tillage Considerations .......................................................................................................................... 8 Warm-Season Considerations ................................................................................................................................ 9 Subsoiler .................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Chisel Plow ................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Moldboard Plow/Bottom Plow ................................................................................................................................ 9 What to Plant ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Cool-Season Choices ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Warm-Season Choices ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Inoculation of Legume Seed ............................................................................................................... 14 Applying the Seed ................................................................................................................................. 16 Covering the Seed ................................................................................................................................. 17
Exclosures ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Food Plot Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 18 Weed/Grass Control .............................................................................................................................. 18 Follow-up Fertilizer and Lime ........................................................................................................... 20 Cool-Season Food Plots ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Warm-Season Food Plots ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Fallowing ............................................................................................................................................... 20
Hunting and Food Plots ............................................................................................................ 21
Three-Acre Warm-Season Food Plot with Reversible Fencing ........................................ 22
Mineral Supplements ................................................................................................................. 23
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 24
References .................................................................................................................................... 25
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1: Estimating the Size of Food Plots ..................................................................... 2 FIGURE 2: Estimating the Size of Odd-Shaped Food Plots ............................................. 2 FIGURE 3: Example of Report from Soil Testing Lab ....................................................... 6 FIGURE 4: Percentage of Soil Nutrients Not Available to Plants in Acidic Soils ...... 7 FIGURE 5: Production of Selected Cool-Season Crops ................................................... 10 FIGURE 6: Crude Protein Content of Selected Cool-Season Crops ............................. 11 FIGURE 7: Inoculation Groups and Codes for Legumes Commonly Planted for
Deer Forage .......................................................................................................... 15 FIGURE 8: Helpful Hints for Successful Food Plots ........................................................ 16 FIGURE 9: Comparison of Six-Year Costs of a Three-Acre Reversible Fence
Lablab Food Plot vs. Supplemental Feeding of Whole Soybeans ............ 23
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1: Suggested Cool-Season Seed Combinations for Deer ................................. 12 TABLE 2: Suggested Warm-Season Seed Combinations for Deer .............................. 13
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, or disability in its hiring or employment practices nor in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, or activities.
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: Contact Information for Some Soil Testing Labs .................................. 28
APPENDIX 2: Cool-Season Planting Guide ....................................................................... 29
APPENDIX 3: Warm-Season Planting Guide ..................................................................... 38
APPENDIX 4: Useful Weights and Measures ..................................................................... 44
APPENDIX 5: Approximate Pounds Per Bushel and Seeds Per Pound of Some Commonly Planted Deer Forages .............................................................. 45
APPENDIX 6: Additional Sources of Information on Food Plots and White-tailed Deer Management ................................................................. 46
APPENDIX 7: Contact Information for Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Wildlife Section Offices ............................................................ 47
Cover photo by Tes Randle Jolly.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of time, advice, resources, photos, and support by the following individuals and entities: Agriliance-AFC, Clayton, Alabama; Dr. Don Ball, Auburn University; Bobby Cole, Mossy Oak-BioLogic; Kent Kammermeyer, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Kevin McKinstry, Westervelt Wildlife Services; Muleshoe Plantation, LLC; Brian Murphy, Quality Deer Management Association; Oregon State University Forage Information System; Potash & Phosphate Institute and the Foundation for Agronomic Research, Norcross, Georgia; Brian Shepherd, Tecomate Wildlife Systems, LTD.; Jerry Stephenson, GROSouth, INC., Dothan, Alabama; Lindsay Thomas, Quality Deer Management Association; and Dr. Grant Woods, Woods and Associates, Inc./Mossy Oak-BioLogic.
The authors also thank the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries for its support, encouragement, and patience in the development of this publication as a food plot management guide for landowners, deer hunters, and deer enthusiasts.
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