1. Establishment of Wildlife Food Plots
Mark Landefeld
OSU Extension Educator
Monroe County

2. Establishing Wildlife Food Plots
What are your goals?
Do you like working with the land?
Do you want to attract/see more wildlife?
Do you want to provide more food for wildlife?
Is your purpose to grow bigger antlers?
Other goals?

3. Questions You Should Answer
What specie of wildlife do you hope to attract?
What is the deer population per square mile in the area?
How much naturally occurring food is already available?
What kind and how many agricultural crops are currently grown?

4. Questions (cont’d) Do you expect to harvest wildlife from your plot?
Do you just want to view/photograph wildlife?
What equipment will it take to prepare, install and maintain the plot?
How long do you expect to maintain the plots?

5. Questions (cont’d)
How much work do you plan to do in future years to maintain the plot?
How much money are you willing to spend now? In the future?
When do you want the feed available?
Are your neighbors trying to eradicate the wildlife you are trying to attract?

6. Food Plot Size Factors to consider Deer density
More deer requires larger plots/more plots
2-5 acres to minimize plant injury
Less populated areas
Less than 2 acres may be sufficient
Hunting situations
¼ to ½ acre plots may be ideal
Sunlight is critical

7. Food Plot Size (cont’d)
Supplying food in late winter requires larger plots, 1 acre minimum usually
Management level
Intensely managed %
Or 7-10 acres/sq. mile
Average maintenance 5%
Or acres/sq. mile

8. Food Plot Shape Which is better? Create an “Edge”
Nice and square or long wavy and narrow
Hunting with a Bow, Gun or Camera
Create an “Edge”
Edges influence wildlife movement
Soft edge
Created by planting shrubs, vines or low story vegetation

9. Food Plot Shape Logging roads Remember, plants need sunlight
Maximizes “edge effect”
Remember, plants need sunlight
Cut tall trees back 50 feet
Manipulate tree tops near game trails

10. Habitat Stages 1= Bare ground, very little vegetation
2= Weedy fields with tall grasses
3= Brushy stage with low shrubs
4= Young woodland that is dense
5= Mature woods open undrestory

11. Correct Habitat Can’t hold wildlife without it! Wildlife all need:
Food
Water
Cover (habitat)
Provide all 3 together
Wildlife magnet

12. Habitat (cont’d) Human presence can reduce the effect of great habitat
Sanctuary may be needed (Whitetail)
Research indicates 25%
3-5 acre blocks minimum
Dense and thick is best

13. Sanctuaries Strategic placement if hunting Multiple sanctuaries
Account for prevailing wind
Entry ways to and from hunting spots
Multiple sanctuaries
Large sanctuaries if space is available

14. Encourage Natural Foods
Most often overlooked by most landowners
Raspberries, blackberries, multiflora rose, apples, crabapples, sumac, elderberries, honeysuckle, grape vines etc…
Releasing crop trees
Mast producing
Apple

15. Important Investment
What is the most important investment for holding deer on your property?
Chain saw and safety equipment!

16. Feed Consumption What will deer eat?
Primary foods-Those chosen when adequate supply exists
Secondary-Those chosen when most primary supplies are gone – regularly consumed
Lastly-Starvation/Filler foods – things eaten to keep from starving

17. Feed Consumption (cont’)
How much does a deer eat?
3-4% of their body weight per day on a dry matter (DM) basis
150 lb. x 0.04 = 6 lbs. of dry forage
6 lb. ÷ 30% DM = 20 lbs. standing forage
±2000 lbs. DM per year
6000 – 8000 lbs. standing forage/year

18. Feed Consumption (cont’d)
What protein level is needed for maximum production?
Cook and Gray, 2003 said 16% minimum for Bucks
Heavy lactating Does up to 24%
Does Palatability & Digestibility matter?
Quality deteriorates as plants mature
Clipping or bush-hogging may be necessary to maintain high quality

19. Questions?