A destination plot feeds deer. A kill plot puts a deer in bow range for a moment on its way somewhere else. They're planned differently. Everything here is researched from the National Deer Association and extension guides listed at the end.
The two kinds at a glance
| Kill (hunting) plot | Destination (nutrition) plot | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Short stop on the way to food | Main feeding area |
| Typical size | Under 1 acre, often 1/4 to 1/2 acre | 1 to 5 acres; at least 2 acres in one QDMA guide |
| Where | Between bedding cover and a bigger food source | Old fields, pastures, openings with room |
| Deer behavior you want | A few bites, then move on | Feed and come back |
Sizes from NDA's "Six Factors" and "6 Tips" articles and a QDMA placement guide published on ESPN Outdoors.
What a kill plot is for
NDA's "8 Rules" article puts it plainly: a kill plot is "not a 'viewing' plot." It should be one stop in a line of deer movement, not the end of it. The longer deer linger, the more chance the wind shifts or something else goes wrong. A smaller plot keeps deer moving past you.
The same article says total acreage isn't the point: a long, narrow 5-acre plot with a 20-foot bottleneck at the stand can work.
Where to put a kill plot
- Between bedding and food. NDA's Kip Adams, in "Six Factors," describes deer leaving beds in late afternoon headed to a nutrition plot, and a well-placed hunting plot letting them snack on the way. Because deer are on the bigger plot by sunset, he says you can leave your stand without spooking them and hunt it many times a season. In the morning, you slip in without bumping deer off the big plot.
- Where deer already travel. NDA's "6 Tips" says putting hunting plots where you already expect deer is the best approach, including travel corridors.
- Next to cover. Oklahoma State Extension says deer may use plots a quarter mile or more from cover, but typically at night. For hunting, put the plot next to cover.
- Upwind of your stand for the usual wind, per Oklahoma State. The QDMA guide's author says he won't hunt his plot stand unless a steady wind is in his favor. See hunting the wind and thermals explained.
- Out of sight of roads and property lines, to avoid poaching, per Oklahoma State.
Shape and size for bowhunters
- NDA's "6 Tips" suggests starting at a quarter to half acre and keeping most of a bow plot within shooting range, or using a pinch to funnel deer past. Narrow, linear openings suit gun hunters.
- The author says he's had success near a tenth of an acre, but tiny plots can be hard to establish where deer density is moderate to high.
- Oklahoma State notes plots that are too small often get overgrazed unless you have several.
Plot shapes that pull deer past a stand
Adams likes long, thin lanes. With one lane, he widens the ends and necks down the middle into a bowtie, with the stand at the neck, and makes sure he can shoot its full width. With two lanes, a V with the stand at the point. With three, a turkey-foot shape with the stand at the base. He stresses that cover around the lanes matters more than the shape.
Access and pressure
From Adams's "Six Factors":
- Leave some cover between your stand and the plot instead of sitting right on the edge.
- Plan entry and exit routes so you don't spook deer coming or going. He says far too many hunters spook deer on the way out.
- Don't over-hunt one plot. Have stands for different winds and only hunt a stand when the wind suits it.
- For stands you can't leave at dark without spooking deer, he sometimes has a buddy drive an ATV into the plot so deer leave without linking it to him.
Finding the ground
NDA's articles list logging roads, firebreaks, logging decks, pipelines, woods roads and old fields as plot spots if they get enough sun. "Six Factors" says small plots can be opened in regenerating hardwoods with a little chainsaw work.
What to plant
My go-to seed is Domain Outdoor No BS, a no-till mix of forage oats, clover, forage rape, chicory and radish. For a full comparison, see food plot seed, budget vs premium. For planting with hand tools, see no-till food plots on a budget.
NDA's "6 Tips" says an attractive forage in a good spot matters more than the plot's exact shape.
Other good options
- Several small plots instead of one. Oklahoma State says hunting plots should be fewer but more attractive, while plots meant to feed deer should be spread around the property.
- A second stand for a different wind. The QDMA guide's author built a second hunting plot so he had a setup for winds other than the prevailing one.
Questions hunters ask
How big should a kill plot be? NDA suggests a quarter to half acre as a start.
Can one plot do both jobs? NDA's "Six Factors" says many plots serve both purposes.
How far from the destination plot? None of these sources gives a set distance. In the QDMA example, the hunting plots sat 200 yards from the destination plot.
Sources
- National Deer Association, "Six Factors in Designing Successful Deer Hunting Plots," Kip Adams, May 24, 2023: https://deerassociation.com/six-factors-in-designing-successful-deer-hunting-plots/
- National Deer Association, "6 Tips for Designing Small Deer Hunting Food Plots": https://deerassociation.com/6-tips-for-designing-small-deer-hunting-food-plots/
- National Deer Association, "8 Rules for a Successful Hunting Plot": https://deerassociation.com/8-rules-successful-hunting-plot/
- QDMA, "Strategic food plot placement equals success," ESPN Outdoors: https://www.espn.com/outdoors/general/news/story?page=c_fea_QDMA_plot_placement
- Oklahoma State University Extension, "A Practical Guide to Food Plots," E-1032: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/print-publications/e/a-practical-guide-to-food-plots-e-1032.pdf