When whitetail deer are presented with favorable conditions that will provide them with sustenance and shelter, they will be inclined to visit the same area on a daily basis. If you created a food plot for whitetail deer last year that eventually became barren, offering more variety and increasing the size of the plot will aid in attracting deer and enticing them to come back repeatedly.

Crop Options

If your first attempt in creating a food plot was conducted to attract deer during an active hunting season, you may be wondering if the same herd will be coming back when your next plot is ready. Deer tend to leave an area when there is not ample food or water available. A food plot can be created in the fall and will help you attract deer back to your property.

Brassicas and grains can be planted late in the year. Germination is even possible under a light blanket of snow. A mix of perennial and annual ground covers or leafy plants that are hardy and zoned for the region that you live in can be planted late in the year or early in the spring.

Offering variety is the key to luring a large herd of deer to your property and ensuring that there will be enough food to feed them. Choose a mix of short and tall plant varieties. Research crops that do well in the climate you reside in. Use your previous plot success to guide you in choosing items that the deer will likely be attracted to. 

Plot Expansion

A lot more work is needed to expand your plot, but putting in the hours necessary for the upgrade could be beneficial. If you do not own land clearing and cultivation equipment, rent the machinery and tools that you need to cut down overgrowth and clear the ground. The plot expansion will support the growth of many different crop varieties.

Use markers to divide the land that you clear. If you have chosen to plant some crops that will not do well during the winter, start your seeds indoors. Allow the hardier plants to remain outdoors and transplant the seedlings that you have grown indoors, once the weather gets warmer.

Purchase some deer feeders and waterers, and set these up alongside the food plot. The feeders and waterers will provide supplementary food and water while crops are not ready for consumption and throughout dry spells.

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