I plant summer and winter plots.
My summer plots are there to provide as much high-level protien to build up horns, body weights and healthy babies. Its real simple and easy to do. I plant a mix of iron and clay peas, quail haven soy beans, Corn, Sorgum, and sunflowers. This set up is easy to plant and creats a "jungle" of tangled vines. With this set-up the beans and peas vine up in the corn and sorgum and the deer are not able to just inilate the beans. I plant this plot in early May-late June. Make sure the ground is good and warm and you have a rain coming in right after you plant or else your just feeding the birds, turkeys, and squirrels. By late summer/ early bow season the deer will have this plot mowed down hard, and all you have to do is turn up the ground in preparation for your fall/ winter plot.
My winter plots are put in around September. I like to have the ground ready and wait for rain in the forecast (sometimes that can be a trick in Sept. as it is a dry month). But I spread a mix of winter wheat, buck forrage oats, and either a dwarf essex rape or turnip. You can also add a little clover, but clover does better as a stand alone as it is a somewhat invasive perrenial. This plot will remind you of the Emerald City and will be a great place to hunt. I like for my stuff to begin popping out of the ground just as the acorns begin falling. That way the plot will get up and established before the deer hit it hard. It will provide attraction for hunting purposes, but also provides the carbs the deer need in the winter.
I strongly recommend getting a soil analysis done by your agricultural extension office, and lime and fertilize accordingly. This plot system works really well. Your winter plot will deplete the nitrogen in the soil while the legumes in the summer plot helps to renew it. I also advise you to turn the ground up really well with a roto-tiller rather than just discs. You have alot better germination rates with a ground that is aerated better. Good Luck.
I'm no biologist, just a redneck that cares a lot about my herd and I have figured out this plot system through years of screw ups and trial and error. Good Luck!
