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I have a question about deer bedding and food plot architecture

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dreambig@84

Member
I'm trying to figure out how to expand my food plots to maximum size by trying to figure out where I can remove trees without damaging valuable bedding habitat. Is there a method to this madness? Do deer typically avoid flat bedding areas? I've noticed through observation after snow fall that I typically find bedding sites all on the edge of a ridge. It's allways the last 5 feet or so right before the land slopes for elevation advantages. I have created bedding sites on property on flat ground away from these typical bedding sites and was wondering if these areas should be taken away to create more food? Just trying to find out how I can maximize my food plots and redesign the aritechture of my existing food plots
 
As a general rule, flatter areas are easier to farm. That’s why ridge fields (tops) and low flat fields (bottoms) create the best fields to plant.

Deer tend to bed on high(er) spots on flat land, and on points or hillsides in hill country. As you mentioned, always seems the top third of the point or “military crest” just off the top, on the leeward face. That way they can see beneath them, while smelling above them. Smart creatures when it comes to survival.

They also like to bed up against an object of some sort. Downed log, depression in bench, pond dams (very common place to see beds), etc.

Flatter land, still find small rises and benches. They also bed in our fields if left overgrown or a rye cover crop left to bolt, always near the highest point in the field.

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I'm in hillier country, so most bed more similar to this in our area:

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Lastly, always take into account your entry and exit plan when designing plots and hunting locations. Good luck!
 
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dreambig@84 said:
I'm trying to figure out how to expand my food plots to maximum size by trying to figure out where I can remove trees without damaging valuable bedding habitat. Is there a method to this madness? Do deer typically avoid flat bedding areas? I've noticed through observation after snow fall that I typically find bedding sites all on the edge of a ridge. It's allways the last 5 feet or so right before the land slopes for elevation advantages. I have created bedding sites on property on flat ground away from these typical bedding sites and was wondering if these areas should be taken away to create more food? Just trying to find out how I can maximize my food plots and redesign the aritechture of my existing food plots
Click to expand...
Do u have an aerial u can post where u zoom in close?
They eating all your food to where it’s gone or hit hard? I’d make bigger too in those cases. I also remove SOME trees as they do fry your food plots… moisture & fertility. I do like a few trees for scraping & break up in a plot though.
& agree with Bass above! Can create new bedding with chainsaws like crazy!!!!!!
 
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everything left of red line is mine and to the north and south towards road. Please give some assistance on where I can expand food. The green areas are not accurate size in proportion to my plots. I was just messing around but I have some food in those areas but it's smaller plots like 0.5 acres to 0.75 acres. Would like to make them each 1 acre
 
So how many acres total do you have? How many acres do you “want” as a food plot? How many acres can you afford as a sanctuary? I think you have a lot of different directions, but ultimately you are limited with acre size. My home farm is 16 acres- I’m trying to get a 4 acre piece that we only touch if we drag a deer out or shed hunt. Not ideal, makes it a pain but I know to have bigger, quality deer- they need to feel comfortable during daylight here.
One of my 30 acre farms we have 12 acres of switchgrass and grasses they bed in.
Guess I’m sort of saying every piece is different in general and to deep dive to truly give you insight we might need those few details (or at least me cause I’m a nerd like that)
 
I have 20 acres and want 5 acres in food but maybe that's too much. I want to maximize the size of my food plots now so I can start putting in permanent switch grass screening. Currently I have no switch and would like to add that diversity as well. I have set aside a couple acres as sanctuary on north side of propert where I can't hunt it easily so I leave it. I also have a food plot I don't hunt as well that I want to make bigger that could be also considered kinda a sanctuary plot. Go in there once a year to hunt. I'my surrounded by corn and bean fields on other neighboring pieces north east of me and south of me across the road. My biggest concern and why I might be overthinking this is because I don't want to damage valuable bedding where there might be that chance to hold a decent buck. Trying to find the balance of max food and max bedding and how to set that up correctly
 
