In any given year, spring/summer weather conditions—either drought or flood—can delay or in some way impact planting and seed germination. The conditions keep soybeans, corn, alfalfa and the like from producing throughout the growing season, and in turn deer do not pack on as much weight, or in the case of bucks grow their largest antlers. Each week that quality forage is not able to grow and mature (it’s either too dry or too wet) it reduces a deer’s ability to express its full genetic potential. The lack of ag crops can be buffered by quality native forage for deer. But then poor weather conditions can impact the growth and availability of forbs, woodland plants and other natural food sources. As [...]

Kip Adams, who works for the National Deer Association and who is a whitetail habitat expert, is a big believer in keeping food plots “covered” throughout the year. The best way to keep a plot covered is to have some plants growing in it for as many months as possible. As different varieties of plants grow in a plot, they hold the soil and help to continuously build organic matter. That is why cover cropping has become so big in commercial agriculture. Farmers used to harvest corn or soybeans, and then leave the soil open until the next planting season. Now they seed winter wheat, winter rye or brassicas onto those harvested row crop fields.” A good example in food plots for deer would [...]