Food plot shape is one of the most important yet overlooked elements of land management. Those who plant food plots do so in hopes of attracting more deer, benefitting the herd, and increasing hunting opportunities. Despite that, they plant circular, square, rectangular, and other poor food plot shapes. That’s a huge mistake.
Instead, implement proven food plot designs to attract whitetail deer. Furthermore, use these to create close encounters and viable shot opportunities. Here’s your guide to the best food plot designs.
Planting Food Plots for Deer
When planting food plots, most are trying to achieve one of two objectives. First, provide nutrition to the deer herd. Second, create better hunting opportunities.
Before turning dirt, it’s crucial to ask yourself key questions:
- What is the goal for your food plots?
- What do you want to accomplish as a landowner, land manager, and hunter?
- What do you have to work with regarding property layout, structure, etc.?
- What kind of equipment do you need?
- What kind of equipment do you have?
- Should this be a multi-phase or multi-year process?
“The goal should be to provide seasonal or year-long food sources for our herd and to increase our odds and success of each hunt,” said Andrew Malott, Whitetail Properties broker and land specialist in northwestern Indiana.
Of course, there are several ways to create food plots. “I like to break it down into kill plots, which are typically an acre or less, and destination plots, which are greater than an acre,” said Clay Mervar, Whitetail Properties broker and land specialist in northern North Carolina.
“I do not prefer archery hunting large food plots where it is hard to define deer movement and congregate large numbers of deer for a lengthy period of time,” Mervar said. “These plots often have a lot of deer and with more deer, you have more eyes, ears, and noses that can bust you in the tree or blind.”
The answer? Creating food plots using special deer food plot designs. And a Quick Attach attachment can help create these.
Deer Food Plot Designs
There are numerous reasons to use good deer food plot designs. In short, according to Malott, we must have the mindset of getting deer within shooting range. There are several styles and shapes of food plots we can implement to accomplish that.
“The different shapes and styles of food plots deer hunters choose depends on your property, the layout, and what you as a landowner or hunter have to work with,” Malott said. “Certain food plot designs can better your odds as a deer hunter.”
In short, deer are curious animals. When they enter a food plot, they want to see the other deer that are around. Poor food plot shapes, such as circular and rectangular, allow deer to see the entire food plot from one point.
In contrast, good food plot shapes, such as those outlined below, encourage deer to travel to or through certain points to see the remainder of a plot. The “bends,” “pinches,” or “vertexes” of the following shapes make for good treestand and hunting blind locations.
1. J and L Food Plot Shape
Two excellent but similar food plot shapes include J- and L-shaped food plots. These create obvious pinch points that require deer to pass through to see the remainder of the food plot. Place treestands and hunting blinds in the curve of the J and turn of the L. “You want deer to come around the corner of an L-shaped food plot,” Malott said.
2. T and Y Food Plot Shape
Two other similar designs to consider are T- and Y-shaped food plots. These are ideal as well, and can create similar effects as J and L. That said, these create three “legs” of the food plot, rather than two, which might be better for certain areas. Place blinds and stands at the top, center point of the T and the left or right side of the pinch-point in the Y (wind direction depending).
3. U, V, and Boomerang Food Plot Shape
A U-, V-, or boomerang shape also work well. These offer excellent opportunities, especially if stand locations are in the turns of these shapes. Malott loves it when deer “read the script within 20 yards of your treestand in a "Boomerang" or "U" shaped food plot.”
4. Hand and Turkey Foot Food Plot Shape
Other excellent selections include the hand or turkey foot shapes. The turkey foot includes three “extensions,” and the hand includes either four or five “fingers.” Regardless, the base of the foot or hand is the place to deploy blinds and stands.
5. Hourglass Food Plot Shape
Lastly, consider the hourglass shape. It’s one of the most popular selections, and for good reason. It maximizes the area, improves visibility for the hunter, and more. Consider hunting where it tapers down along the middle of the hourglass.
“I like longer food plots that pinch down in the middle, giving you a perfect broadside shot in archery range as the deer passes through,” Mervar said. “If the landscape allows for it, an hourglass shape with your stand in the middle on the downwind side is a perfect setup.”
