Academy sports food plot seed: what to know before you buy

Last updated 2026-07-26

what is a food plot, exactly

A food plot is a planted patch, usually somewhere between a quarter acre and several acres, put in specifically to feed and hold deer or other wildlife on a property. It's not landscaping and it's not a lawn. The goal is either tonnage (lots of digestible forage to carry deer through a season) or attraction (something deer prefer over the surrounding woods, planted where you can hunt it). Most plots fall into one of two camps: annuals you replant every year (oats, brassicas, cereal grains, some clovers) or perennials that persist for two to five years with mowing and occasional fertilizer (red and white clover, alfalfa, chicory). The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and most state wildlife agencies treat food plots as a wildlife habitat management practice, not agriculture, though the soil science underneath is identical to farming a small field. ^[1] If you're new to this, the honest starting point is a soil test, not a bag of seed. Seed choice is the last decision, not the first one.

does academy sports actually sell good food plot seed

Academy Sports and Outdoors stocks food plot seed in its hunting departments, usually brands like Whitetail Institute, Biologic, and store-brand mixes, plus straight species like winter wheat, oats, and clover you'll also find at any farm store. The catalog changes by region and season, and not every store carries the same shelf. The honest answer: some of what's on that shelf is genuinely good seed (a straight Durana or Ladino white clover, for instance, is a solid perennial no matter who sells the bag). Some of it is an expensive blend where you're mostly paying for marketing and a bag of seed you could buy cheaper in bulk from a farm co-op or a dedicated food plot seed supplier. What matters more than the retailer is reading the tag. Every bag sold in the US has to carry a seed label showing species, percentage by weight, germination rate, and the year it was tested, because of state seed laws modeled on the Federal Seed Act. Check that the germination percentage is reasonably high (over 85% for most cool-season grasses and legumes is normal) and that the test date isn't more than a year or two old. A cheap bag with a fresh, high germination number often beats an expensive bag that's been sitting on a shelf for three seasons. ^[2] For a broader look at how blends stack up against straight species, see food plot seed and deer food plot seed.

what are deer's favorite food plot plants

There's no single universal favorite, deer preference shifts by region, season, and what else is available, but a few species show up again and again as high preference in university trials and forage quality data. White clover (Trifolium repens) and its improved varieties like Durana are consistently rated among the most preferred and most nutritious food plot legumes, running 25 to 30% crude protein in vegetative growth. Soybeans and cowpeas are heavily used in summer when deer need protein for antler growth and lactation. Brassicas (turnips, radishes, rape) become a preferred late-season food specifically because frost converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more palatable right when deer need calories most. Acorns, when available, usually beat anything you plant. Deer are opportunistic and will hit a bumper white oak acorn drop over almost any plot on the property. That's not a knock on food plots, it's just biology: plots are most valuable in the weeks before and after acorns are gone, and during stress periods (late winter, early spring green-up, post-rut recovery). ^[3]

do deer eat clover, and is it worth planting

Yes, and it's one of the better perennial choices available. Clover is heavily grazed spring through fall and, if it's a cold-hardy variety, will green back up the following spring for another season or two before you need to reseed. Extension forage trials at places like Mississippi State and the University of Tennessee routinely list white clover among the highest-preference, highest-protein food plot options for whitetail deer. ^[4] The catch with clover is that it needs decent soil fertility and a pH close to neutral (6.0 to 6.5 is the usual target) to really produce. Plant it on a low-pH, low-fertility site with no lime and no fertilizer, and you'll get a thin, disappointing stand no matter how good the seed bag was. This is where a soil test earns its keep: lime takes months to fully react with soil, so if your test says you need it, get it down as early as possible, ideally the season before you plant. Clover also doesn't like being smothered by weeds in its first year. Plan on at least one, sometimes two, mowings the first summer to keep weeds from choking out young clover seedlings.

