I'll agree and disagree with you eddiee - Your point is well taken, but doesn't address all the factors that need to be considered.

In its natural environment, a deer is programmed to feed on forbs, as a first choice, with good reason. Many weeds are highly nutritious compared to mast, or browse. Brushogging, or even turning over a field, then liming and fertilizing will produce a multitude of new, natural growth, and the deer will take to it well. Promoting natural forb growth through cutting, and fertilizing is an excellent addition to food plots.

As good as the new growth is, protein levels in most forbs rarley exceed 15%, and the availiblity is limited to the season. It is especailly lacking prior to green up, and during the dry parts of the summer, these are the times deer need to nutrition the most.

In fact, in June and even Sept, we commonly see deer passing up clover plots to feed on new weed growth. In times of plenty, at times, deer almost seem to prefer forbs, especially if they are fertilized.

A small plot of clover like you planted is great as an attractant, but will do very little to help the nutrition of your herd, or even a couple deer. One acre of very good clover will sustain the nutritional requirements of only 3 deer, for one year. But it is available for most of the year, and provides between 20-25% protein.

So, if improving the nutrition of your herd is the goal, you can see that several acres of food plots is required, to have much effect. I'm not saying don't enhance natural forb production, by all means do! Just, I would use it as a supplement, to the program, (same goes for increasing browse & mast production through cutting and fertilizing).