Most gardeners are looking for ways to keep deer out of their yards, but many of us love to see deer and other wildlife in our backyard. So today we are going to teach you how to attract deer to your yard.
Food Plots
Food plots are a great way to attract deer to your yard. A food plot is a small parcel of land that you plant specifically for deer.
The most popular food plot seed is clover and the best clover for food plots is Imperial Whitetail Clover from The Whitetail Institute.
Clover is a perennial crop that will return year after year and the deer love it.
I like to plant it in a 10 foot wide strip on the edge of my yard so that the deer will feel comfortable coming out in the daylight to feed.
The downside with food plots is that they take up a lot of space, which leads us to our next choice, which takes up very little space.
Deer Attractants
The best deer attractants are made from ingredients that deer crave and they are simply spread on the ground in a small area.
The deer in your area will be drawn to the attractant and will keep returning to get more of the stuff they crave.
Deer attractants come in many different forms, from mineral powders to liquid attractants. Mineral blocks and salt blocks.
They not only attract deer , but they also provide nutrition and trace minerals that help does to birth healthy fawns and help bucks reach their potential for growing antlers.
In our society of instant gratification, deer attractants are the easiest and fastest way to attract deer to your property and keep them coming back day after day.
Apple Trees
Deer love apples and one of the best ways to attract them to your property is to plant apple trees along the perimeter, or if you have enough land, a small apple orchard would have deer in your yard constantly during late summer and early fall.
The big drawback to planting apple trees is the amount of time it takes for the trees to mature and start bearing fruit, but the upside is tremendous!
If you don’t want to plant apple trees, consider just dumping apples!
When I was a kid, my grandfather used to take me to his friend’s house. His friend used to buy a dump truck load of apples and dump them in his backyard.
I will never forget the sight of all those deer coming into his yard in the afternoon to eat those apples.
Salt Licks
Salt licks or salt blocks are another great way to attract deer to your yard.
Deer crave the salt and minerals that their body’s need and will return day after day to a salt block or lick that they feel comfortable using.
The key to attracting deer with a salt block is to put them where the deer feel comfortable coming out in the daylight hours.
Maybe in a corner of your yard that is difficult to see or some kind of sanctuary where the deer will feel safe and able to return.
Final Thoughts
Many gardeners want to keep deer out of their yard, but thankfully there are many of us that love to see deer in our yard and are willing to plant more so that the deer can thrive with us.
We have shown you how to attract deer to your yard. Now it is up to you to pick one of the methods or blend more than one together and enjoy the beauty of having deer in your backyard.