When making observations it is extremely important to record everything, especially physical and behavioral characteristics of individuals. The manner in which deer interact with each other can indicate age or social rank. One should visit all the food plots on his property as well as other observation sites several times, recording as much data as possible, keeping in mind the golden rule of data collection: replication, replication, replication. The more data you collect the more significant your results will be. There are methods available for sex ratio estimation and/or population size estimation that include fairly simple observations. One such method involves recording the number of bucks and does observed before the hunting season, during hunting season, and then after the hunting season. In this method, the change of ratio method, the data is run through a simple mathematical formula which measures the extent that the harvest effected the buck: doe ratio resulting in a population estimate. It is important to collect as much data as possible and observe as many sites as you can to increase accuracy. Furthermore, this method will only be effective if there is a substantially greater buck harvest than there is a doe harvest or vice versa. Still, this method’s results depend on several assumptions like no immigration of deer, no emigration of deer, or no death by natural causes and thus can only be used as an estimate giving one a general idea of deer population parameters. There are more conclusive population census and estimation techniques available, but they are often more expensive and/or labor intensive.  Once these population demographics are understood managers can implement harvest strategies based on the needs of their deer herd.

The ability of quality food plots to aid in making observations, harvesting deer, feeding deer, etc. are all by-products of the two primary food plot powers: the power to attract and the power to provide superior nutrition. These two powers are commonly used to separate food plots into two categories: attraction plots and nutrition plots. While both of these plots are designed to favor one of these two powers every food plot involves some element of attraction as well as nutrition. Food plots that create the most opportunity for data collection are nutritional plots designed to maximize attraction. The most noteworthy difference in plot design between the two categories is size. Nutrition plots are much larger thus provide more forage. The problem is deer are often reluctant to utilize these plots except under the cloak of darkness making attraction plots necessary to harvest and observe deer. These smaller plots are often small openings in thick cover providing concealment for deer while they feed. Deer often will feel safe feeding in small attraction plots during the day while ignoring large square nutrition plots until night fall.

This creates a conundrum for the deer manager who needs to observe lots of deer for accurate herd analysis. The answer is to build a better food plot, a large nutrition plot that offers concealment, and good cover without compromising viewing or hunting opportunity- a complete plot. The creation of such a plot requires a little “out of the box” or should I say “out of the square” thinking. Square fields are the enemy of ecologically sound food plot design. For too long wildlife managers have created food plots as if they were planting crops for harvest and human consumption.

Large square nutrition plots will serve their primary purpose of feeding deer, but will do so at night more often than in the day. Nutrition plots that encourage deer to use them during the day are designed with ecological perspective.  One such food plot design is called the harvest wheel. The harvest wheel is a food plot design that maximizes attraction and viewing opportunity by taking advantage of a concept known as the edge effect. When two habitat types meet they create an edge. This edge is rich in habitat diversity offering deer the advantages of both habitat types in one location. Deer will enter a harvest wheel food plot with little hesitation, because all areas of the plot are in proximity to dense cover. One creates a harvest wheel by finding or clearing an open spot in dense cover and planting rectangular strips of forage that originate in the center of the open spot and extend outward into the forest. If a tower blind is located in the center of the open spot all areas of this food plot are easily visible yet still surrounded by cover to provide concealment for white-tails.

Another plot design that is similar to the harvest wheel in theory is the X-stand design. An X-stand food plot also involves linear shapes that create edge and habitat diversity. To create an X-stand food plot one can start with an open field or dense forest. In the case of an open field two rectangular strips should be planted intersecting each other at their midpoints to form an X. This leaves open pasture surrounding the X and provides very little in the way of cover or habitat diversity. One way to create cover in the plot is to transplant shrubs and trees from other areas on the property. Planting the perimeter of the X with shrubs that produce highly preferred deer browse such as honey suckle or American beauty berry and then filling the gaps with young trees creates habitat diversity, cover, nutrition, and attraction in an area that can be as large as you want to plant it. In the case of a dense forest, X-stand plots are made by clearing rectangular strips in a wooded area to take advantage of the already existing vegetation as cover. X-stand plots provide excellent deer monitoring opportunities when tower blinds are placed in the intersection of the X, because this creates large areas of well covered forage that draws deer into view.