Tecomate alfa-feast trophy mix: what's in it, when to plant

Last updated 2026-07-25

what is Tecomate Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix?

Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix is a branded food plot seed blend sold by Tecomate, a company that grows out of the Buck Manager / Whitetail Institute competitor space and focuses on southern and transition-zone deer ground. The core of the mix is alfalfa, usually a grazing-tolerant variety bred to handle repeated browsing better than hay-type alfalfa, blended with clover and often chicory or forage brassica depending on the bag year and region-specific formula. Alfalfa alone is a tough sell in a lot of whitetail plots because it doesn't tolerate heavy, continuous grazing pressure the way clover does, and it struggles in wet or acidic soil. Blending it with clover and chicory covers for that weakness: if the alfalfa thins out under pressure, the clover fills in the gaps. That's the whole logic behind most "trophy mix" blends from any brand, more than this one. Think of it as a perennial forage plot seed, not a single-species planting. It's built to persist two to four years with good management, similar to how Whitetail Institute's Alfa-Rack Plus or Pure Trophy Clover work. If you want the general category explainer before getting brand-specific, see food plot seed for how these blends are typically built.

do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer eat grain sorghum (milo), both the leaves as browse when young and the grain heads later in the season, though it's usually treated as a secondary or filler crop rather than a primary attractant. Sorghum shows up more often in dove field mixes and as a drought-tolerant grain crop than in dedicated deer plots, because deer generally prefer easier-to-digest legumes and brassicas when they're available. University of Tennessee Extension and other land-grant programs list grain sorghum among the summer annual options for wildlife plots, mainly valued for its drought tolerance and its use as a standing grain source into fall ^[1]. If your plot mix includes sorghum, it's likely there to add structure and a grain component for whitetail and turkey both, not because it's the top forage choice on its own.

do deer like clover, and why is it in this blend?

Yes, clover is one of the most consistently preferred forages for whitetail deer across nearly every region of the country, and it's the backbone ingredient in almost every perennial trophy blend, including Alfa-Feast. Clover offers 20 to 25 percent crude protein in good growing conditions, according to forage testing summarized by Mississippi State University Extension, and it regrows quickly after grazing, which is exactly what a heavily hunted food plot needs ^[2]. In a mix like Alfa-Feast, clover (often a mix of white ladino and sometimes red clover) acts as the durability backstop for the alfalfa. Alfalfa has a higher protein ceiling in ideal conditions, but it can't take the grazing pressure clover shrugs off. Pairing them gives you higher peak nutrition from the alfalfa where soil and pressure allow it, and reliable coverage from clover everywhere else. For a broader look at clover-specific plot builds and varieties, deer food plot seed covers the category in more depth.

what soil and pH does the mix need?

Alfalfa is the most soil-picky component in this blend, and it drives the requirements for the whole planting. Alfalfa wants a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0, according to Penn State Extension guidance on alfalfa establishment, and it performs poorly below pH 6.0 because acidic soil locks up the nutrients it needs and encourages root rot organisms. Clover is more forgiving, tolerating pH down to about 6.0, but you're planting for the alfalfa's ceiling here, not the clover's floor. Drainage matters just as much as pH. Alfalfa has a deep taproot and does not tolerate standing water or heavy clay that stays saturated. If your plot holds water for more than a day or two after a hard rain, alfalfa will thin out fast regardless of what the pH reads. That's a soil structure problem lime can't fix. Your soil test is the only reliable guide here, not a bag label. A university or state ag lab test will give you lime recommendations in tons per acre and specific N-P-K numbers based on your actual soil, and that's the number you should follow over any generic bag instructions. Treat your lab's report as the final word on lime and fertilizer rates; this article can tell you what the plant needs in general terms, but it can't replace a site-specific test.

when to plant food plots for deer, generally?

