We all know the most popular food plots in America include clover, corn, soybeans and brassicas. While that might be the norm there’s a growing trend among hunters of including fruit and nut trees to their arsenal. Here’s some tips for using fruit and nut trees to attract deer to your hunting property.
The Candy Bar Approach
If you are considering planting fruit or nut trees on your property, Grant Woods, host of GrowingDeerTV suggests you look around and make sure you plant trees that will attract deer and not just blend in with what is currently in your area. He calls it the Candy Bar approach.
In a sea of crops and food plots, a fruit tree or nut tree can become the candy bar to the deer in your part of the country.
Give Deer a Variety of Food
When growing food plots, Woods likes to give deer something to eat all the time. He plants his plots so something is always growing and providing food. Trees can be grown the same way.
Trees Require Work
Some people believe planting trees is going to require less work than a traditional food plot. According to Woods, that is not the case.
Woods explained. Adding trees that give deer and other wildlife another food source to your property is a good thing. Realize that trees are a longterm investment.
Put a Tree or Two in a Food Plot
Some land owners like having clover food plots and tree plots. They keep the two separate. Woods, on the other hand, puts the two together.
Property Size Doesn’t Matter
If you don’t have a large piece of property where you can plant acres of food plots, Bob Wallace from Chestnut Hill Tree Farm in Florida believes tree plots might be the perfect thing for you because trees can grow food in a small area and give you variety.
Provide Spring, Summer and Fall Attractants
Wallace believes one of the greatest things about trees is there are enough varieties available that people can grow trees that bear fruit in early spring, summer, early fall and through the end of the rut and into winter. By planting all kinds of trees, the deer will always be nearby.
The Chestnut Tree Advantage
If you only have the money, time or acreage to plant a few trees each year and you don’t have many nut producing trees in your part of the country, Wallace suggests getting a few apple trees and chestnut trees.
According to Wallace, another reason to go with a chestnut tree instead of an oak tree is because most oak trees take decades before they produce many acorns. The Dustan Chestnut starts producing nuts in three to five years.
Whether you choose to plant apple trees, chestnut trees or oak trees, one thing is certain: every land manager and land owner should be planting trees. Taking the candy bar approach can draw deer onto a piece of property and keep them there when nothing else will.
Buying Trees for Food Plots
You can find a nursery near you that probably sells quality trees. Dustan Chestnut Trees can be found at Wal-Mart and a variety of other places around the country. Dr. Grant Woods works with Flatwood Natives. They grow a variety of fruit and nut tree species that make great tree plots.
