By Adam Eller
You will hear these words come out of my mouth in many conversations, as well as in my social media posts. The reason you will hear these words a lot is because I believe in this statement wholeheartedly. So many people will often say “man, it must be nice to shoot big bucks like you do year after year.” This is a statement that resonates in my mind every year. Yes, they are right- it is nice! What they don’t see is all the hours I spend every spring and summer working dirt and making sure my soil is right, and looking over my plots from the previous year, thinking of ways I can do things better. I strategize how to make my prey travel to food sources, following paths that I create for them. Deer naturally seek to follow the path of least resistance which is exactly what they desire. Food plots are so much more than just feeding hungry deer. They are the very basis for your success as a conservator and hunter.
The picture above is the view from my tree stand. By simply using glyphosate to kill my plot barrier in this small area, the deer now filter to the food source through this gap giving me a perfect 18 yard quartering away shot.
Deer are much like us in the sense that they will always take the path of least resistance, in this case to get from bed to food. All you have to do is make this a reality for them and use it to your advantage. I like to plant clover paths around the perimeter of my wood lines for several reasons. Clover is a great source of protein that deer love and will feed in it as late as December. I like these paths to also access my stands as 95% of my stands are on the perimeters of my woods. Walking these paths keeps me inside of my plot barrier that borders my other food sources (such as brassicas) to keep me secluded from animals that are in the plots. This strategy can often help you get out of your tree stand at night when your food plots are full of deer, spooking less animals that are then more likely to keep coming out to the food sources in the daylight, as pressure is much less. Whitetail Institute has great blends for these clover paths that will continue to produce for several years before having to replant. With today’s technology, it's also really cool being able to spray clover plots and keep them clean of any unwanted grasses or broad leafs that can choke out your clover plots, starving them of the proper nutrients they need.
Whitetail Institute Imperial Clover can be sprayed with Arrest Max or Slay Herbicide, keeping it clean and lush. The plot barrier I use is a blend of grain sorghum, Sudan grass and Egyptian Wheat. Each component of this blend has its use as either structural or as a food source, even for turkeys and pheasants. As I mentioned above, it provides great concealment for you when leaving your stand in the evening.
Having a good variety is also a key component to be a good food plotter. Remember that much like us humans, deer don’t want to eat the same things day in and day out if they have a choice. Also, certain times of the year deer prefer one type of food over the other. Again, if they have this option that just gives you one more advantage and one more reason to keep them home. Food plots aren’t just about feeding hungry mouths, they are the key to keeping your deer home and keeping them alive. Many people ask me why I waste my time planting corn and soybeans when literally every farmer in the area grows these crops for you. My answer is simple. When it's most important to the deer for those particular crops to still be in the ground, they’ve already been harvested in the AG world. I plant several acres of corn and soy beans every year and when the AG crops are all gone where are the deer going to be? You guessed it, they come to my farm. Having them move to my farm helps in many ways during deer season. Maybe they are residents on my farm already, but now I can keep them alive as my shooter bucks and even the up and coming bucks rarely have to leave my property to feed or breed. Sure, genetics play a big part in having quality deer but the number one challenge we have here in Michigan is getting them to the proper age to even become a mature animal. By putting the hard work in during those hot summer days when most are enjoying other things, you can find me in the woods and in the fields solidifying my hunting success for the upcoming fall.
In the picture above you see one of my larger plots. This is a brassica blend in the center with the plot barrier on the left and corn on the right. This particular plot is one of our most hunted plots for targeting our doe population. It’s important to keep our buck to doe ratios in check the best we can for a healthier and more productive breeding environment.
In closing, just remember that hard work always pays dividends but sometimes it can also make you have to pay out dividends in the way of a taxidermy bill. We have been planting food plots for over 20 years now, and I’m still learning every year. Don’t ever limit yourself to the “same old, same old” way of thinking. Think outside of the box. Think like your prey. Think how you can use your hard work in the off season to enhance your chances for success. I assure you from my own personal experience that by doing this, people will start saying to you “man it must be nice!” Get out there and start building your paradise for the fall. Use food plots to put them where and when you want them. I’m telling you, the next place you will be putting them is in your freezer and on your wall! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be glad to help out with any advice I can. Now, get to work out there and good luck this upcoming season!
-Adam
Co-host of “American Archer®”