Timing depends entirely on whether you're planting a perennial (like this alfalfa/clover blend), a cool-season annual, or a warm-season annual, and on your USDA plant hardiness zone. As a broad rule, perennial clover and alfalfa blends go in either early spring (March to May in northern zones) or late summer to early fall (August to September in the South and transition zone), timed so the plant establishes before either summer heat or hard frost hits. The reason for the split timing is germination temperature and competition from weeds. Spring plantings in the North take advantage of long growing seasons before winter. Late-summer plantings in the South dodge the worst heat and let the plot establish through a milder fall with less weed pressure than a spring planting would face. Most extension planting guides tie exact dates to your local frost dates rather than a calendar date, because a frost date in Wisconsin and one in Georgia can be two months apart. Check your state extension's frost date tool or the USDA hardiness zone map before locking in a date.

when should you plant Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix specifically?

Because Alfa-Feast is alfalfa and clover based, it follows perennial forage timing, not the late-summer annual window brassicas use. In the South and lower Midwest (roughly zones 7 to 9), late August through October is the safer window, giving the alfalfa time to establish a root system before winter dormancy without fighting summer heat stress. In the upper Midwest and North (zones 3 to 6), spring planting from mid-April through May is usually more reliable, since fall frost can hit before a late-summer planting establishes. Alfalfa seed is small and needs shallow planting, generally 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, and firm seed-to-soil contact from a cultipacker or drag, similar to clover. Planting too deep is the single most common failure mode with any small-seeded legume mix, according to agronomy guidance from Iowa State University Extension on alfalfa establishment ^[3]. If you're not sure which window fits your specific property and zone, a Custom Food Plot Plan for $99 will lay out exact planting windows, seed rates, and a fertility plan based on your location and soil test, which beats guessing off a bag label built for a five-state region.

when to plant oats for deer?

Oats are a fall annual, planted 6 to 8 weeks before your area's first hard frost so they can establish enough leaf growth before cold weather slows them down. In most whitetail country that lands somewhere between late August (northern states) and early October (southern states). Oats are one of the most cold-hardy cereal grains for deer plots, and deer often prefer them early in the fall when the leaves are tender, before switching preference to brassicas once frost sweetens the greens. Oats aren't in Alfa-Feast's typical formula, but they're commonly planted alongside or as a nurse crop with fall clover and alfalfa seedings, because the oats germinate fast and give quick green-up and some weed suppression while the slower legumes establish underneath. If you go this route, keep the oat seeding rate light (around 1 bushel/acre or less as a cover crop rate) so it doesn't shade out the clover and alfalfa seedlings.

when to plant turnips for deer?

Turnips and other brassicas go in mid-summer to late summer, typically 80 to 100 days before your first expected hard frost, since brassicas need that full window to bulb up and reach peak tonnage. In the North that's often late July to early August; in the South it stretches into September. Turnips aren't part of the Alfa-Feast blend, which is a perennial legume mix, not an annual brassica. If you want a fall brassica component to complement a perennial clover/alfalfa plot, most hunters plant it as a separate plot or a separate section, since turnips and brassicas generally want a fresh, tilled seedbed each year and don't cooperate well interseeded into an established perennial stand. Purdue Extension and other land-grant programs note that brassica forage quality (and deer preference) improves markedly after the first hard frost converts starches to sugars, which is why late-season brassica plots often see the heaviest deer use in November and December rather than September ^[4].

what is a food plot, exactly?

A food plot is a planted area, usually somewhere between a quarter acre and several acres, established specifically to provide forage for deer or other wildlife rather than for human harvest or livestock grazing. Food plots serve two general purposes: attraction (drawing deer to a spot for hunting visibility) and nutrition (supplementing natural browse to support body weight, antler growth, and fawn-rearing through stress periods). State wildlife agencies generally treat planted food plots differently from bait piles or feeders under game law, since a plot is a standing crop rather than a concentrated pile of feed, but the legal distinction varies by state and matters a lot if you hunt over or near one. Some states regulate hunting over a food plot no differently than any agricultural field; others have specific rules about how recently it was planted, disced, or how it's laid out relative to a stand. Always check your state wildlife agency's regulations directly before assuming a plot is legal to hunt over in your state; a few states classify certain plot configurations as bait if the vegetation is knocked down or piled ^[5].

what are deer's favorite foods?

