I have a small parcel of land that i have fed corn in a feeder during summer for hogs..for the past several years...this year i have seen more and more deer showing up..but mostly at night..so this year(2013) im thinking of feeding year round..because of $$ mixing a 50/50 mix of corn to protein also mineral blocks..i have plenty of water.a live creek running through the 35 acres..my question is: should i plant a small food plot..or just concentrate on the year round feeding..I know nothing about food plots..the best resourse would be the county ag guy? Thanks

I would do both if you can afford it. You will never get the volume of feed out of a spincast feeder you need to grow bigger deer. Maybe plant an acre or so in a spring plot and see what happens. Of course you have to pray for rain but I've always felt its worth the gamble.

I would do both. I wouldn't waste money on a spring plot. I'd start making a plan of what you want to plant and what does well in your area. Talk to the ag agent and feed/seed store to see what does well. Ask questions, there are many people on here that can help you.

Good Luck

If doing it for the deer, then a spring plot might be a waste, but if doing it for deer and hogs, then the spring plot will be a bonus. Talk to your ag guy and talk to the folks at your local feed store about what works in your area and what others are planting.

I am a bigger fan of low maintenance food plots, but they are not always optimal. Fencing or electrifying a plot is over the top for me to get the plants to maturity. However, you can fence off 2-4 square yards as a control and get some idea of how much your plot is being eating by bigger game (such as deer and hogs). The control should be taller and better developed of you have animals snacking, and you probably will. The control will give you an idea of just how much they are snacking.

Spring and Fall food plots are the cheapest way to increase nutrtion to the deer IF you can get enough rain on the acreage planted for the amount of deer you have using the plot. I would also use a feeder year round to help in drier or season planting times. Fencing is not needed if you can plant enough acres, but electric fencing is cheap and re-usable if you need to keep animals off it to let it establish.

Thanks guys!