Land management. What comes to mind when you think of land management? For me, this could be anything from mowing the grass to picking up sticks. In this case we are going to talk about managing your land to sustain a healthy, whitetail deer population.
I’m only going to touch on a few things today, but they are things that we can all do to help increase the number and health of our herd. The first thing we can all do, given a little time and labor, is create a food plot that will give the deer something to eat when the winter months come. There are many different crops to choose from when planting a food plot, but some easy ones are clover, soybeans, grain sorghum/milo, and wheat. I know this because I planted all of these on my farm, and it wasn’t much work at all. All of these crops can be broadcasted, meaning you don’t need a planter, and they provide a wide array of choices for the deer to pick from.
Along with choosing which crops you want to plant, equally important or more important, is site placement. Choosing a good site is critical in getting deer to come to your plot, and hopefully stay in the area. A good way to choose a site is to first use Google Maps to get an aerial view of your property. Pick a few different spots that you think would be ideal for the plot then go inspect those areas in person. Look for any signs of wildlife, such as trails, scrapes, rubs, droppings, or even the deer themselves! If there are deer in the area they will more than likely find and use your plot. Also, be sure to locate the nearest water source and bedding areas, such as CRP fields and timbers.
Once you have a spot picked out consult your local wildlife biologist to make sure everything you plan to do is within conservation guidelines. Oh and here’s a little tip – some conservation departments give away free seed each year to hunters who are looking to create food plots, so be sure to ask your biologist if there are any available.
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