Deer preference shifts by season and availability, but across most of the whitetail's range, acorns, soybeans, clover, and standing corn consistently rank as top preferred foods where studies have measured selection. Acorns in particular are a preferred fall food because of their high fat content, which matters more to deer heading into winter than protein does. Auburn University and Mississippi State research on deer diets consistently show soybeans and clover ranking above most brassicas and grasses in preference trials when all are available side by side ^[2]. That said, "favorite" is conditional. A deer herd with abundant acorns in October often ignores a clover plot entirely until the acorns run out, then hits the plot hard in November and December. This is why a lot of experienced plotters run multiple plot types instead of one, so something is always attractive regardless of what the woods are doing that particular fall. For more on choosing among plot species, deer food plots breaks down the tradeoffs by category.

do deer like honey?

This question usually comes from confusion with "honey hole" hunting slang rather than deer actually eating honey, but there is a real answer: deer do occasionally investigate or lick at honeycomb and honey residue, mostly for the sugar and moisture, and they'll also chew on beehive-damaged wood. It's not a meaningful food source and nobody plants honey or feeds it as forage. If you're seeing deer around a beehive or old comb, they're likely after the sugar content the same way they'll lick a salt block or mineral site, not treating it as a diet staple. There's no extension or wildlife agency literature treating honey as a deer food plot input, because it isn't one; this is a curiosity question, not a plot-planning one.

how does Alfa-Feast compare to a straight clover or brassica plot?

Alfalfa/clover blend (Alfa-Feast type)	2-4 years	Spring through fall	6.5-7.0	Moderate to high (clover carries load)
Straight ladino clover	3-5 years	Spring through fall	6.0-6.5	High
Brassica/turnip annual	1 season	Late fall/winter	6.0-6.5	Low (single-use, replant yearly)
Cereal grain (oats/wheat)	1 season	Early fall	6.0-7.0	Moderate	A perennial alfalfa/clover blend gives you the longest single planting before you need to till and reseed, and it delivers protein through spring green-up and summer, which matters for antler growth and lactating does, something a fall-only brassica plot can't touch. The tradeoff is upfront soil demands: alfalfa punishes wet or acidic ground harder than clover or brassicas do, so it's not the right call on marginal soil. If your soil test comes back with a pH under 6.0 and you're not willing to lime up to 6.5+, skip the alfalfa-heavy blends and go straight clover or brassica instead. You'll save money and frustration.

Here's how the general categories stack up on the things that actually matter when you're picking a plot type. | Plot type | Lifespan | Peak season | Soil pH need | Grazing tolerance |

seed rate, mowing, and upkeep for an alfalfa/clover blend

Most alfalfa/clover blend labels call for 15 to 20 lbs/acre broadcast, or lower if drilled, since drilling gives better seed-to-soil contact and needs less seed to hit the same stand density. Follow the bag's specific rate over any generic number, since blends vary by ratio of alfalfa to clover to filler species. Mowing matters more with alfalfa-based plots than with pure clover. Mow to 6 to 8 inches whenever the stand hits 12 to 15 inches or starts to flower, which resets it to vegetative growth (the stage deer actually want to eat) and knocks back weed competition. Skipping mowing lets the alfalfa go reproductive, get woody at the stem, and lose palatability, plus it invites weed seed to mature and spread. Expect to top-dress with potassium most years, since alfalfa is a heavy potassium user and will pull it down fast in a productive stand; your soil test after year one or two will tell you if you're running short. A general starting point many extension programs cite for established alfalfa maintenance is 0-0-60 or similar potash-heavy blends applied per soil test recommendation rather than a flat guess.

where does Alfa-Feast fit in a whole-property plot plan?

Treat a blend like this as your spring-and-summer anchor plot, not your only plot. It carries deer through the stress of antler growth and fawn-rearing in the warm months when clover and alfalfa are at their protein peak, but it won't do much for you during the late rut or post-rut when energy, not protein, is what a deer needs most. Pair it with a fall annual, brassicas or a cereal grain plot, planted in a separate field or section, so you've got early-season and mid-summer draw from the Alfa-Feast plot and a late-season energy source from the brassica or grain plot. Running one plot type property-wide is the most common mistake in food plot planning, and it's an easy one to fix with basic sequencing. If you want a plan matched to your acreage, soil test, and region instead of piecing it together from bag labels and forum posts, a Custom Food Plot Plan runs $99 one time and gives you species selection, seeding dates, and fertility guidance built around your actual property rather than a national-average guess.

