How to Calculate a Deer Food Plot
A food plot is an excellent way for an avid hunter to improve and increase his hunting opportunities. If you are considering planting a food plot, you need to know how to calculate the acreage properly to allow for adequate amounts of seed, fertilizer and other nutrients. To accurately calculate an area, you must determine an outline of the area for the food plot and take a few measurements. The following directions are for areas consisting of a rectangular or square shape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape (100 feet or more)
- Markers (rocks, sticks, pieces of cloth)
- Notepad
- Pen
- Calculator
Instructions
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1
Using a tape measure and marker, begin at one corner of the area and measure the length to the other corner. Depending on the area and how long your tape measure is, you may need markers to mark 100 feet at a time and then add them together.
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2
Record the length of the area in feet.
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Using the tape measure, measure the width of the area beginning at one corner and ending at the opposite corner (closest to you).
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Record the width of the area in feet.
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Using a calculator, calculate the total square footage of the area by multiplying the length by the width. For example, if the length was 500 feet and the width was 75 feet, your area would be a total of 37,500 square feet.
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Using a calculator, convert the measurement into acreage by dividing the square feet by the number of feet there are in an acre (43,560). Using the example of a 37,500 square foot area: 37,500 divided by 43,560 = .86 of an acre.
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Tips & Warnings
If the food plot area is in the shape of an "L," divide the area into two rectangles to determine the acreage.
