Quality food plots are vital when it comes to keeping wildlife overwhelmed with high-quality forage throughout the year. We want all forms of wildlife that inhabit our farms to thrive, and in order to be sure we can reach that goal, we need to plant highly attractive and nutritious plants that fill in the gaps of forage production that Mother Nature and the surrounding landscape often produce. Late summer and winter are often two major stress periods for deer, particularly due to their harsh conditions, and that often leads to shortages of quality forage.

In the late summer, does are still nursing fawns and need all the nutrition that they can get to provide their young with lots of milk, allowing the next generation to become healthy adult deer. Bucks are finishing up their antler growth and starting to put on the weight required to make it through the large demands of the upcoming rut. If a manager doesn’t have quality food sources in place and native habitat hasn’t been managed well, late summer with its dry conditions can often lead to very little food being available for deer and other wildlife, leading to reduced antler and fawn growth.

Similarly, in the late winter before spring green-up comes, deer can be left with very little to eat naturally. Bucks are still trying to recover from the previous rut and fall hunting season and are beginning their antler growth cycle. Does are in the later stages of pregnancy, and both sexes are needing quality forage to keep their bodies and immune systems in top shape.

Providing high-end forage in the way of food plots is an excellent choice for a wildlife manager to reduce the stress of these extreme times and allow these animals to thrive. At PWM, we have all the tools and experience necessary to install and manage quality food plots. From the start of the planning process of where the food plot should go on the property to selecting the best soil types and soil testing. To bring in skid steers, excavators, and loaders to create the food plot in standing timber or clearing any debris to make it plantable. As well as tillage equipment to smooth the plot, spreaders to apply lime, sprayers to apply herbicide needed to kill unwanted vegetation, and no-till planters to plant the seed at the proper depth without the need to disturb soil.

We are also well-versed in regenerative agricultural practices and soil health, and regularly incorporate these principles in our food plot programs and plans. Our team has planted and managed well over 3000 acres of food plots in the past 10 years, and we've seen and overcome a lot of the common pitfalls that most food plots experience, whether it be food plots for doves, deer, quail, turkeys, duck impoundments, wildflowers, native habitat restoration, pasture renovations, erosion control, or anything in between, we can plant it. When you want your wildlife to thrive, not just survive, quality food plots are a must.