Spring Food Plots!

Thinking about skipping out on the hassle of filling protein feeders all summer and planting some spring/summer food plots. In ya'll experience whats has worked best for ya'll? best protein yield and herd retention? i was thinkin about doing 2 1.5 acre's of soybeans on my 80 acre place.

How many deer will use the 3 acres? What area of the state? Livestock on property?

ill do both but only because iv noticed twice as many deer start using the area with the protein feeder in now.. or more regular the area I would say. Deer that I would just catch a glimps of though the off season show up 5xs as much mainly because I can watch them at one spot.

And im limited to only about 3acres to plant on my 40acres. Usually I have to replant a few times with beans and peas since they will eat it to nothing right when it sprouts... been putting clover, corn, sunflower, millet in to help but the sorghums are only useful when they are young.. then just an eye sore if they make it

Except black eyed peas.. they don't like them.. I don't blame them either

i've counted as many as 26 at a corn feeder at 1 time.. planting in Oklahoma around Coalgate. no Livestock or hogs.

26 or more deer will wipe out a food plot that size before it gets any chance. IMO you will need 8+ acres of food plots for that many deer. With than many deer and those size plots you will never see a bean crop.

X's 2

Xs 3 and I would say you would need 15 + acres to do much good with that many deer you are seeing because how many more are there that you don't see?

Add me to the list of those that say 3 acres aren't nearly enough. I finally had a good looking plot this year, thanks to some timely rain, only to find it mowed down by the second week of gun season. We're in the Panhandle but not on a creek or river bottom so I'd estimate we have @ 1 deer per 50 acres. I didn't see 26 different deer over the course of the entire season. My plot was slightly less than an acre and was WW, WR and Oats. I think it would take at least 10 acres on our place and that's with much lower deer density than you have. At this point, I'm strongly considering going back to corn only. Cheaper, less time consuming and at least my quail will be happy that way even if I never see any deer at the feeders.

Do food plots if you like doing food plots and have the equipment, time and funds to do them. Otherwise, corn works and is a whole lot easier.

PS/Edit - just noticed that you were asking about Spring/Summer plots. I personally would not mess with those unless you plan to irrigate since the deer will have plenty to eat in non-drought years, and in drought years, well, you'll have to irrigate those plots to keep them alive. IMO, without irrigation, spring/summer plots are a waste of time unless, maybe, you're planting legumes to increase nitrogen or a cover crop to eliminate weeds in your fall plot (again, assuming you have irrigation or sufficient rains). Even then, I'm not sure that Round Up and fertilizer wouldn't be cheaper assuming you plant a fall plot, especially if you factor in time spent.

im not saying the plot wont work your feeding/attracting something and you can always replant.. and couple it with protein then you getting in the right direction... anything/everything helps... its just how much time/money you can afford really

My place is very close to yours. You should get about 34" of rain on average. We have only had less than that 2 times in the last 10 years. One was about 26" and the other was less. I have about 420 acres on the main ranch with about 70% of it being post oaks/creek bed with hickory/wild pears/persimmon/pecans/etc. I have 2 plots that are about 1.5acres each that I plant soybeans in the spring and wheat/oats/turnips in the fall. Plus I have two very small kill plots that one is alfalfa and the other is clover mix. What many in the south or west parts of Texas don't see is that there is so much natural groceries in our area, usually big plots are not needed. The deer are just now hitting my fall plots because of all the acorns, soft mask and green briar they had around. In dry years, you would need bigger plots, but it still wouldn't matter because they wouldn't grow anyway. Those are the years that I supplemental feed a little.

Baring you having 3,000 acres of forest that is not hunted/full of deer next to you, your 2 plots of 1.5 acres should be just perfect. I have counted 20 deer on my wheat fields in late December/January many times.