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Going to plant two small food plots in the next couple weeks (Missouri) and in the past I’ve just used one of those all purpose deer blends but I’m thinking this year to go with two plots of just clover. Reason behind this choice is that then there will be a source year round instead of just a fall/winter plot. Each plot will be maybe a quarter acre. The piece of land is only 50 acres of mostly (90%) woods. Thoughts or suggestions? Owensville Missouri is the area.

Clover is a great food plot choice, but try overseeing with winter rye. The deer will pound it this fall, and give the young clover a chance to establish a good root system. Of course on a plot that small there is always the chance of over grazing. Plant the winter rye at 75 pounds per acre, and try Durana clover.

Personally, I’d plant a mix of grains, clover and chicory in the fall. You’ll face less weed competition this way. The grains will draw this fall and the clover/chicory will thrive thereafter. You’ll want to pick a clover suitable for your area. For upstate NY, I prefer a mix of medium red and ladino. If your winters are mild enough for fall planted oats that mature in the spring, I’d use that. Otherwise I’d use winter (cereal rye—not to be confused with rye grass) or triticale. We plant this mix Labor Day weekend. For your area, I’d guess a mid October date would be close.

Forgot to mention would like to appeal to turkeys down the road too

winter wheat and clover

Winter wheat with clover. After the first frost the clover will not be eaten, becomes bitter, so the winter wheat will take over and be munched on until spring.

We do this in late August/early September and generally try to get it down right be fore a rain. If you don't time it with a rain there is a very good chance you have wasted your time.

Clover, winter wheat, and oats. Hope you don’t have pigs!

I'd do what Hanco said but I'd also add 2lbs per acre of brassicas

Luckily I bet he doesn't.

We did have one on camera 3 or 4 years ago, 1 photo and never seen again.

It's the armadillos that root around in our plots.

Yep got dillos out the butt

Do you always get hogs rooting up your food plots after seed ? I did two years ago and gave up

This will work the best for what you are doing. broadcast the clover before a big rain and as long as it is on the dirt, it will grow. Wait about 3 weeks and then broadcast wheat or cereal rye over the started Durana clover. This plot will last 5-10 years with maintenance and annual overseeding of grains.

I've got a lot of hogs and they mostly leave the clover alone. Sometimes I have to shoot a few to get the message across.

Deer here love that combo. Hit it every evening

Have always blended clover with whatever I planted, if what I planted didn't take good or was hogged down I still have the clover which will keep them coming.

I definitely want the clover for something that will keep coming back every year and something for the heart of winter. I’ve been lean towards a blend like what most have described. Didn’t know if I should look into alfalfa or not.not real fertile soil unfortunately.

Don’t waste your time with alfalfa then! It’s tough to grow when conditions are good, marginal soil, forget about it!

Mostly clover here

Live done clover and chicory. Lasts for years if maintained and the deer love the chicory. It's got a deep tap root, so its fairly drought tolerant too, and lasts well in to winter.

Adding radishes to the mix deters the hogs, at least in our area, and the deer seem to like them. We’ve had problems for years with hogs destroying our food plots, and tried the radish mix a couple of years ago. So far so good, no rooting.