I've got two fields about 2acres a piece beautiful food plots and most of the time you can sit and see a few deer but its going to be pitch black dark and on my small patches that's about 80 to 100 yards long 20ft wide you can go and sit and see deer just about all the time. Just curious if any of yall have problems like this

That is one of the longest sentences I've ever read, lol

Deer like edge, the longer and narrower the plot the more daytime use you will get. I would suggest planting some corn or millet this spring in strips. Leave those standing this winter to provide more edge and cover to the field.

Josh hit it on the head. Create edge and structure out in the plot to make the deer feel secure. You will lose shot opportunities like this but it is the give and take.

I agree completely. Also, make sure you can get in and out of your stands undetected. Spooking deer leaving at dark, will make deer hesitant to come to your plots during daylight.

I had thought about planting the sun hemp and peas and leave them standing and this fall plant a v like pattern in the field.

What's a good way to create edge on a relatively rectangular 1 acre fall plot? I feel anything I plant this summer would get browsed away by the time the fall rolls around. Fall plot will be cereal rye, Crimson clover and rape.

You can do 2 things. Cut back the timber on the edge of your plots and let it grow up naturally, to create a soft edge, and plant some Egyptian wheat as a screen, until the native vegetation gets going good. The EW, can get 10-14' tall. Deer don't really browse EW.

Sweet, thanks.

I haven't noticed any of that on the places I hunt. I think location of the plot has more to do with it than anything. I'll see more deer in our plots that are next to wide azz open fields, than in the ones that have the "edges". It will be interesting to see if it makes a difference for you on your place. They may just like the smaller field better or may be closer to a bedding area. Be sure and keep us posted next year.

Same here. My biggest plot seems to have the most deer all the time. 3 acres woods to two sides. I think the sage helps the "edge" some. I normally cut it in Feb to get ready for turkey season and let it grow all summer. Deer love to move through it. My smaller, longer plots are tougher to get in and out of without being busted.

Deer, and especially bucks, feel safer in small plots during daylight. When small plots with adjacent cover exist, I see the most daylight buck activity in those plots versus large plots. I believe the close proximity of good cover--just a few bounds away--is the driving force in this discrepancy of usage.

I have always felt that the location and good thick edge around a plot is what brings deer and of coarse sweet grass keeps them coming back. Then you leave it alone as much as you can.

I prefer 1/2 to 1 acre green fields.

Yeah the largest plot I've seen discussed here so far is 2 acres. I don't really see a need for edge in a plot that small, definantley not in acre and 1/2 acre fields. Cover is never more than a bound or 2 away in those fields.