Spring Food Plots for Deer: What to Plant & Why It Works

When winter ends, it's time to start prepping for the next deer hunting season. Plant your spring food plots for deer to ensure a healthy game population in the fall. These plots aren't just about attracting more deer, they help build a healthier, stronger herd long before fall rolls around. A well-planned spring plot gives bucks the fuel to grow big antlers and helps raise strong fawns. Plus, it keeps deer on your property instead of the neighbor's. This guide'll walk you through the best plants, smart planting tips, and long-term strategies to turn your land into the ultimate whitetail buffet.

Did you know the average deer consumes about 7 pounds of food daily? That's 2,555 pounds per year! Most biologists agree that a deer's diet should consist of 16 percent protein during spring and summer for optimal growth. Because they require such a high volume of food, deer often cannot obtain sufficient protein from native vegetation alone.

Maintaining a food plot is a smart strategy for hunters, as wild plants typically have protein levels below 16 percent. Food plots provide vital nutrients not readily available in natural forage. Bucks grow larger antlers, and do raise stronger, healthier fawns. The additional nutrition helps the entire herd gain the weight needed to survive a harsh winter.

Deer require seeds, fertilizer, and soil treatments to establish the optimal spring food plot. If your property is large enough, heavy machinery may also be necessary.

Clover, alfalfa, and chicory are cool-season legume perennials, plants that live for more than two years, making them excellent choices for your food plot mixes for deer. Clover is easily digestible for deer, produces around two to four tons per acre, and offers sufficient protein. Alfalfa is also high in protein and can last over five seasons with proper care. With its deep roots, Chicory thrives in acidic soils, resists drought, suppresses weeds, and can provide up to 30 percent protein in its leaves.

Chicory is especially beneficial during hot, dry summers, as it grows when clover goes dormant during the spring-to-summer transition.

Mixing triticale into your food plot helps manage weeds and withstand colder weather. Triticale, a hybrid of cereal rye and durum wheat, can be purchased alone or as part of a food plot seed mix. It's a late-maturing, high-protein plant with dark green leaves that attract deer. It also suppresses weed growth.

However, be cautious not to use too many companion crops, as they can crowd out your perennial legumes. When balanced properly, companion crops provide shade that protects perennials, allowing them to establish a strong root system. By late July, when summer peaks, triticale and similar grains will turn brown and become straw. At that point, mow them down to about six inches to allow legumes to thrive.

The beauty of planting spring deer food plots? Once you've done it right the first time, nature starts doing some of the work for you. Many cool-season perennials go dormant in winter but bounce back in spring, saving time, money, and effort on reseeding. This provides a crucial food source for your deer herd, especially after the nutritionally challenging winter months. To keep your herd thriving year-round, focus on a smart balance of protein for muscle and antler growth and carbohydrates for energy.

Want to get planting? Check out our step-by-step Food Plot Planting Guide and plant like a pro.