do deer eat sorghum

Yes, deer will eat sorghum, both the leaves and the grain heads, but it's rarely the first choice on a food plot seed list and it's not typically what you want as your primary planting. Sorghum (grain sorghum or milo) is more commonly used as a dove field or upland bird planting, and as cover or a nurse crop mixed into taller plantings for deer, rather than a stand-alone deer attractant. Where sorghum earns a spot in a deer plot is as a screen or as standing cover through winter that also drops some grain. In warm-season blends it sometimes shows up alongside sunn hemp, cowpeas, and soybeans as a structural component, giving the plot height and biomass. If your goal is straight deer nutrition and attraction, put your money into soybeans, cowpeas, or a brassica/cereal grain blend before you reach for sorghum.

when to plant food plots for deer

Timing splits into two windows almost everywhere in the whitetail's range: a spring/summer planting for warm-season annuals and perennials, and a late summer/early fall planting for cool-season annuals and brassicas. Your specific dates depend on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone and your average first frost date, both of which you can look up by zip code through the USDA. As a rough national framework: - Warm-season plots (soybeans, cowpeas, clover establishment, sunflowers): after your last frost, typically April in the South, May into early June in the North.

• Cool-season plots (brassicas, oats, wheat, winter rye, cereal grain blends): 60 to 90 days before your first fall frost, so that's roughly late July through early August in the upper Midwest and Northeast, and August into early September across the mid-South and lower Midwest. The biggest planting mistake isn't picking the wrong species, it's planting cool-season stuff too late. Brassicas especially need real time to bulb and grow leaf mass before a hard frost. Planted too late, you get a thin, stunted plot that never bulks up. A soil test result and a rough planting calendar tell you 90% of what you need before you ever open a seed bag. If you want that mapped out for your specific property and zip code, that's the whole idea behind our $99 Custom Food Plot Plan, it takes your soil test and location and gives you a straight planting calendar and species list instead of a shelf full of options.

when to plant oats for deer

Oats are a cool-season cereal grain and go in during the late summer to early fall window, same as brassicas, generally 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost. In much of the whitetail's range that lands between mid-August and mid-September, a little earlier up north, a little later in the mid-South. Oats germinate fast (often visible in 5 to 7 days under decent moisture) and deer will hit young oat shoots hard, sometimes so hard on small plots that deer graze it down before it can establish a root system. If you're planting a small plot (under 2 acres) in an area with high deer density, consider a larger acreage or a blend that includes a less-preferred nurse crop like winter wheat or cereal rye to spread out grazing pressure while the oats establish. Oats will winterkill in the northern half of the country once temperatures drop into the single digits or below for sustained periods, so don't count on them as a spring green-up crop in Minnesota or Wisconsin the way you might in Tennessee or Georgia, where a mild winter can let oats limp through to spring.

when to plant turnips for deer

Turnips are a brassica and go in with your other cool-season plantings, roughly 90 days before your first expected frost. That's typically late July to early August in northern states and mid-August to early September through the mid-South. Turnips need that runway because the plant spends the first several weeks building leaf mass and a root bulb before frost sweetens it. Deer often ignore turnip leaves early in the season, when plenty of other browse is available, then switch hard to turnips (leaves and bulbs) after the first couple of frosts convert starches to sugars. That's by design, not a flaw: turnips are meant to be a late-season, post-frost food source, so don't panic if deer aren't hammering the plot in October. The payoff usually comes in November and December. One real limitation: turnips (like all brassicas) can develop clubroot and other disease issues if you plant brassicas in the same ground year after year. Extension agronomists generally recommend rotating brassica plots with a grass or legume every couple of years for exactly this reason.

do deer like honey (honeysuckle, honey locust, and other 'honey' confusion)

Deer don't eat honey itself, but this question usually means one of a few different plants that get lumped in with the word 'honey.' Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a heavily browsed vine in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, and deer will hit it hard, especially in winter when it stays semi-evergreen. Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) pods and leaves are also eaten by deer, and the sweet pulp inside the seed pods is genuinely attractive to whitetail in fall. If someone's asking because they saw a 'honey' branded attractant or mineral product, those are usually molasses-based supplements or mineral licks marketed with 'honey' in the name for the sweetness angle, not an actual food plot species. Worth noting: many states restrict or outright ban baiting and supplemental feeding for deer hunting purposes, and mineral/attractant rules vary a lot by state, so check your state wildlife agency's regulations before using any mineral, molasses, or attractant product near a stand. ^[5]

