Every year we wait expectantly through the winter season for the spring thaw and then the growing season to arrive, with eyes watching previous Ladino clover and Imperial brand forage blend plots as well as deer activity around long past dissolved nutrient blocks. The Ladino was hardy enough to last through drought in late summer and returned again several seasons thereafter. The blend did not appear to be a choice forage to the deer until it grew taller and lost its bitterness. This year my husband and I intend to make some food plot comparisons on a small acreage within yards of several well traversed deer trails. We have ordered a 5 lb bag of Imperial Extreme blend for use in planting a 1/4 acre section because it contains quality minerals and lacks the fillers or empty nutrient salts that attract deer, but do not nourish them well or promote antler growth. In the past we experimented with open areas that were sheltered by bordering trees and trail sown seed with some pleasant success in seeing deer and turkey feed upon these areas. This time we have located a primary trail under tall hardwoods where we found a large quantity of droppings by both turkey and deer surrounding the area involved in our preparations for this years hunting season.

One Saturday in January when the ground was still frozen and the temperature barely above 15 degrees we drove through Hickory County and did some winter sleuthing for wildlife in the vicinity of the log road and deer trails which met at a point on the far north west corner of the property where we intended to sow in deer attractant food plots. A short distance from where the roads merge we found a rub and much deer sign, this is the area we chose vantage points to hunt from both ground blinds and tree stands making mental notes of shooting lanes where we could produce a clear shot without having to remove much cover. Without removing any brush we left apple scented corn and mineral block and divided a 50 pound bag of corn in three primary locations before leaving the area undisturbed to see if indeed the deer would find these supplements and frequent the areas in question.

Upon our return three weeks later we found much more sign and the corn gone as we had expected, but to our surprise the block had disappeared also, and the earth was freshly turned around the place where we had left it. The promise of more visiting turkey and deer at our envisioned food plots was enough to put us to work preparing shooting lanes by clearing away small brush and stacking up small cut cedars and limbs for added cover on the ground. When the work was done we laid in a new supply of fresh feed where the previous had been, leaving reason for the deer to return and then set about burning fallen timber and brush for our camp fire that evening so that we could enjoy the warmth it brought to the crisp winter night. While sitting around the fire late that night deer could be heard whistling and as we listened they walked through the timber behind us, much too curious to wait until we left to explore the changes we made and eat from the fresh supply of corn.

A few days later on a return trip to the country my husband drove into the north east corner of the property startling seven large bodied deer from under the trees. In the next week our order of Imperial seed came in the mail and included in the package was a video and sample packets of seed blends, clover and Alfa-Rack to try out from the Whitetail Institute. The information provided with this product and the detailed instructions for planting these seeds are excellent and the manufacturer promises phenomenal results in following them. We will also plant another brand of food attractant Shot-Plot which will regrow devoured leaves once the deer have eaten them and has additional growth in the fall, we found this at our local MFA store. Now to wait patiently for the spring thaw.. Will it ever come?

An upcoming column will discuss planting and the growth of these products as well as the patterns of the wildlife as they continue through or avoid this small acreage in the summer and fall months leading up to the moment when I discover if a small acreage food plot can bring a successful harvest.