What Is Deer Food Plot Seed?

Deer food plots are plots of land that complement the animals’ natural food sources. Seed blends designed for these plots typically consist of crops bringing deer to the site, such as forage peas, cereals, and purple-top turnips or radishes.

A typical deer’s diet consists of grasses, acorns, and vegetation. And while a healthy deer will consume various foods like this, natural vegetation does not always provide everything these animals need. 

 

 

That’s why the right deer food plots provide nutritious forage to feed deer during the hunting season. With a concentrated food source in a known area, the deer will remain nearby, making it easier for the deer hunter to encounter game.

But these plots also become an essential source of deer food during the off-season. With the winter season looming and temperatures cooling down, deer food plots help ensure that the deer population is steady and that the existing deer are adequately fed. 

Come the actual hunting season, hunters will know where to look and expect a healthy number of deer. At the end of the day, food plots benefit both the hunter and the deer. 

 

Choosing the Right Seed for Deer Hunting Plots 

While there are many factors to consider before establishing a deer plot, one tops them all: Selecting the right high-quality seed for your deer plot. It doesn’t matter if you are new to plotting or want to revive it just in time for the hunting season — the right seed will bring deer to the area. 

Deer prefer to graze upon two prominent conifers: Northern white cedar and eastern white pine. Other well-known hardwood trees, such as sugar and red maples and oaks, attract deer herds too. And, when available, eastern hemlock and yellow birch also make the cut. 

 

 

While a deer herd might have set preferences for certain tree species and plants — think purple-top turnips, daikon radishes, winter peas, and rye grain — they also tend to avoid certain poisonous plants, such as daffodils and poppies.

Typically, deer start browsing their preferred trees first. If the area has a dense deer population, the preferred plants will experience over-grazing. As a result, other plants not to the deer’s liking will start growing and taking over the area.

That’s why choosing the right crops is key to enticing a deer herd.

Nature’s Seed recommends planting seeds that will yield a continuous “deer buffet.” With a foliage-rich deer food plot, you can get more exposure to the deer wandering on your land. You can also use food plots to encourage the deer herd to come closer to the travel corridors and wooded areas. 

For instance, Nature’s Seed big game plot mixtures offer high-quality seed blends that you can easily plant to attract more deer. We have a wide selection of seeds designed to cater to your region and plot needs, from forest regeneration to keep the soil wet for longer grazing periods.

What’s Inside Nature’s Seed Big Game Food Plot Seed Mixes?

Big game good plots are great for deer hunters trying to make the best of the hunting season.

They offer a variety of food sources, including grains, legumes, brassicas, and forbs, which account for the bulk of the typical deer’s diet — in fact, about 85% of their overall diet is made up of beans, browse, forbs, and mast. With the appropriate big game food plants, you can draw in deer, elk, and other wildlife, promote healthy herds, and enjoy a more active hunting season. 

Let’s break down the ins and outs of our big game food plot seed mixes.

Mast

Mast is the dried fruit that grows on trees and woody shrubs, such as acorns, nuts, apples, and samaras. But deer prefer acorns above all else.

Browse

Browse is the tips, leaves, and buds of the woody plants. Deer prefer different types of oak trees, mistletoe, and elms. These browse plants become especially important during the late winter when food is difficult to find. 

Forbs

Forbs are herb-type plants that are not grass but a flower, which is crucial to the deer diet. Deer tend to prefer perennial forbs, such as primroses, winecup, and green and rain lilies.

Other Essential Ingredients

Big game food plots can come with a mix of legumes, like alfalfa and forage soybeans, grains, like oats and sorghum, forbs, including white and crimson clover, and brassicas, which include turnips, radishes, and kale.

 

Best Deer Flood Plots Seeds for Deer Herds in Each Region

An effective strategy using deer food plots requires a premium-quality seed mixture. But that’s not enough: It’s also essential to ensure that the soil test showcases a pH level of at least 6.0 to provide the best planting results.

And to draw deer in, you also need to consider where you are located to ensure optimal planting results. Here’s a list of the best food plot for deer seed in the U.S. based on the central geographical regions.

New England

If you live in New England, you should try the Great Lakes/New England or the Mid-West/Mid-Atlantic food plot blends. These blends include cereal grains, legumes, and forbs that deer in the crisp New England region enjoy.

Additionally, the forage variety helps deer herds have the food they need to stay healthy year-round. For our blend, we recommend planting the seeds by the end of July until early August to ensure a healthy food plot. 

Midwest

We have a specially crafted Mid-West/Mid-Atlantic deer food plot mix if you live in the Midwest. This super blend contains the popular cereal grains, legumes, forbs, and brassica. 

Since deer like diversity in their day-to-day diet, our carefully-curated seed mix offers plenty of variety — deer will enjoy the oats, white clover, forage chicory, and other nutritious plants.

Florida

Living in a warmer region requires a seed mix that withstands the sun and higher temperatures. For this purpose, we have developed our Florida Tropics, which powers through the tropical Florida climate while it stays green for a long grazing period.

Similarly to our other specialty seed choices, this one consists primarily of popular cereal grains and legumes like grain sorghum, alfalfa, and Austrian peas.

Southwest

The seed blend you choose determines what time of the year you should plant your designated deer food plot seed.

In the Southwest region, you should start in early spring to give your food plot the best chance of success. This way, the feeding ground will not require mowing since deer and other wildlife will come and feed on the plants. 

And to ensure deer can’t resist your food plots, we offer several varieties for the Southwest, starting with the Pacific Southwest and continuing with the Southwest Desert, the Southwest Transitional, and the Southwest Semi-Arid Steppe. 

Each of the specially-curated mixes for this region has varying blends of some of the following: sorghum, common wheat, white and crimson clover, forage chicory, and radish – all known to make up the deer and other big game wildlife diet in this region. 

The South 

Planting the right seed in any of the southern states is equally important. For the deer food plot to stay green and continue offering food, it needs to have the proper mix of plants. 

Our blends provide region-specific deer food plot seed: The Southern Subtropics and the South-Atlantic Transitional mixes.

Our deer food plot seed mix consists of grains, legumes, forbs, and brassicas deer love, including clover, forage radish, oats, and alfalfa. Planting our seed mix provides your deer food plot with year-long sustainable forage that keeps your herds healthy.

 

Find the Right Food Plot Seed to Attract a Deer Herd

Since deer are grazers and love a variety of food (much like people!), deer plots allow you to provide a variety of new food sources to entice and lure in big game. But to benefit the most from your planting and hunting efforts, you need to find the highest quality seed to provide forage to the herd.  

Finding the best one to suit your needs can be challenging, especially with so many options available. But with decades of expertise and consistently high customer ratings from all over the U.S., Nature’s Seed can help you today.

We offer a variety of deer food plot seed mixes to cater to your planting requirements and region. That way, you will not only attract more deer, but they will feel invited to stay on your land. Check out our premium-quality deer food seed blends and enjoy a healthy herd for the entire hunting season.