what should I actually buy at academy sports vs. order online

If you're standing in the aisle at Academy Sports with a soil test in your pocket, here's the practical way to think about it. Buy in-store when: you need seed today for a planting window that's closing, you want a straight species (clover, winter wheat, oats) rather than a proprietary blend, or the bag on the shelf has a recent germination test date and a fair price per pound. Order from a dedicated food plot seed company or farm co-op when: you're planting more than 2 to 3 acres (bulk seed from a co-op is almost always cheaper per acre), you want a specific proprietary variety not carried in-store, or you want a blend built around your soil test and region rather than a generic bag. The brand name on the bag matters less than three things: the germination rate and test date on the label, whether the species actually match your planting window (don't buy a spring blend in August), and whether the seed is inoculated if it's a legume like clover or soybeans (uninoculated legume seed establishes noticeably slower because it lacks the rhizobia bacteria that fix nitrogen at the root). Check the bag; reputable brands note inoculation status on the label.

how much does food plot seed cost per acre

White/red clover (straight)	6-8 lbs/acre	$30-60
Brassica blend (turnip/radish/rape)	4-6 lbs/acre	$25-50
Oats or winter wheat	90-110 lbs/acre	$25-45
Soybeans (forage type)	50-60 lbs/acre	$40-70
Proprietary branded blend	varies	$60-120	These are rough national ranges, not quotes, and they move with commodity seed prices year to year. The general pattern holds though: straight species from a farm co-op are usually cheaper per acre than a branded proprietary blend, sometimes by half or more. You're paying extra for convenience and pre-mixed ratios, which isn't necessarily a bad trade for a half-acre plot, but adds up fast on multiple acres.

Costs vary a lot by species and whether you're buying a branded blend or straight bulk seed. As a rough guide based on typical per-acre seeding rates and current farm and retail pricing: | Species/blend | Typical seeding rate | Rough cost per acre |

do I need a soil test before buying seed

Yes, and this is the step most people skip. A soil test tells you your existing pH and nutrient levels (usually phosphorus, potassium, and sometimes micronutrients), and every state land-grant extension office offers testing, typically for somewhere between $6 and $20 per sample depending on the state and the lab. ^[6] Most food plot species want a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Below that, phosphorus and other nutrients become less available to the plant no matter how much fertilizer you put down, because the chemistry locks them up. This is straight out of basic soil science, not a food plot-specific quirk. Clemson Cooperative Extension and most other land-grant programs explain it the same way: liming an acidic soil is often the single biggest yield improvement you can make before you touch fertilizer at all. Your soil test lab is the actual authority on how much lime and fertilizer your specific field needs. Anything in an article like this is general guidance; the numbers on your test report, from your specific field, override anything here.

what equipment do I actually need to plant a plot

You don't need a full tractor setup to plant a small food plot, but you need enough to break ground, get seed-to-soil contact, and pack it in. At minimum: something to kill or till existing vegetation (a sprayer with glyphosate, or a disc/tiller), a way to broadcast or drill seed (a hand-crank spreader works fine under an acre; a broadcast spreader on an ATV or UTV covers more ground faster), and a way to firm the seed into the soil (a cultipacker, a drag, or even driving over it with an ATV in a pinch). For small plots, a lot of hunters get away with a rented or borrowed disc harrow, a hand or ATV spreader, and a lot of patience. For plots over 3 to 5 acres, a tractor with a disc, drill, and cultipacker starts paying for itself in labor saved, either owned or through a local rental or a landowner cost-share arrangement, which some states offer through their wildlife agency.

Frequently asked questions

Does Academy Sports sell food plot seed year-round?

Selection is seasonal and varies by store. Cool-season blends (brassicas, oats, wheat) typically show up in late summer, warm-season blends (clover, soybeans) in spring. Call your local store or check their website inventory before making a trip, since not every location stocks the same products.

Is Whitetail Institute or Biologic seed sold at Academy Sports worth the price?

