Deer food mix guide: what to plant and when it works

Last updated 2026-07-25

what is a food plot, exactly

A food plot is a planted patch of forage, usually somewhere between a quarter acre and a few acres, put in the ground specifically to feed deer and other wildlife. It's not a garden and it's not a lawn. Most hunters plant food plots on private or leased ground to supplement natural browse, hold deer through hunting season, and improve nutrition during stress periods like late winter or antler growth in summer. The term covers a lot of ground. Some plots are single-species, like a pure clover stand. Others are mixes, blending a legume (clover, alfalta), a brassica (turnips, radishes), and a cereal grain (oats, wheat, rye) in the same bag. The idea behind a mix is simple: different plants mature and get palatable at different times, so a blend keeps something attractive in the field longer than any single species would. State wildlife agencies generally treat food plots as a habitat management practice, distinct from baiting, though the line matters legally. Baiting usually means piling loose grain or minerals to attract deer for shooting; food plots are planted, rooted vegetation. Rules on baiting vary a lot by state, and some states restrict or ban it entirely, so it's worth checking your state wildlife agency's regulations before you assume a plot (or a bag of corn next to one) is legal ^[1]. If you want a plan built around your specific soil test, region, and acreage, that's exactly what PlotSeason's Custom Food Plot Plan does for a one-time $99. Your soil test lab is still the authority on lime and fertilizer rates. A plan gives you species selection, seeding rates, and timing tuned to your situation instead of guessing off a bag label.

what are deer's favorite foods, really

Deer are opportunistic browsers, and their favorite foods shift by season and by what's available. In spring and summer, they lean on forbs, young browse, and soft mast. In fall, acorns and other hard mast often outcompete anything you plant, when a good mast year hits. In late fall and winter, deer key in on high-carbohydrate and high-sugar foods to build fat reserves. Among planted forages, clover consistently ranks near the top of what deer will hit hardest and longest, because it's palatable, high in protein (often 25-30% crude protein in a well-fertilized stand), and available for months rather than weeks. Brassicas like turnips and radishes get more attractive after a hard frost, when cold converts starches to sugars, making the greens and bulbs sweeter. Cereal grains like oats and winter wheat are hit hard in early fall when they're tender, and again in late winter as a fallback source. Acorns, when available, usually beat all of it. That's not a knock on food plots, it's just biology. Extension research on white-tailed deer diets consistently shows mast and browse make up the bulk of natural diet by volume, with agricultural and planted forages filling seasonal gaps rather than replacing natural food entirely ^[2].

do deer like clover, and why does it work so well

Yes, deer like clover, and it's one of the most reliable food plot plantings there is. Clover (white clover, red clover, or ladino types) is a perennial legume that regrows after grazing, fixes its own nitrogen, and stays palatable from spring through fall in most regions. The protein content is the real draw. Extension forage testing on white clover commonly shows crude protein in the mid-20s to low-30s percent range when the stand is well managed, which is well above most native browse. That matters most in late spring and summer, when does are lactating and bucks are growing antlers, both high-protein-demand periods. Clover's downside is establishment. It needs decent soil fertility, a pH usually in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, and it can get choked out by weeds or grass if you don't manage it. A soil test is the starting point, not a suggestion, because lime takes months to adjust pH and clover planted into acidic soil (below 5.5 or so) will struggle no matter how good the seed is ^[3]. Your soil test lab's recommendation on lime and fertilizer rate is the actual authority here; a general guide can only tell you the target range. A well-maintained clover plot can last three to five years before it needs to be renovated or reseeded, which makes it one of the better dollar-per-acre investments in a plot rotation. Compare that to annual brassica or grain plots that need replanting every single year.

do deer eat sorghum

Yes, deer will eat sorghum, both the leaves and the grain heads, though it's rarely anyone's first-choice plot species. Grain sorghum (milo) is more commonly planted as a dove field crop or a drought-tolerant grain option in hot, dry regions than as a dedicated deer plot. Deer tend to browse sorghum foliage during the growing season and will hit the grain heads once they mature and dry down, especially in late fall and winter when other food is scarce. It's drought-tolerant and works in soils and climates where corn struggles, which is part of why some Southern and Plains-region land managers include it in a mix, often alongside soybeans or cowpeas as a warm-season blend. The catch: sorghum isn't as consistently preferred as clover, brassicas, or soybeans, and deer pressure on it varies a lot by region and by what else is on the landscape. If you've got a lot of row-crop corn or soybeans nearby, sorghum in your plot might get ignored until late season. It's a fine supporting player in a warm-season mix, but I wouldn't build a whole plot strategy around it unless you're in a hot, dry area where better options genuinely won't grow.

