Do You Need a Tractor to Create Deer Food Plots?

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Marty Prokop | 2008

In past newsletters you read the importance of creating good quality food plots to help increase the numbers and sizes of deer on your deer hunting land.

How do you get that rough, untamed ground converted into a lush green food plot for deer?

The Right Deer Food Plot Equipment

In my next few newsletters we will be discussing how to choose the right equipment for your food plot needs.

Last week we talked about ATVs. Today we are going to talk about tractors and whether you need a tractor or not.

When your deer food plots are over 1 acre in size a good tractor could be your answer.

If you don’t want to purchase a tractor and equipment for putting in deer food plots, consider hiring a local farmer who already has the equipment. If you don’t know of someone, you could go to the local feed mill and asking who does custom tilling and planting.

Let’s cover what you would need if you were to get your own tractor and equipment for deer food plots.

Deer Food Plot Tractors

Tractors are made to work hard. Their engines and transmissions are built to pull heavy tillage equipment and, with proper maintenance, last a long time.

Here are some things to consider when you are looking for a tractor for your deer food plot:

Size of your deer food plots

Though ATVs can be used to create larger food plots, you place a lot of strain on the motors and transmissions. A tractor may be a better choice if your deer food plots are going to be over 1 acre in size.

Tractor engine horsepower

If the ground you are going to use for deer food plots has sat fallow (unused for crop production) for a number of years you may need to plow the land to create a good seed bed.

If you are going to use a moldboard-type plow to turn the dirt, you will need about 20 horsepower per bottom to pull it. For example, if you pull a two bottom plow you would need approximately 40 horsepower.

Tractor with a three-point hitch

A three-point hitch will allow you to purchase many different attachments for working the land. Often, these three-point attachments are priced much lower than similar ATV food plot attachments.

PTO (power take off)

Power take off driven attachments are much less costly than those having a separate engine to run them. For example, when your deer food plot is growing well, you will need to mow or cut it to promote thicker growth and stronger root structures. You could buy a PTO-driven mower for about half the cost of a pull behind mower.

Draw bar

A draw bar is nice to have to pull trailers, sprayers and other pieces of equipment.

Live hydraulics

Live hydraulics allows you to purchase and use attachments that require hydraulic pressure to run.

Front Wheel Assist (optional)

Usually a tractor is much heavier than an ATV, and the need for front wheel assist or four wheel drive is much less. However, should you find a spot where the dirt is soft or a bit wet, four wheel drive is wonderful to have.

Compact Tractors for Deer Food Plots

If you don’t want a large tractor or you want a tractor for landscaping or lawn mowing in addition to tilling and planting, look into a compact tractor. Compact tractors are the mid-point between an ATV and a full sized tractor.

For food plots ranging from 30 foot circles up to a 5 acre parcel, compact tractors can be a great choice. If you are planting larger food plots, those over 5 acres in size, you may want to look into a larger tractor.

Most compact tractors come equipped with a three point hitch. Tractors equipped with a three point hitch will allow you to choose from many different attachments to help you create deer food plots.

In many cases, 3-point equipment can be purchased at a much lower price that some of the ATV food plot equipment. We’ll cover the different attachments in my next newsletter.

As with ATV manufacturers, there are many makes of tractors. The brand you choose is completely up to you. Here are a few brands of compact and full size tractors:

John Deere
Yanmar
Kubota
International

Your deer food plot size, your budget and your available time will help you decide if you hire a local farmer to put in your deer food plots or you do it yourself with an ATV, compact tractor or full sized tractor.

The important thing for seeing bigger deer and more of them is to put in deer food plots. If you plant it, they will come.