In the early days of “food plotting,” we planted our Imperial Whitetail Clover or Alfa-Rack to increase the antler size of the bucks on our property. The protein also helped does deliver healthier fawns, resulting in an overall healthier herd. But that was frosting on the cake.

We soon discovered that our food plots also tended to attract (and hold) deer from adjacent properties, which dramatically improved our hunting. Then, we learned that by carefully positioning our food plots we could influence deer movement, which in turn made those wall-hangers more huntable.

Planting companion food plots to our franchise Imperial Whitetail Clover or Alfa-Rack plots ¾ in the name of diversity ¾ was the next food plot frontier. Enter Imperial No-Plow to the food plot stage.  Imperial No-Plow, an annual, not only added diversity, but also gave deer hunters and managers the ability to plant food plots in remote, hard-to-reach places because no tillage equipment was needed to plant No-Plow.  Forage diversity, we found, increased the holding capacity of our property and enhanced the likelihood that our deer stayed on our side of the fence.

However, even with these exceptional food plot products, the Whitetail Institute research staff was not satisfied to rest on their laurels.  Instead, continued analysis and research was done to identify any areas in food plot management that could be improved.

Peas and beans have been a popular food plot planting for many years. They can provide a quality forage source to deer during the hot and dry summer months.  Even in the south, where beans and peas are planted in April and May, temperatures can climb to sweltering heights in the summer and yet some varieties of beans and peas will still provide a high protein food source.  Furthermore, beans and peas add diversity to perennial food plots.   

However, the problem with most bean and pea blends is that once they are planted, they are at the mercy of our ravenous deer herd and are commonly grazed to death before they ever really get started. Many different attempts at bean and pea blends have been made but none have been able to combine all the vital elements needed: high quality forage, attractiveness to deer and the growing ability to better withstand heavy grazing. No spring and summer annual blend has been able to provide all these traits.  That is until the Institute developed new PowerPlant.

PowerPlant is a blend of legumes/forages designed for survival

In general the problem with peas and beans is that they don’t grow fast enough. So, the challenge for the food plot wizards at The Whitetail Institute was “how to provide diversity with legumes without the deer devouring them faster than they can grow?” The answer was to combine specially designed legumes and forages that were genetically developed to grow rapidly and produce huge amounts of palatable high-protein forage.  A closer look at the blend will show you that there are two groups of plants, each having a specific function.  One group (the legume group) makes up the bulk of the blend and uses the second group (forage structural group) as a climbing matrix, thereby protecting the legumes from overgrazing early on.

These tall forages are like the offensive linemen who protect the quarterback (legumes) from the oncoming rush (deer) long enough so that the quarterback has a chance to read the defense, set up and pass (establish and grow). The Institute strategy worked. PowerPlant is a blend of three legumes (including “LabLab” and a specially developed soybean) and several forages. PowerPlant provides an alternative source of high protein that will survive and thrive where ordinary peas, beans or other spring/summer annual products won’t.

Designed & Hosted by GTI
Best Viewed with IE 6 at 800X600