do deer like honey (and does it belong in a food plot mix)

Deer don't seek out honey as a natural food source, and it's not something you'd plant or use in a food plot mix. Deer are herbivores; honey comes from bees, not plants, and it has no real role in deer nutrition or attraction. There's a persistent idea in some hunting circles that sweet scents or sugar-based attractants (including honey-based sprays) pull deer in. Deer do respond to sugar content in food, which is part of why frost-sweetened brassicas and turnips get hit hard in late fall. But that's about the plant's own sugar conversion, not an external honey product. If you're looking at commercial deer attractant sprays or scents marketed with honey or molasses, treat those as a separate category from food plot planning, and check your state's baiting regulations before using any attractant near a hunting site, since many states regulate scent-based attractants the same way they regulate feed ^[1]. Bottom line: skip the honey question for plot planning purposes. It's not a forage crop and it's not going to substitute for a properly planted clover, brassica, or grain plot.

when to plant food plots for deer

Northern (MN, WI, MI, upper New England)	Mid-May to early June	Late July to mid-August
Mid-South / Transition (KY, TN, VA, MO)	Late April to late May	Mid-August to mid-September
Deep South (AL, GA, MS, FL, LA)	Mid-April to mid-May	Early September to early October	These windows are starting points, not gospel. Local microclimate, elevation, and an unusually wet or dry year can shift things by two to three weeks either direction.

Timing splits into two seasons: spring/summer plantings for warm-season forage and perennials, and late-summer plantings for fall/winter annual plots. Get this wrong and you'll either plant into a killing frost or watch weeds outcompete your seedlings in summer heat. Spring plots (clover, soybeans, cowpeas, chicory) generally go in after the last frost date and once soil temps hit the mid-50s Fahrenheit or warmer, which in most of the whitetail range falls somewhere between mid-April and early June depending on latitude. Perennial clover especially benefits from a spring planting because it has a full growing season to establish a root system before winter. Fall plots (brassicas, cereal grains, some clover overseeding) go in from late July through September in most of the country, timed so the plants have 45 to 90 days of growing season before a hard frost, depending on species. Extension planting guides for the Midwest and Southeast generally recommend brassicas 60 to 90 days before the first expected fall frost, and cereal grains like oats and wheat 6 to 10 weeks before frost ^[4]. Here's a rough framework by region (always double check against your local extension office's frost dates, since regional variation is real): | Region | Spring plot window | Fall plot window |

when to plant oats for deer

Plant oats for deer 6 to 10 weeks before your area's first expected fall frost date, which lands most fall oat plantings somewhere between mid-August and mid-September across the whitetail range. Oats germinate fast, often within 7 to 10 days in warm soil, and they're one of the most reliably grazed cereal grains once they green up. Oats are cold-tolerant but not as hardy as winter wheat or cereal rye. A hard freeze in the mid-teens Fahrenheit will usually kill oats outright, which is actually fine for a lot of hunters because it means the plant stays soft and palatable right up until it dies, rather than going dormant and woody. That makes oats a strong early-to-mid season draw, particularly in a mix with brassicas that take over as the primary attraction once temperatures drop hard. Spring oat plantings are less common for deer plots specifically, since spring oats mature and set seed heads relatively fast in warm weather, reducing their window of tender-leaf palatability. Most land managers treat oats as a fall annual, not a spring one, for that reason. Seeding rate for oats broadcast alone typically runs 100 to 130 pounds per acre according to standard agronomic guidance, though rates in a blended mix are lower since you're splitting the seeding rate across species.

when to plant turnips for deer (and other brassicas)

Plant turnips for deer 60 to 90 days before your first expected fall frost, which puts most turnip planting windows in the July 15 to September 1 range depending on your latitude. Turnips need that lead time to build both leaf mass and a bulb, and the bulb is actually the part deer often ignore until well after frost. Here's the mechanism worth understanding: turnips, radishes, and other brassicas store starches in their leaves and bulbs during the growing season. A hard frost triggers the plant to convert those starches into simple sugars as a natural antifreeze response, which is exactly why deer suddenly start hammering a turnip plot in late November or December that they mostly ignored in October. If you plant too late and a killing frost hits before the plant has built up mass, you get small, sugar-poor plants that don't draw much attention. A lot of hunters get frustrated the first year they plant turnips because deer barely touch them through October. That's normal. The frost-sweetening effect is the whole point, and plots planted specifically as a late-season draw are doing their real work in December and January, not opening week of archery season. Brassica seeding rates are small compared to grains, generally 3 to 6 pounds per acre for turnips alone, because the seed is tiny and a little goes a long way. In a mix with oats or clover, turnip rates typically drop to 1 to 3 pounds per acre.

