Best Food Plot Seed for Spring: Why "Herd & Flock" is the Ultimate Multi-Species Solution
Share
To maximize antler growth and turkey brood success, the best food plot seed is a diversified annual clover blend like Hunt Theory 1: Herd & Flock. This precision-engineered mix utilizes Variety Stacking, combining Persian, Balansa, Berseem, and Crimson clovers to provide 25–30% crude protein during the critical spring "window" when bucks grow velvet and turkey poults require high-insect environments for survival.
Quick Facts: Hunt Theory 1: Herd & Flock
-
Target Species: White-tailed deer (antler growth/lactation) and Wild Turkeys (nesting/brooding).
-
Protein Content: Delivers a consistent 25% + crude protein levels from early spring through mid-summer.
-
Variety Stacking: Includes 4 elite annual clovers to ensure staggered maturity and drought resistance.
-
Soil Impact: Acts as a nitrogen factory, fixing up to 150 lbs of Nitrogen per acre for future crops.
-
Insect Production: High pollinator draw creates the protein-rich insect "buffet" necessary for turkey poult survival.
-
Graze Tolerance: Engineered to thrive under heavy pressure; the more they eat, the more it tilths and regrows.
Why Spring Nutrition Defines Your Hunting Success
Many land managers make the mistake of focusing solely on fall attraction. However, antlers are grown in the spring and summer, not in the winter. From March through August, a buck's body is a construction site for living bone, requiring massive amounts of protein and minerals. If the nutrition isn't there during the "Spring Green-up," the buck's genetic potential is capped before the season even begins.
Simultaneously, wild turkeys are entering their most vulnerable life stage. Nesting hens and newly hatched poults require a specific habitat dense enough to hide from predators but open enough to navigate while hunting for insects. Hunt Theory 1: Herd & Flock was designed to solve this dual-species challenge, providing a "biological engine" that feeds the herd, the flock, and the soil simultaneously.
What is Herd & Flock?
Hunt Theory 1: Herd & Flock is a science-driven wildlife seed blend designed specifically for spring and summer performance. Unlike single-species clover plots that peak and die off quickly, Herd & Flock uses four distinct annual clovers that mature at different intervals.
The Power of Variety Stacking
-
Persian Clover: Provides ultra-early spring growth and exceptional palatability.
-
Balansa Clover: Known for massive biomass and the ability to handle wet, heavy soils.
-
Berseem Clover: The "King of Forage," driving high tonnage during the peak of June antler growth.
-
Crimson Clover: Offers rapid early vigor and bright blooms that attract the insects turkeys depend on.
How it Improves Wildlife Health & Attraction
1. Forage for Antler Growth
During the velvet stage, antlers can grow up to an inch per week. This requires a diet rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorus. Because clover is a legume, it produces "succulent" forage that is easy to digest, allowing bucks to convert nutrients into bone mass with maximum efficiency.
2. The Turkey Brood Factor
A successful turkey food plot must be an "insect factory." The flowering clovers in Herd & Flock attract pollinators and soft-bodied insects. These are the primary protein sources for turkey poults during their first 28 days of life. Without this "bugging" habitat, poult recruitment often plummets.
3. Soil Regeneration and Nitrogen Fixation
Every plant in this blend is a nitrogen fixer. As the clovers grow, they pull nitrogen from the air and store it in root nodules. When you eventually rotate this plot into fall brassicas or cereal grains, you are planting into "pre-fertilized" soil, saving you money and improving soil health.
How to Plant Herd & Flock: Step-by-Step
For the best results and highest deer attraction, follow these planting guidelines:
-
Soil Test: Ensure your pH is between 6.0 and 7.0. Clover cannot "fix" nitrogen in highly acidic soil.
-
Timing: Plant in early spring (as soon as the ground thaws) or frost-seed in late winter (February/March).
-
Seedbed Prep: Ensure a firm, clean seedbed. If using a no-till drill, set the depth to 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
-
Seeding Rate: Broadcast at 10–12 lbs per acre for a pure stand, or 5–8 lbs if mixing with cereal grains.
-
Inoculation: All Hunt Theory seeds come pre-inoculated with the specific Rhizobium bacteria needed for maximum nitrogen fixation.
FAQ: Herd & Flock and Spring Food Plots
What is the best way to improve turkey sightings?
Planting a flowering legume blend like Herd & Flock creates "bugging" habitat. Turkeys will spend hours in these plots searching for insects, making them highly visible and increasing recruitment.
How does "Herd & Flock" help with antler growth?
It provides high-octane protein (25%+) during the specific months (April–July) when antlers are actually being formed.
Can I frost-seed this blend?
Absolutely. The small seeds of the annual clovers in this blend are perfect for frost-seeding, allowing the freeze-thaw cycle of the soil to "suck" the seed to the perfect depth.
How long will this plot last?
As an annual blend, it is designed for high-performance output over one growing season. However, many of these clovers will "hard seed" and may volunteer the following year with proper management.
Is this blend drought-tolerant?
Yes. Berseem and Balansa clovers have deeper taproots than traditional white clovers, allowing them to stay green longer during the "July slump."
Does this blend require fertilizer?
Because it fixes its own nitrogen, you generally only need to add Phosphorus and Potassium (P & K) based on your soil test. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they will encourage weed competition.
The Hunt Theory Foundation: Stewardship That Compounds
At Hunt Theory, we don't just sell "deer candy." We provide a science-based framework for land stewardship. Herd & Flock is the cornerstone of a hunting habitat improvement strategy that prioritizes the biological needs of the entire ecosystem. By feeding the soil and the insects, you create a ripple effect that results in heavier bucks, larger turkey flocks, and a more resilient property.