Every hunting season, many of us grapple with the same questions: Where are the deer? Why aren’t they on our property? Often, the conversation circles back to habitat management and, more specifically, the potential benefits of Summer Food plots. The idea is enticing – could strategically planted summer food sources be the key to attracting and sustaining a healthy deer population right where we want them?
Planting summer food plots is a concept frequently discussed in hunting circles and wildlife management publications. Images of impressive bucks grazing in lush green fields during the summer months fuel the dream of holding deer on our land, boosting their nutrition, and ultimately seeing the results during hunting season. But is it truly that simple? And is it a worthwhile endeavor for every property owner, especially those with smaller acreage?
To get to the bottom of the summer food plot debate, we consulted with Dr. Bronson Strickland, a leading expert in deer biology and habitat management. Dr. Strickland is the St. John Family Endowed Professor of Wildlife Management at Mississippi State University and cohost of the Deer University Podcast. His insights provide a grounded, research-backed perspective on whether summer food plots are a valuable tool for deer management. If you’re considering planting summer plots, here’s what Dr. Strickland advises.
Soil Prep: Laying the Groundwork
Before you rush out to buy seed, Dr. Strickland emphasizes a crucial point: food plots are just one piece of the habitat improvement puzzle. They aren’t a magic fix for low deer numbers or small antlers. “We want people to know they have several options,” he explains. “They don’t have to just rely solely on food plots. There are often other habitat management practices that can be even more beneficial.”
However, Dr. Strickland acknowledges that summer food plots can be incredibly valuable, particularly in areas lacking in natural forage or agricultural land. He points out that their importance varies geographically.
“Summer food plots are likely more critical in the Southeast compared to the Midwest,” he notes. “It really comes down to the landscape and available food sources. Midwestern deer thrive in the heart of agricultural country, which isn’t always the case in the Southeast. It’s less about latitude and more about the readily available, nutrient-rich food.”
Alt text: A white-tailed deer buck in velvet feeding in a lush summer food plot, illustrating the appeal of these plots for deer nutrition during antler growth season.
The Vital Role of Summer Food
It’s important to understand that “summer food” for deer encompasses more than just planted food plots. Natural forage, including native plants and browse, plays a significant role. Dr. Strickland, with his extensive experience observing well-managed deer properties, highlights that the most successful habitats integrate both timber management and agricultural practices like food plots. It’s not an either/or situation; ideally, you should aim for both.
One effective way to encourage natural herbaceous growth is through timber management. Opening up the forest canopy by removing trees allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, stimulating the growth of nutritious native plants that deer love. This is especially beneficial in early summer when these natural forage options are at their peak nutritional value. However, as summer progresses, the nutritional content of many plants declines as they mature and go to seed. This is where late-summer food plots become particularly valuable.
“By late summer, as plants mature and nutritional value decreases, it creates a ‘nutritional bottleneck’ for deer,” Dr. Strickland explains. “This is a period when deer, especially does in late stages of pregnancy or early lactation and bucks developing antlers, have high nutritional demands, but natural food sources become less nutritious. At this point, either late-season controlled burns to stimulate new growth or planting a summer food source can be highly beneficial.”
He further clarifies that while naturally occurring plants can be just as nutritious as planted crops, the key difference lies in availability and concentration. Native forage is often dispersed across the landscape, while food plots concentrate high-quality nutrition in a specific area, making it readily accessible to deer when they need it most.
Summer Food Plots on Smaller Properties: Worth the Effort?
Many landowners manage smaller parcels, ranging from 10 to 100 acres. The question arises: can summer food plots make a difference on these smaller properties? Dr. Strickland explains that while summer food plots on smaller acreage might not impact the overall local deer population significantly, they can certainly benefit the deer utilizing that specific property.
“A large landowner, managing 500 acres or more, can definitely influence the local deer population through consistent habitat and food plot management,” he states. “But on a 50-acre property, food plot management alone won’t shift the needle for the broader population. You will absolutely be providing resources for the deer that frequent your land.”
