It is difficult to find a more nutritious and reliable forage than clovers for deer food plots. Clovers come in many species and varieties and it shouldn't be difficult to find at least one or two that will work for your situation. As a group, the clovers have protein levels that range in the mid-20's to low 30's. Additionally, clovers are more digestible than cool-season grasses and they grow for a longer period of the year.
Major groups of clovers
The clover species are divided into two major groups, annual clovers and perennial clovers. The following is a discussion of the annual clovers and a description of the most common species and varieties planted in deer food plots.
Annual Clovers
Annual clovers are a group of forages that live for one growing season and then die. As a result, many of these clovers must be replanted each year if you want to keep them in your food plots. Some species can be encouraged to reseed themselves by fertilizing and disking the plot lightly at the end of the growing season.
Benefits of annual clovers
Annual clovers can be planted to provide two important functions in deer food plots. First, they can be planted in late summer or early fall to provide a nutritious forage that will attract deer to the food plot during the hunting season. Second, many annual clovers are the first forages to grow in the spring, so they provide an important spring food source that helps deer recover from winter, begin producing milk for fawns and begin growing antlers.
Suitable growing regions
Most of the annual clovers are best suited for the mid-west and the southern regions, though a few species will grow in the north. Depending on your region, some annual clovers that are planted in the fall will go dormant in winter and begin growing again in the spring. Annual clovers can also be frost-seeded in late-winter to provide an early spring food source.
Types of annual clovers
The following is a short description of the annual clover species often planted for deer.
An annual clover. Produces a high-quality, highly digestible forage. Grows from early spring through mid-summer, which is a longer growing season than other annual clovers. The forage is not especially attractive to deer during hunting season, but will be important in early spring food. Arrowleaf clover requires fertile soils with pH between 5.8 and 6.5. It will not tolerate wet soils. It can be encouraged to reseed by disking lightly in the fall. Yuchi is the most common variety used in deer food plots. Other varieties include Amclo and Meeche.
An annual clover. Produces a high-quality forage in the fall and will continue to produce through late spring. Grows best on fertile, loam soils with pH between 6.0 and 7.0, but will tolerate alkaline soils and poorly-drained conditions. Berseem clover is susceptible to cold so it is not suitable for use in the north. A winter-hardy variety is available for use in the south. Bigbee is the most common variety. It is very drought tolerant. Other varieties include Trialex, Topcut and Multicut.
An annual clover. Produces high-quality forage and will produce larger crops at lower temperatures than the other clovers. However, this clover has a very short growing season and will usually be gone by late April. Growth is slow in the fall. Will tolerate pH as low as 5.5 and would be a good choice on plots where it is difficult to raise soil pH. Will not tolerate poorly drained soils. Crimson clover is best suited for regions with mild winters , but it will over winter as far north as southern New England. Common varieties include, Dixie, Kentucky Select, and Chief, all of which are winter hardy.
An annual clover. Produces a high-quality forage that is tolerant of drought, low soil fertility and moderate grazing. Best production occurs when pH is between 6.0 and 7.0. Produces less forage than Crimson and Arrowleaf clovers. This clover is highly preferred by deer so shouldn't be planted in food plots less than 3 acres in size. Overton is a common variety used in deer food plots.
The most shade-tolerant of the annual clovers and is very tolerant of heavy grazing. Best growth occurs in the spring. Produces best on well-drained, sandy loam and clay. Will not tolerate poorly drained conditions. Will tolerate pH as low as 5.5. Produces less forage than Crimson and Arrowleaf clovers. Subterranean clover is less winter hardy than most legumes so it is not suitable for use in northern regions. Common varieties include Mt. Barker, Oregon, Nangela, and Tallarock.
Plant annual clovers in mixtures
Although each annual clover can be planted alone, they are usually more beneficial to deer when planted in a mixture with other annual clovers or with an annual grain such as wheat, rye, or oats, or with annual ryegrass. The grain/grass provides two important functions in deer food plots. First, it begins growing earlier in spring than the clovers, so it provides deer with a high-protein food source early in the year. Second, it grows taller and faster than the clovers and will function as a "nurse crop", by receiving the bulk of deer grazing pressure while your clovers are young and susceptible to grazing injury. As a general rule, avoid planting perennial cool-season grasses in clover plots because these grasses are aggressive and can out-compete clovers.
Suggested annual clover mixtures
The following are some suggested forage mixtures that include annual clovers:
Crimson clover and wheat or rye or oats . (Plant in late summer as a fall attractant to deer. Choose wheat or rye in northern regions, oats in more southern regions).
Crimson clover, arrowleaf clover, and annual ryegrass (This mix can be encouraged to reseed if mowed, fertilized and lightly disked in early fall)
Arrowleaf clover, red clover, and oats or annual ryegrass (Frost-seed this mixture in the early spring).
