How to Use Forage Sorghum for Deer

Deer on a food plot

Hunters and wildlife managers establish and maintain food plots for whitetail deer. Hunters establish the plots to create an habitual feeding point for deer to enhance hunter success; and wildlife managers use the food plots to redirect the deer away from areas where deer-human interactions can be problematic. Sorghum is one among several plants that are used for deer food plots, along with clover, soy beans, alfalfa, winter rye and corn. Often located alongside commercial row crops, food plots range from one to five acres, depending on the density of the whitetail population.

Things You'll Need

• Tractor with cultivator disc and rake attachment
• Forage sorghum seed - 10 pounds per acre
• 10-10-10 Fertilizer (optional)

Instructions

1. Select a site for the forage sorghum food plot. Forage sorghum can grow as high as 12 feet, so ensure there is adequate clearance for the crop to reach its full height. Soil needs to be fertile, but not rich. Avoid heavily compacted soil. The sorghum will need at least partial sun, preferably full sun. Sorghum is drought resistant, but there must be moisture in the soil during the early growth phases, so the roots can establish themselves to survive periods of little to no rain. Select a spot where there are already signs of deer, both tracks and droppings.

2. Disc planting rows across the entire food plot. Distribute seeds in the disc rows approximately six to eight seeds per foot. Tow the rake attachment across the planted rows to ensure good seed-soil contact. Plant the sorghum in mid-summer. It will reach its full height in the fall. Deer do not eat the stalks, but only the mature seeds that appear on the top of the plant. Deer will need spring and summer crops nearby to establish their habitual presence at the food plot prior to sowing the sorghum. Clover, soy, and corn are good selections.

3. Plant forage sorghum rows in a manner that channelizes their movement to an advantageous position for your deer stand, if you are hunting the deer. Many sorghums are low-growing, but forage sorghum is tall. Deer will struggle to reach the seeds as the seeds mature and soften, but they will also forage between rows for corn or other food on the ground between the rows of forage sorghum. The barriers created by the forage sorghum rows can be gradually tightened to lead deer into a small area within view of the deer stand.

References

• Purdue University Horticulture Department: Forage Sorghum
• White Tail Stewards: Sorghum for Deer Forage
• Food Plot Resources: Other Forages
• Wildlife Seeds: Sorghum
• Whitetail Institute: Manipulating the Landscape for Hunting Success

Resources

• Food Plots