So, if you consistently observe specific bucks on your property during the summer months, as evidenced by trail camera photos, establishing a summer food plot could be a worthwhile strategy to improve their nutritional intake and potentially contribute to their development.
Alt text: A trail camera photograph capturing a white-tailed deer in its summer coat, emphasizing the importance of summer scouting and potential benefits of summer food plots in attracting deer to specific locations.
Antler Growth and Summer Food Plots: The Connection
A common marketing message in the hunting industry promotes summer food plots as a direct path to growing bigger bucks with larger antlers. Advertisements often feature images of bucks in velvet grazing in lush food plots, implying a strong link between summer nutrition and antler size. But is this connection always guaranteed?
Dr. Strickland clarifies that the impact of summer food plots on antler growth is situational. He references a study from Mississippi State University Extension, which demonstrated that deer with previously limited access to high-quality nutrition showed significant increases in antler size (10-20%) when their diet improved. However, this effect was primarily observed in deer that were nutritionally limited to begin with. Deer already living in areas with abundant agriculture or high-quality natural forage showed minimal to no antler growth response to supplemental food plots.
In essence, if your hunting property is located in an area with limited high-quality deer food sources, planting a summer food plot can indeed contribute to improved antler growth potential. Conversely, if deer in your area already have access to ample nutrition, focusing on other habitat improvements might be a more effective use of resources.
Do Summer Food Plots “Hold” Deer?
The question of whether summer food plots can “hold” deer on a property is complex. Dr. Strickland offers a nuanced “yes and no” answer, emphasizing the importance of understanding deer movement patterns.
Referencing a study on buck movement, Dr. Strickland and his colleagues discovered diverse movement behaviors among bucks. Approximately one-third of the collared bucks exhibited “mobile” personalities, maintaining two distinct home ranges, with one even crossing the Mississippi River. The remaining two-thirds were classified as “sedentary,” with home ranges averaging around 1500 acres. Intriguingly, even these sedentary bucks with access to excellent agriculture and natural browse didn’t have movement patterns directly correlated with food availability. Dr. Strickland concludes that while food plots can certainly influence where a deer spends time within its home range, they are unlikely to drastically alter a deer’s overall home range.
He stresses that for hunters, particularly those on smaller properties, focusing on providing quality cover is often more critical than solely concentrating on summer food plots. Deer home ranges and food preferences can shift significantly by the time hunting season arrives in the fall.
“Summer food is undoubtedly important for deer, but when hunting season approaches, I’d prioritize having a significant portion of my property dedicated to quality bedding cover,” Dr. Strickland advises. “Supplement this with natural browse and perhaps a food plot or two.”
Therefore, if your primary goal is to “hold” deer on your property, creating and maintaining excellent bedding cover is likely to be a more impactful strategy in the long run than relying solely on summer food plots. Summer plots can provide nutritional benefits during the warmer months, but they won’t be the primary factor determining deer presence during hunting season.
Final Verdict: Is a Summer Food Plot Right for You?
Ultimately, deciding whether to plant summer food plots requires evaluating your specific hunting property and management goals. If your land is already situated in an area rich in agriculture and diverse, high-quality deer forage, your resources might be better allocated to other habitat improvements. However, if your hunting location resembles a “big woods” environment with less readily available nutrition, a summer food plot can offer significant benefits over time. It’s crucial to maintain realistic expectations and understand that summer food plots are one tool among many in effective deer habitat management.
Dr. Strickland adds a practical tip for those who decide to plant summer plots: they often require more diligent management than fall or winter plots. He strongly recommends conducting a soil test to determine the specific nutrient needs of your plot, ensuring optimal growth and maximizing the benefits for your deer herd. By understanding the science behind summer food plots and tailoring your approach to your specific property and goals, you can make informed decisions that contribute to a healthier and more robust deer population.
