Food plots, anyone have experience?

[Charlie]

Has anyone considered (or implemented) planting food to encourage deer to live on their land? I was considering doing this perhaps plant some berry bushes etc to fatten up some deer and see how many I could get frequenting my land to maybe get a cherry pick of a nice Buck.

I don't know if I want to follow the steps of our American hunter friends who turn their acreage into farmland, but something to keep them interested.

Ideas or experiences?

[hunter1947]

I would never plant food or shrubs etc to attract deer on my land to shoot them.

I would plant trees shrubs etc to have the privilege to look at them and see them.

[Walksalot]

I know people who have food plots planted and take an animal or two but that food plot gives back one thousand fold compared to what they take out.

[FLHTCUI]

If you wanna see wildlife ( deer ) in your yard, place a salt block out near the back of your property or anywhere you will have a clear veiw of them.
At my buddies cabin we placed a block in a cleared area witha good veiw from the kitchen , dining area and we can watch them come at all hours of the day.
They will even dig a hole into the soil to get at the minerals released into the soil. So, we have placed rocks in the three foot hole and back filled with dirt to prevent them from digging further.
Two a year is all that you need.
Lots of fun watching them jockey for dominance in feeding from the blocks.
And No, they havent shot a deer in the yard nor have I.
Rob

[Piperdown]

We have 80 acres in the Burns lake area and where thinking of doing some sort of planting to encourage more animals and to also give them a good source of food for summer and winter. We think it would be a definate benefit to the animals and also give us maybe a bit more of an opportunity to hunt on our own land. Just have to fence the place to keep the dam cows out!!

[The Hermit]

I like the salt block idea but my wife would kill me! She hates the deer for decimating her gardens LOL

[Kody94]

I know a few guys in the Peace country that have set up feeders (like the ones you see on TV being used in the states), just for viewing the deer. Much easier alternative than creating food plots if your objective is mainly to attract and see them, or maybe fatten the odd one up a bit. For increasing the size of the deer and their antlers, I think food plots would be the only way to go. Not my thing personally, but if I lived in the US I'd probably think differently (ie. limited access to public lands...make the best of what you've got).

[Charlie]

I have done the salt blocks. I want to actually supply some nutrition to the deer.

Any ideas which plants would supply maximum amount of proteins to the animals?

Plants which would supply adequate protein but not a ton of work?