*In the above video I am using Egyptian Wheat as a fail-safe to making sure the deer never see our hunting approach; let alone the neighbors! What is better than an already hidden food plot? Hiding it even more! There is no such thing as an overly-hidden food plot.
Do you hide your food plots as much as you do your most secluded bedding areas? You should, because unhidden food plots can equal disaster on parcels of 1000 acres or less.
Since 2005 while scouting 100s of deer parcels across the North 1/2 of the country, the #1 creator of nocturnal whitetail herds is unhidden food plots. But a nocturnal deer herd isn't the only bi-product of overly pressured food sources! Your ability to build a quality herd and hunt both suffer, if you fail to hide your food plots. The negative consequences are so great that in my experience, a food plot should be as hidden as your most secluded bedding area.
Top Reasons To Hide Your Food Plots
What should be included in the overall acres of sanctuary on your land? Bedding areas, travel corridors, waterholes, mock scrapes and yes, food plots! In fact, a food plot is just as important to hide within your sanctuary as your most important mature buck bedding areas, Here are 3 reassons why:
1. Herd Building Efforts
While does, fawns and young bucks can tolerate a great deal of stress, even they have their limits. However, when it comes to mature bucks, unhidden food plots can create nocturnal movements faster than a herd of ATVers riding through your land.
2. A Great Hunt
When every deer in the neighborhood is invited to your highly attractive food plots, only to be exposed to your hunting access, then the ripple effect across your entire parcel is as far reaching as the level of attraction of the food plots. Some of the hardest whitetail herds to hunt are those that have been educated through unhidden, highly attractive habitat improvements. Food plots that are exposed to hunting pressure can shut down the huntability of parcel as fast or faster than any other practice.
3. Avoiding Nocturnal Whitetail Herds
Simply put, if an entire deer herd learns to avoid your land during the daylight hours, your ability to build or hunt a quality herd becomes nearly impossible. Because food plots carry the largest level of attraction per acre, they should be treated at a minimum, as much of a sanctuary as your most hidden bedding area.
*Not only should your bedding areas, travel corridors, waterholes, mock scrapes and food plots be hidden, but don't forget about your trail cameras!
Conclusion
If you can't hide your food plots, you can't build a quality herd, hunt a great herd or experience any kind of herd, during the hours of daylight.