building a mix: what actually goes together well

A good deer food mix pairs species with different strengths so something is palatable at every point in the season, more than at planting. The most common productive combination is a cereal grain (for fast establishment and early palatability), a brassica (for late-season sugar draw), and sometimes a legume (for season-long protein). Oats + turnips + a little clover is a workhorse fall mix across most of the whitetail range. The oats germinate fast and get grazed early, the turnips build mass through fall and get sweet after frost, and the clover, if it survives, carries into the following spring as a perennial bonus. Winter wheat or cereal rye can substitute for oats where you want more cold tolerance, since rye in particular will stay green through brutal winters that kill oats outright. Warm-season mixes work differently. Soybeans, cowpeas, and sometimes grain sorghum go together well in a summer plot, giving high protein through the antler-growing months. These need more acreage and more deer pressure tolerance than fall annuals, because deer will hammer young soybean plants hard enough to wipe out a small plot before it ever produces a bean pod. Extension guidance on soybean food plots generally recommends larger plots (2+ acres) or exclusion cages for smaller plantings specifically because of this browsing pressure problem ^[5]. One mistake I see constantly: buying a bag labeled 'deer mix' without checking the actual species ratio on the tag. Some bargain mixes are mostly cheap filler grasses with a token amount of clover or brassica seed. Read the tag. It has to list percentage by weight of each species, and that tells you what you're actually planting, not what the marketing copy implies.

soil, fertility, and why the mix matters less than the ground

No mix, however well chosen, overcomes bad soil. A soil test is the single highest-return step in food plot planning, and it costs far less than a season of seed and fuel wasted on a plot that never establishes. Most land-grant extension soil testing programs cost somewhere between $10 and $20 per sample and come back with a specific lime and fertilizer recommendation based on your target crop ^[3]. That recommendation, from your own soil test lab, is the actual authority on how much lime and fertilizer to apply, not a generic online guide. pH matters more than most first-time plotters expect: clover and most brassicas want pH in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, and applying lime to correct pH can take three to six months to fully react in the soil, which is why fall plot lime should ideally go down the previous spring if you can manage it ^[3]. Nitrogen needs vary sharply by species. Legumes like clover fix their own nitrogen once inoculated and established, so they need relatively little added N. Brassicas and cereal grains are heavy nitrogen feeders and will look pale and stunted without it. A mixed planting complicates fertilizer math for exactly this reason, since you're trying to satisfy a legume that wants less nitrogen and a brassica or grain that wants more, in the same field, at the same time.

food plot vs supplemental feeding: what's actually legal and different

A planted food plot and a pile of corn or a mineral station are treated very differently under most state wildlife regulations, even though both put food on the landscape for deer. Understanding that difference matters more than most first-time plotters realize. Food plots are rooted, planted vegetation, and virtually every state allows them without restriction as a habitat practice. Baiting or supplemental feeding, meaning placing loose grain, minerals, salt, or processed feed to attract deer, is regulated very differently state by state. Some states allow baiting for hunting outright, some allow feeding but ban hunting over bait, and some ban both feeding and baiting entirely, often due to concerns about disease transmission like chronic wasting disease spreading through concentrated feeding sites. Wisconsin, for example, has specific baiting and feeding bans tied to CWD-affected counties, administered through its state wildlife agency ^[1]. Other states, like Texas, generally allow baiting for hunting under state law. This is genuinely a check-your-own-state situation; don't assume a rule from a hunting forum applies to your county. Your state wildlife agency's regulations page is the source to check before you plant anything near a stand or place any supplemental feed.

a simple seasonal mix-selection framework

If you're staring at seed catalog options and don't know where to start, work backward from what job you want the plot to do. For an early-season archery draw, oats or a fast-establishing cereal grain mix planted in August gives you tender, palatable growth by September in most regions. For a late-season, post-rut draw, prioritize brassicas like turnips and radishes, planted with enough lead time (60 to 90 days before frost) to build mass before the sugar conversion kicks in. For season-long nutrition that supports antler growth and lactation rather than just hunting-season attraction, perennial clover is the workhorse, planted in spring and maintained for several years. Most experienced plotters end up running more than one plot type on a property, precisely because no single mix covers every month of the year. A perennial clover field for summer nutrition, plus a fall annual mix of oats, brassicas, and a cereal grain for hunting season, covers most of the calendar with two relatively low-maintenance plantings. If you want help translating your soil test results and acreage into an actual seed order and calendar rather than piecing it together from forum threads, that's the specific problem PlotSeason's Custom Food Plot Plan is built to solve, for a flat $99, one time. It's guidance based on your inputs, not a substitute for your soil test lab's specific lime and fertilizer recommendation.

