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Creating Mother Nature’s Food Plot by Dr. Chris Moorman
Deer Dispersal by Dr. Jonathan Shaw
Food Plot Facts by Kip Adams
Successful Quality Deer Management by Mark Connor
Drought Proof Your Food Plots by Ryan Foster
Antlers From The Ground Up by Gabriel Karns and M. Colter Chitwood
Deer of a Different Color by Christopher S. DePerno, Gabriel Karns and M. Colter Chitwood
All About Antler Development by M. Colter Chitwood, Garbiel Karns, Christopher S. DePerno
Latest Deer Research by Brian Murphy
Crossbows in Suburbia? by Dr. Richard A. Lancia
Buying The Farm by Team Realtree
Single-Best Deer Food? by Team Realtree
Best Food For Antlers? by Team Realtree
Velvet in January? by Team Realtree
Round-Up and Trees by Team Realtree
Special thanks to:
Quality Deer
Management Association
Reader Questions
Buying The Farm
Question: I live in lower East Tennesee and I have been hunting a farm for 30 years now. I've taken three nice bucks off the land and alot of does along with a number of spikes and 4-pointers.
The problem in the past has been someelse owned the farm and cows have been on it. My dad and I have now purchased the 106-acre farm. We won't have cattle on the land. A road borders the farm on two sides with hardwoods on another and clear-cut Bow Water pines on another.
The farm does have small patches of hardwoods and pines along with three ponds but it's mostly open acreage with several small hills a lot of fencerows. What can I plant to hold more deer on the property? How many food plots can the property support? There is a state wildlife refuge less than five miles away and I would love to draw some of those deer to my farm.
Answer: Congratulations on buying the farm. I'm sure you and your Dad will enjoy having complete control of the management program. Regarding food plots, research shows you can have a measurable improvement in body weights, etc. with 1% of an area planted in high-quality food plots.
I suggest you try to plant 3 to 5% of the area. That guards against poor weather, insects and other problems and helps ensure you get at least 1% in high-quality food. With all of the open space I would also plant some native warm season grasses (NWSG).
NWSG provide tremendous cover for fawns and adults, they are quick to establish, and they'll definitely help you draw and hold deer. Finally, I would pass those spikes and 4-pointers as they're likely yearling bucks. Research shows a yearling's first set of antlers tells little about what he'll have a couple of years down the road.
Other research shows some bucks that start as spikes have far larger antlers at maturity than other yearlings with four, six and even eight points. Age and nutrition are the keys to antler growth that you can manage for. So, by providing good cover and food, and passing young bucks, you and your Dad are on your way to a successful and rewarding management program. Good luck!
Lindsay Thomas