About J. Wayne Fears

My introduction to crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) as a food plot crop came in the early 1970s when I was wildlife manager for a pulp and paper company. Two of our wildlife management projects were Westervelt Hunting Lodge, with 14,000 acres dedicated to deer and wild turkey management, and 220 hunting clubs which leased hunting rights on the company’s 500,000 acres of forest land. Planting food plots for white-tailed deer was a fairly new concept in those early years, and we were trying to figure out what crops to plant in the 65 food plots on the Westervelt Lodge land, and what crops to recommend the hunting clubs plant in their rapidly developing food plots. It must be remembered that this was before most commercial seed mixes were available, and there was little research on deer use of food plots.

Westervelt was our research station and we tried many individual crops each year, including cool season cereal grains, legumes and grasses. We were looking for a crop, or crop mix, that we could plant in the early fall and have quickly grow into a food source for deer and wild turkey to feed upon all winter through the following spring. We wanted a lush spring growth that would attract wild turkeys and be available for pregnant does to feed upon until the surrounding woods put on their spring growth.

Crimson clover gets its name from the crimson blossoms. With good management it can be a natural re-seeder.

It was in our second year of research that we found what we were looking for – a mix of crimson clover and a winter wheat. This mix gave the deer a rich mix of highly nutritious food from early bow season until late spring turkey season. Deer loved the tender green clover, and during the peak of winter, when the clover was less productive, the tender wheat leaves were grazed. We saw quickly that the food plots planted in this mix attracted deer, so our guest hunters would see a lot of whitetails. In the spring the clover attracted wild turkey hens, and thus gobblers. We recommended the crimson clover/winter wheat mix to the hunting clubs and it was an almost instant hit with them. They especially liked the crimson clover they were seeing deer feed upon, and many clubs planted only crimson clover plots.

Since those early days of food plot experimentation, crimson clover has become one of the most popular annual clovers planted for deer. It is highly preferred by deer as it is an easily digestible, nutritious cool season food plot crop that can withstand heavy, continuous grazing. It’s fairly shade tolerant, does well in a variety of soils, and with good management its heavy seed crop offers good reseeding potential. The crude protein level of crimson clover can reach 30% in food plots that are planted according to soil test. Equally important, it’s inexpensive and easy to grow. If you look at the ingredients in many commercial food plot seed mixes, crimson clover will be one of the most used seeds. Not only is it good for deer and wild turkey, but being a legume, it is a good nitrogen-builder in food plot soils.

	To avoid planting the seed too deep, a cultipacker can be used to push the seed down into the seedbed.

Crimson Clover Range

As a cool season food plot crop, the crimson clover range is the eastern U.S. from Wisconsin to Maryland. Since crimson clover does not do well in extreme cold, or extreme heat for that matter, it can be planted as a warm season food plot crop in the most northern states and southern Canada. Regardless of where your food plots are, check with your local cooperative extension agent or wildlife biologist. They can tell you if crimson clover is adapted for the area where your food plots are located.

Soil Preparation & Planting

The first step in planting crimson clover, either alone or in a mix, is to do a soil test on the food plot. Lime and fertilize as recommended in the soil test report. Since clover is a legume, it doesn’t require any nitrogen when planted alone. The best pH range for crimson clover is 5.7 to 6.4.

Prior to planting crimson clover seed, you will notice that the yellow seed are much larger than other clover seed you may have seen, and will require inoculating with strain R bacteria. Caution – this is a different strain than used by other clovers, so don’t use a strain left over from your other clover plantings.

Buying crimson clover seed that has been inoculated and coated can be a fast start to planting.

Many deer managers now prefer to purchase seed that has already been inoculated, more uniform inoculation, and coated. These seed offer a more uniform inoculation and give better seed-to-seed soil contact. The coating also makes the seed larger and easier to handle.

Crimson clover varieties that have done well in deer food plots include Dixie, Chief, Common, and Tibbee.

Like all clover seed, crimson clover requires a fairly smooth seedbed in which the soil has been broken up into fine particles. Try to plan on planting just prior to a rain. Broadcast the seed onto the seedbed at a rate of 20 pounds of seed per acre if planted alone, or if it is planted with winter wheat or another cool season grass, use 12 pounds of seed per acre. Crimson clover seed should be planted no deeper that ¼-inch. Use a cultipacker to press the seed into the seedbed.

Planting dates for fall food plots are August in northern states and September and October in southern states. In northern states for spring plantings, plant in April or after the last frost.

Since those early days almost five decades ago, crimson clover has been one of the most popular food plot crops for deer, and I don’t think that will change anytime soon. It simply has too many things going for it, and deer love it.