newfarmer said:
So how many acres total do you have? How many acres do you “want” as a food plot? How many acres can you afford as a sanctuary? I think you have a lot of different directions, but ultimately you are limited with acre size. My home farm is 16 acres- I’m trying to get a 4 acre piece that we only touch if we drag a deer out or shed hunt. Not ideal, makes it a pain but I know to have bigger, quality deer- they need to feel comfortable during daylight here.
One of my 30 acre farms we have 12 acres of switchgrass and grasses they bed in.
Guess I’m sort of saying every piece is different in general and to deep dive to truly give you insight we might need those few details (or at least me cause I’m a nerd like that)
Click to expand...
There's a little sliver north of the creek that goes east and west that's my sanctuary and everything to the south of creek and to leftvof red line is mine
 
20230629_195524.jpg

Here is how I have it set up currently. Blue is sanctuary and red is property borders. Green is the location of current food plots but that not the current size they are.plots are currently smaller
 
What is typically planted in the larger fields to the east and west?

You're going to have a hard time planting and hunting at the bottom of a draw or hillside. (Top left plot and bottom plot - I'd remove).

Given the small acreage (20 total), I would personally only do a single plot as large as you can expand it to. The other thing that strikes me about most with these types of plans is -- By the time folks manage and walk to access every single single inch of their property, they end up driving the mature deer out.

I'd flip the plan, so most is sanctuary, and less you are walking all over.

My suggestion - Good luck!

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Takeaways:
- Give more of your property to deer as a haven (especially considering the dense population around you) - IE stay out of the interior of your property.
- Increase cover on hillsides that you are trying to plot.
- Expand singe large destination plot that is much easier to access.
 
When you say increase cover on hillsides I'm trying to plot, you mean just hinge trees on edges of plot and plant switch on edge? Also if I already have areas in plots you said to remove, should I just plant those areas in switch or let them grow fallow? What are your thoughts on putting in a trail like 20-30yds off edge of property for access and planting it in like a food plot trail or just travel cooridoor and then placing stands all on outside edges. Currently I have stands here. I will show u in next pic.
 
Bassattackr said:
What is typically planted in the larger fields to the east and west?

You're going to have a hard time planting and hunting at the bottom of a draw or hillside. (Top left plot and bottom plot - I'd remove).

Given the small acreage (20 total), I would personally only do a single plot as large as you can expand it to. The other thing that strikes me about most with these types of plans is -- By the time folks manage and walk to access every single single inch of their property, they end up driving the mature deer out.

I'd flip the plan, so most is sanctuary, and less you are walking all over.

My suggestion - Good luck!

View attachment 125422

Takeaways:
- Give more of your property to deer as a haven (especially considering the dense population around you) - IE stay out of the interior of your property.
- Increase cover on hillsides that you are trying to plot.
- Expand singe large destination plot that is much easier to access.
Click to expand...
Whats planted to east and west is just grass the neighbors mow
 
Bassattackr said:
What is typically planted in the larger fields to the east and west?

You're going to have a hard time planting and hunting at the bottom of a draw or hillside. (Top left plot and bottom plot - I'd remove).

Given the small acreage (20 total), I would personally only do a single plot as large as you can expand it to. The other thing that strikes me about most with these types of plans is -- By the time folks manage and walk to access every single single inch of their property, they end up driving the mature deer out.

I'd flip the plan, so most is sanctuary, and less you are walking all over.

My suggestion - Good luck!

View attachment 125422

Takeaways:
- Give more of your property to deer as a haven (especially considering the dense population around you) - IE stay out of the interior of your property.
- Increase cover on hillsides that you are trying to plot.
- Expand singe large destination plot that is much easier to access.
Click to expand...
 
@bassi forgot to mention. I put in the food plots you said to remove more as a sanctuary food plot. The only one i hunt over is the big one to the east. Not sure if that changes your answer any
 
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