Frequently asked questions

Do deer eat sorghum in a food plot setting?

Yes. Deer browse sorghum foliage during the growing season and eat the grain heads once mature, especially in late fall and winter. It's more common as a drought-tolerant warm-season option in hot, dry regions than a primary deer plot species, and it's usually less preferred than clover, soybeans, or brassicas where those grow well.

Do deer like clover more than other food plot options?

Clover ranks among the most consistently preferred food plot plantings because of its high protein (often 25-30% crude protein) and long season of palatability, from spring through fall. It's a perennial, so a well-managed stand can last three to five years, making it one of the better long-term investments in a plot rotation.

When should I plant food plots for deer?

Split by season: spring plots (clover, soybeans, cowpeas) go in after last frost, generally mid-April to early June depending on latitude. Fall plots (brassicas, cereal grains) go in late July through September, timed 45 to 90 days before your area's first expected fall frost. Check your local extension office's frost date for precise timing.

When is the best time to plant oats for deer?

Plant oats 6 to 10 weeks before your area's first fall frost, typically mid-August to mid-September across most of the whitetail range. Oats germinate in about 7 to 10 days and are usually killed by hard freezes in the mid-teens Fahrenheit, which keeps them tender and palatable right up until they die back.

When should turnips be planted for a deer food plot?

Plant turnips 60 to 90 days before the first expected fall frost, generally mid-July through early September depending on region. That lead time lets the plant build leaf mass and bulb size before frost triggers the starch-to-sugar conversion that makes turnips suddenly attractive to deer in late fall and winter.

What exactly is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually a quarter acre to a few acres, seeded with forage specifically to feed deer and other wildlife. It supplements natural browse and mast, and is legally and practically distinct from baiting, which involves piling loose feed rather than planting rooted vegetation.

What are deer's favorite foods overall?

Acorns and other hard mast usually top the list when available, since deer prioritize high-energy natural food. Among planted forages, clover, soybeans, and frost-sweetened brassicas like turnips rank highest for palatability and consistency. Preference shifts seasonally: high protein forages matter most in spring/summer, high-sugar and high-carb foods matter most in late fall and winter.

Do deer like honey or honey-based attractants?

No, honey isn't a natural deer food and doesn't belong in food plot planning. Deer are herbivores and don't seek out honey. Some commercial attractant sprays use honey or molasses for scent appeal, but that's a separate product category from planted forage, and it doesn't substitute for an actual food plot mix.

What's the difference between a food plot and baiting deer?

A food plot is planted, rooted vegetation, generally allowed everywhere as a habitat practice. Baiting means placing loose grain, minerals, or processed feed to attract deer, and rules vary sharply by state, from fully legal to fully banned, often due to chronic wasting disease concerns. Always check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before feeding or baiting.

How much does a soil test cost before planting a food plot mix?

Most land-grant extension soil testing programs charge roughly $10 to $20 per sample, and the results include a specific lime and fertilizer recommendation for your target crop. That's a small cost relative to a season of wasted seed and fertilizer if pH or nutrient levels are wrong for the species you're planting.

Can I plant clover, oats, and turnips together in one mix?

Yes, and it's one of the most common productive fall combinations. Oats establish fast and get grazed early, turnips build mass and sweeten after frost for a late-season draw, and clover, if it survives into the following year, carries as a perennial bonus. Just check the seed tag for actual species percentages, more than the marketing label.

Why won't deer touch my turnip plot until December?

That's normal, not a failure. Turnips store starches through the growing season, and a hard frost converts those starches to sugar as a natural antifreeze response, which is what makes the plant suddenly attractive. Plots planted as a late-season draw are doing their real work after multiple frosts, not in October.

Sources

1. State wildlife agency baiting and feeding regulation pages vary by state: Baiting and feeding regulations for deer vary significantly by state and are regulated by state wildlife agencies
2. Mississippi State University Extension, White-tailed Deer Nutrition and Food Habits: Natural mast and browse make up the bulk of whitetail deer diet by volume, with agricultural forages filling seasonal gaps
3. University of Missouri Extension, Soil Testing for Lawns, Gardens and Food Plots: Soil test cost, target pH range for clover and brassicas, and lime reaction time before planting
4. University of Tennessee Extension, Establishing Wildlife Food Plots: Recommended planting windows for fall brassicas and cereal grains relative to first frost date
5. University of Georgia Extension, Soybeans as a Wildlife Food Plot: Soybean food plots need larger acreage or exclusion cages due to heavy browsing pressure on young plants