Frequently asked questions

do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, though it's usually a secondary crop. Deer browse young sorghum leaves and eat the grain heads later in the season. Extension wildlife plot guides list it mainly for drought tolerance and as a grain source alongside dove and turkey benefits, not as a top-preference deer forage on its own.

do deer like clover?

Yes, clover ranks among the most consistently preferred whitetail forages nationwide. It runs 20 to 25 percent crude protein under good growing conditions per Mississippi State Extension forage data, and it regrows quickly after grazing, which makes it the backbone of most perennial food plot blends, including alfalfa-clover mixes.

when to plant food plots for deer?

It depends on plot type and zone. Perennial clover/alfalfa plots go in spring (April-May, northern zones) or late summer/early fall (August-September, southern zones). Fall annuals like brassicas and oats are planted 60-100 days before your area's first hard frost. Check your local frost date before locking a calendar date.

when to plant turnips for deer?

Plant turnips 80 to 100 days before your area's first expected hard frost, since they need that window to bulb up. That's typically late July to early August in northern zones and into September in the South. Turnip forage quality improves after a hard frost converts starches to sugar.

what is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, typically a quarter acre to several acres, established to provide forage for deer or other wildlife rather than for human harvest. Plots serve either an attraction role (drawing deer for hunting) or a nutrition role (supplementing natural browse), and often both at once.

what are deer's favorite foods?

Acorns, soybeans, clover, and standing corn consistently rank highest in deer food preference research, largely because acorns offer high fat content deer need before winter, and soybeans and clover offer high protein. Preference shifts seasonally, though; deer often ignore plots when acorns are dropping heavily.

do deer like honey?

Deer will occasionally investigate honeycomb or lick honey residue for the sugar and moisture, similar to how they use a mineral site, but honey isn't a real forage source and isn't something anyone plants or feeds for deer. This is not a food plot planning consideration.

when to plant oats for deer?

Plant oats 6 to 8 weeks before your area's first hard frost, generally late August in northern states through early October in southern states. Oats are cold-hardy and give fast fall green-up, often used as a nurse crop planted alongside slower-establishing clover or alfalfa seedings.

what's actually in Tecomate Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix?

It's built around grazing-tolerant alfalfa varieties blended with clover, and depending on the bag formula, sometimes chicory. The alfalfa provides high peak protein; the clover backs it up under heavy grazing pressure since alfalfa alone doesn't tolerate constant browsing as well as clover does.

what soil pH does Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix need?

Aim for a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, which is what the alfalfa component needs per Penn State Extension guidance. Clover tolerates lower pH, but the blend is built around alfalfa's requirements, so treat 6.5+ as your target and follow your soil test's lime recommendation to get there.

how long does an alfalfa-clover food plot last?

Expect 2 to 4 productive years from a well-managed alfalfa-clover blend before you need to till and reseed, longer if you mow regularly, maintain fertility per soil test, and avoid waterlogged ground. Clover alone often persists 3 to 5 years under similar management.

is Alfa-Feast Trophy Mix good for a small food plot?

It works fine on small plots as long as the soil drains well and pH is at or near 6.5. On tight, wet, or acidic small plots, a straight clover blend is usually a safer, lower-maintenance choice since it tolerates more soil variation than alfalfa-heavy mixes do.

Sources

1. University of Tennessee Extension, wildlife food plot planting guide: Grain sorghum is listed among summer annual wildlife plot options valued for drought tolerance.
2. Mississippi State University Extension, forage quality and deer nutrition: Clover forage quality and deer dietary preference for clover and soybeans over other forages.
3. Iowa State University Extension, alfalfa seeding guidelines: Small-seeded legumes like alfalfa should be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep for reliable establishment.
4. Purdue University Extension, forage brassicas for deer: Brassica forage quality and deer preference improve after a hard frost converts starches to sugars.
5. Congressional Research Service / state wildlife agency baiting regulation summaries: Baiting and feeding regulations vary by state and can affect how hunting near food plots is classified.