Vet Judy

1. Crops:  Some crops that deer seem to love are soybeans, clover, alfalfa, rye, corn and oats. Standing corn is used for both food and shelter. This is the category that food plot plants fall into. For more plant information please feel free to check out our free resources at www.diydeerfoodplots.com/

2. Forbs: These are herbaceous plants (other than grasses) generally seen growing out in open areas.  Deer eat these and hide in them too.

3. Shrubs: Known as bushes. The deer also eat these and use for cover.

4. Trees:

Mast-bearing hardwoods: Oak, beech, hickory, chestnut are the ones that deer prefer.

White oak group is preferred over red due to more bitter taste of the red. White group examples are post oak, white oak, chinquapin, and chestnut oak. These trees generally produce acorns every year.

Red oak examples are red oak, black oak, pin oak, willow oak, and water oak. Most of these bear mast every two years.

Beech trees seem to be inconsistent with mast production but deer do love these.

Fruit-bearing hardwoods: Apple, pears, cherry, persimmons( all time favorite), and plum trees are the most common. The deer eat the fruit and the leaves. Deer hunters love these trees, especially whenthey are ripening at hunting time. Other wild fruit loved by deer include: wild grapes, scuppermongs, muscadines, mulberries, and sumac, osage orange fruit,maypops,paw-paws and honey locust.

General Hard Woods: Maple, birch,ashes, elms, and gum trees are notable here and provide cover and food depending on conditions and area.

Soft Woods: Pine, spruce, cedar, hemlock, firs and junipers also important for food and cover pending conditions.

As part of your food plot location strategy you may consider the fruit and mast bearing trees are excellent drawing features in deer habitat.