Land Management - Balance is Key

The two most stressful times for deer, in terms of feeding, are in the summer and winter months.  In a perfect world, spring would provide deer with leftover grain and an early green-up of winter wheat.  As times goes by the deer would shift to eating more high protein foods such as clover.  During the hot summer months your herd would begin to feed on soybeans, and then switch over to sorghum seed in the early fall.  Finally, in the harsh winter conditions, the deer would hammer any corn left standing.  This, however, would be very difficult and time consuming for the average hunter.  A good solution would be to plant a one and a half acre plot (about the size of a football field) with clover on one half and corn on the other half.  This combination would provide food for all seasons (clover in the spring and summer and corn in the fall and winter).  Even though it would be a small plot, it is a step in the right direction because even the slightest effort can pan out, resulting in a healthier deer population.