FOOD PLOT SUCCESS BY TRACY BREEN

Part of our secret to success is the result of growing top notch food plots that attract and keep the deer on the property during the hunting season. There are plenty of food plot options on the market but the seed blend we have taken a liking to is Infinity by Whitetail Select. This mix is made of nine clovers and alfalfas along with brassicas: it offers a wide range of sweet-palatable forage, along with a unique mix of other top shelf forages that can grow and attract whitetails for years. Since this blend contains such a wide variety of different types of clover and other plants, there is always something coming into season which means the deer always have something good to eat.

Regardless if it is the early season or late season, the deer are regularly visiting our plots. The colder the weather becomes the more the deer visit these plots because they need the food to keep their bodies going. “We have had really good luck with this blend,” said Doug Benefield from Illinois Connection. “It is a great perennial that lasts for years when cared for properly. We regularly mow our plots to keep the weeds in check and spray and fertilize when needed.”

Besides having dozens of food plots scattered across the 16,000 acres, you will also find large farm fields full of food for the deer. “We also have fields full of corn and soybeans that help keep the deer healthy and strong. We keep treestands near our food sources so hunters have plenty of options when it comes to hunting over food.

At Illinois Connection, the staff spends countless hours putting in food plots and other food sources for two reasons. Lots of food keep the deer in the area and because a properly built food plot is the perfect place for bowhunters to get a short distance shot at a big buck. “We know having awesome food sources is a necessity when it comes to bowhunting which is why we spend so much time putting in and maintaining food sources,” said Benefield.

Want to see our food plots yourself? Book a hunt with Illinois Connection today!