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Wildlife Food Plot
Establishing a variety of plants that furnish food for wildlife.
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How it works
Food plots may be established either within an existing crop field or in a separate location.
You may simply leave four rows of corn or other crops standing after harvest to provide food
for wildlife over the winter. Or you may plant a small plot elsewhere. These plots help
wildlife through the winter when food supplies are in short supply.
How it helps
 Standing crops with unharvested grain give food to wildlife that may
otherwise not be accessible after heavy snows or ice.
A food plot helps maintain wildlife on your farm by providing food.
Planning ahead
Will the crop you plan to plant or leave standing in the field attract the
wildlife you want?
Is there adequate cover and water near the food plot to support wildlife?
Are you endangering wildlife by placing the food plot too close to high
traffic areas?
Tech notes
Planting dates range from March 1 to June 15 depending on the crop. *
Food plots should be planted on the least erosive areas of the selected
field.
Plots on slopes steeper than 5% should be planted on the contour.
A plot can be planted on the same area each year as long as soil loss
does not exceed acceptable limits.
Accepted crops include: corn, sorghum, oats, barley, wheat, sunflower,
buckwheat, millet, partridge pea and soybeans. *
Soybeans and sunflowers can not be used in Conservation Reserve
Program food plots. *
Reduced till or no-till planting in encouraged.
Maintenance
Exclude livestock
Don't control weeds with herbicides unless noxious weeds persist. If
herbicides are needed, spot spray. Avoid using herbicides that would
endanger adjacent seedings.
* Criteria may need to be adjusted for local conditions.
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