These are legitimate, well-tested brands, not gimmicks. Whether they're 'worth it' depends on your acreage: for a half-acre or acre plot, the convenience of a pre-mixed, well-formulated blend is a reasonable trade. For several acres, straight bulk seed from a farm co-op usually costs less per acre for similar results.

Do deer eat sorghum or is it just for birds?

Deer do eat sorghum leaves and grain, but it's mainly planted for dove fields and as cover/structure in mixed plots, not as a primary deer attractant. Soybeans, cowpeas, and brassicas deliver more deer nutrition and attraction per acre than straight sorghum.

Do deer like clover more than other food plot plants?

Clover ranks among the most preferred and most nutritious food plot species in university forage trials, often 25 to 30% crude protein in vegetative growth. It's not the only thing deer prefer, but as a perennial option it's one of the most reliably grazed choices across most of the whitetail range.

When is the best time to plant food plots for deer?

Warm-season plots go in after your last spring frost (April in the South, May to early June farther north). Cool-season plots, including brassicas and cereal grains, go in 60 to 90 days before your first fall frost, generally late July through early September depending on latitude.

When should I plant oats for a deer food plot?

Plant oats 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost, typically mid-August to mid-September across most of the whitetail range. Oats germinate quickly, often within a week, so time it so seedlings have a head start before deer pressure and cooling temperatures hit.

When do I plant turnips for deer season?

Turnips need roughly 90 days before your first fall frost, so late July to early September depending on your zone. They're a late-season food by design: deer often ignore the leaves early on and switch to eating bulbs and leaves heavily after the first hard frosts sweeten the plant.

What exactly counts as a food plot?

A food plot is any planted area, from a quarter acre to several acres, established specifically to provide forage or attraction for deer or other wildlife. It's managed like a small farm field: soil tested, limed and fertilized as needed, planted on a seasonal calendar, and often mowed or sprayed to control weeds.

What is the number one favorite food for deer?

There's no single universal favorite; it shifts by season and region. Acorns typically beat any planted food plot when available. Among planted options, white clover, soybeans, and frost-sweetened brassicas consistently rank as the highest-preference choices in extension forage research.

Do deer actually eat honey or honeysuckle?

Deer don't eat honey itself. They do heavily browse Japanese honeysuckle vines and will eat honey locust pods and leaves in fall. If you saw a 'honey' branded hunting product, it's likely a molasses-based mineral or attractant, and those are restricted or banned in some states, so check local regulations first.

How much seed do I need per acre for a food plot?

It depends entirely on species. Clover runs 6 to 8 pounds per acre, brassica blends 4 to 6 pounds, oats and wheat 90 to 110 pounds, and forage soybeans 50 to 60 pounds per acre. Always check the specific bag's recommended rate, since blends and varieties differ.

Can I just broadcast seed without tilling the ground first?

Small-seeded species like clover and brassicas can be broadcast onto disturbed, weed-suppressed soil (after spraying or light discing) with decent results, especially if you cultipack or drag afterward for seed-to-soil contact. Larger seeds like soybeans and cereal grains generally establish better with some tillage or a drill.

Do I need to check baiting or feeding laws before planting an attractant blend?

Yes. Standard food plots (planted, growing crops) are legal almost everywhere, but supplemental feeding, mineral licks, and bait piles have very different rules by state, and some states ban baiting for hunting entirely. Check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before using any mineral or feed product near a stand.

Sources

1. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wildlife Habitat Management: Food plots are classified as a wildlife habitat management practice
2. USDA Federal Seed Act overview: Seed labeling requirements including germination rate and test date are mandated under federal seed law
3. University of Tennessee Extension, Wildlife Food Plots: White clover is among the highest-preference, highest-protein food plot forages for whitetail deer
4. example state wildlife agency baiting regulation page: States vary widely on baiting and supplemental feeding regulations for deer hunting
5. Clemson Cooperative Extension, Soil Testing: Land-grant extension soil testing programs typically charge a modest per-sample fee
6. Clemson Cooperative Extension, Liming and Soil Acidity: Correcting soil pH through liming improves nutrient availability before fertilizer application matters