I was having a discussion with another member about whether hunting over a pile of corn is the same as hunting over a food plot. For discussion, let's call it a turnip field of about 300 yards by 200 yards in dimension.

His argument is that it's the same thing. I say the differences are vast.

1.) The field is huge. The deer can come out anywhere and be out of range at all times. The pile of corn assures they will be right under your stand.
2.) The field is there 24/7 for months. Deer can come in the middle of the night if they choose. The field cannot be set on a timer to be available at 7:00am and 3:00pm.
3.) The field is in a fixed spot. As the season changes, and deer move into different areas, you cannot put the field in a bucket and bring it with you. It's there.
4.) Deer don't like standing out in the open in broad daylight. You can pour corn in the thickest of cover.
5.) Fields go through stages. Sometimes the greens are not palatable. Eventually, the deer burn it out. Corn can always be replenished, as needed, and it's always ripe.
6.) Food plots require spraying weeds, removing rocks, disc plowing the soil, putting down lime, planting seed, fertilizing and waiting......desperately hoping for the right mix of rain and sun and hoping you get a nice green field in several months. The bait is a trip to Agway or Dick's.

These are just 6 of the differences off the top of my head.

And, if we want to get rid of the turnips and replace with a corn:corn comparison, imagine a field of standing corn vs a pile of corn. It's acres upon acres of the thickest cover around.

What say the sportsmen on this site?

not the same thing whatsoever. Any one can go dump a pile of corn and have deer come to it. True deer managers take time to put in the right food plots. A turnip field provides late season nutrition to a variety of deer, they eat the greens and the roots. A pile of corn is first come first serve.

I think I would get a lot more out of killing a deer from a food plot then dumping a bucket of corn by my stand and calling it a day. Heck I enjoy the sweat equity that goes into a food plot just as much as I do hunting the thing.

another thing, food plots will not spread disease as quickly as a pile of corn.

I'll agree that they aren't the same thing. I don't hunt over corn but its there before season starts and I hunt there when it starts. Same with my plots, I hunt them when its time. Myself I don't really see nothing wrong with putting out corn to attract them to your area. Some people will grip about that comment, but I really don't care. Different strokes for different folks as long as its within the laws of your state.

Not the same thing at all ..

I've found that typically the ones who equate the two are usually just jealous because they likely don't have foodplots of their own for a multitude of reasons... but they certainly WOULD if they could! Therefore they resort to baiting & want to make themselves feel better so they openly state the two as equal.

I annually plant & maintain 10 plots on my land as well as trim, bush hog & mow areas within my 625acres specifically for wildlife food & habitat. It's ALOT of hard work, time & money but the rewards are numerous: food sources & improved habitat for ALL wildlife &, great hunting spots & it's a VERY rewarding part of my giving something back to the land.

Pouring a bucket of corn/foodstuffs or whatever out on the ground during season is hardly the same.

I hunt near both and they are very different. Deer can normally take a lot of different trails to a food plot making for a hunting experience where as a pile of corn there is usually a couple of trails coming to the corn pile.

We utilize both corn and food plots where legal. Surely the food plots and corn are different, but both can be useful when done correctly.

Corn is like wine, you have free wine at a party all the single ladies will be tipsy before the DJ even plays a terrible Beyonce song. We use corn to attract and hold does as we do not shoot does on our lease. We think that this works as stated previously because during the rut the does will come out and munch on a little corn and bachelor buck comes on in looking for some fun. I've not shot a buck eating corn, but I've shot a bunch checking does that were eating corn.
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong; but I'm paying for the corn so I'll use it as I wish.

Granted it grinds my gears when some dummy sees a scrape or rub and automatically wants to go sling corn out right next to it.

Food plots are practical and great ways to provide forage for your deer population. I love going to the camp and bush hogging, discing, sowing, discing in, fertilizing and watching the plots mature. Guess its just the farmer in me.

So for years I have just had a gravity deer feeder and my friend said I should make a food plot. What kinda of seed should I put in the plot?

cow peas, turnips, barley, a lot depends on if you want to shoot deer out of it, or just help them through the winter.
RR