Strange question but would it be better to plant a small plot ( 1/4 acre ) next to a deer's water source ( in this case a small stream I could jump over) or away from the deer's water source ? My theory is that deer for the most part walk all over the woods but most likely only cross the stream at certain places. Finding these places would be fairly easy with the right amount of scouting. So would putting a small plot in one of these areas be beneficial ?
Can't have too many food sources is my motto. I don't know that there's any distinct advantage to it but I don't know of any disadvantages to it either. I like to have enough plots and water so deer aren't having to travel a long ways unless they just want to so in that sense, the two fit well together. Might suck if the creek floods a lot.
I would go for it. Only concern like he said would be if it floods out. check out this quick video, thought of it when you said a water source. (not me) Mini Max - YouTube
What is a good thing to plant near a creek? I am planning on doing a food plot on a property I hunt and the area I want to plant is next to a creek.
It has worked for us in the past 2 years. We used Heartland Wildlife Institute Rack Maker Plus (Chicory). It was a natural staging area with with a 25 acre stand of mature pines on one side on the other there is a 4 acre stand of mature hard woods butting up against the river with about a 1 acre crp field. With a small creek leading to the river. with a row of trees separating a large crp/cattail marsh. it ended up being about half acre plot in front of a stand location in a large oak tree. The piece of the property had increased in day time activity 10 fold with that plot. Every morning/night i would have the same group of 5 does and 4 fawns come through. We never had many mature buck encounters in the day light till the rut there but the nigh time activity was insane with large bucks they would often bed in the tall grass on the edge of the plot. They also would stay in or near the plot for an hour or so. I think that the water source, cover and food had made that a perfect spot for deer to stage for a while and then move into bedding or the large ag fields the next farm over to feed then come back to that spot spend a while there then move on. I think if you get the combination of food cover and water it is a combination to kill.
