[Spiker]

Anything you can do, will help. I have done some small logging trails in the woods and the deer love them. They are not more than 15 ft. wide and some are only a few hundred feet long, but the deer use it all the time. Sometimes small plots in the middle of some thick stuff, where the deer have lots of cover are the best. I'm not sure its their primary feeding spot, but they sure do love them.

 

[BUCKSOH]

Small ones are kill plots, large ones are more for the deer to stay healthy, and grow bigger bucks. We have always planted small ones by our stands, they are a perfect staging area.

 

[Devilfan]

BUCKSOH,

How big do you grow the small plots around your stand?

 

[BUCKSOH]

The last 3 we did were only 30' square, one problem we did have was ground hogs and rabbits, notice I said did, I know alot of guys just rake the ground and throw some seed in order for new growth around opening day, deer like the new growth.

 

[RxBowhunter]

In my opinion you will get better results with small "hunting" plots by planting them in the Fall. Spring plantings usually get eaten 100% leaving little if anything.
My small Missouri plot (30 yards x 30 yards) was eaten competely twice. Once after the Spring planting and again after an August planting. I did however kill a nice 8 pointer on opening morning over the plot so it did pay off.

 

[madhunter]

I have...

small plots because the land I hunt is surrounded by corn, beans, alfalfa, and hay. So I planted small ones in the woods around my stands, and they are great for mid day hunts as the deer come out to browse. My buddy has no crops around his place and he has small plots that are less than an acre and we see deer in them at all times of the day.

Truth is, it depends on the other food sources that are in the area.