How to Choose the Right Food Plot Shape
Deciding which food plot shape is right for you is an important step. Whether the one you choose is one of the above, or a different (but similar) design, make sure it can yield the needed results.
“On these plots, it is very important to be able to shape them so that you are able to kill the deer when they cross through the plot,” Mervar said. “However, sometimes you are limited by factors such as topography, vegetation, and equipment you have access to.”
Oftentimes, the canvas you’re starting with impacts shape selection. Sometimes, the area can make it easier (or more difficult) to use one of the shapes above. Pick one that best fits the situation.
“This is entirely limited to the equipment and terrain you have to work with,” Mervar said. “I think the location is always more important than the plot. If you put the plot in the right location where deer want to be, you will give yourself more opportunities than the perfect food plot in the wrong location.”
Important Food Plot Design Factors
There are many different factors involved with food plot design. At its core, this is all about drawing deer closer and within bow range.
“I like to pinch the deer down to force them into range,” Mervar said. “You need to get creative to achieve this. In the past, I’ve hinge cut trees, put up mock scrapes, and planted corn or plot screens to funnel deer inside of 20 yards.”
Once this concept is understood, it’s important to be honest about your situation. Analyze the equipment you have access to, and scale the project based on that.
“If you have access to a tractor, skid steer, mini excavator, or other heavy equipment, your opportunities can be limitless,” Mervar said. “However, great food plots can be made with simple tools such as a weed eater, chainsaw, hand spreader, and a backpack sprayer with roundup. If you are limited, tuck small ¼-acre plots into existing logging roads or old logging decks. Convert old meadows in the timber into small plots.”
Of course, location is important. Choose areas that the deer already want to be and travel through. After that, ensure the food plot offers good access to and from the plot.
“Whichever design you choose, it is very important to be able to access your stand undetected,” Mervar said. “Blow your wind in a safe direction so the doe and younger bucks — which typically come out first — don't bust you. Do everything you can to increase your odds at getting a high-quality shot opportunity.”
Seclusion matters, too. According to Mervar, smaller secluded food plots are usually less pressured, which increases odds of a mature buck stepping out in daylight.
“We need structure on the outside of that food plot, whether that is wooded acreage, screens, or switchgrass,” Malott said. “Manipulating deer travel is the goal, and you need structure to do so.”
Fortunately, if it doesn’t already check that box, certain additions can be made. Achieve that by planting food plot screens. Of course, planting native grasses around the perimeters of food plots can also help create the desired food plot shape, effectively turning a circular or square clearing into whatever design you choose.
“Each of these food plot designs listed above manipulate deer travel and increase the odds of putting them within shooting range of your blind or treestand,” Malott said. “Utilize screens, surrounding cover, tall grasses, etc.”
You might even spice up the food plot by adding some extras. These can draw deer and stop them for shot opportunities. Examples include planting hard and soft mast trees, posting scrape trees, deploying feeders, installing water systems, and more.
A Real-Life Food Plot Example
Those still unsure of the concept might benefit from a deeper illustration. Mervar’s own property serves as a great real-life food plot design example.
“The ideal setup is the X Stand Plot on my North Carolina farm,” Mervar said. “This plot is easy to access through a long drainage ditch. It is tucked in close to the doe bedding areas but just far enough that they cannot see, hear, or smell me entering my stand. This plot is 75 yards long and roughly 30 yards wide, pinching down to 20 yards in front of my stand.”
His treestand location is tucked 10 yards into the timber in a large white oak with multiple limbs he uses for cover. Most importantly, his wind blows down into a drainage ditch where deer rarely travel.
“There is a perennial scrape 20 yards from the stand allowing me to have a perfect broadside shot,” he said. “To make this plot even better, it is just below a white oak flat which leads up to our destination ag fields 200 yards away. Mature deer often hit this secluded plot in shooting light on their way to the oaks or larger fields. When I hunt this location, I have complete confidence that if a shooter steps out, I will get an opportunity at him.”
Regardless of the scale of your food plot program, or the complexity of the plan, be creative and have fun with the process. Planting proven food plot designs to attract whitetail deer is fun.
