Trends, I think you'll see states with already great deer starting to listen and plant food plots, here in IL most people seem to think, the state is 1 large food plot, I keep reading articles to contradict this, the monster buck shot late in season......the 1 guy in the state with a food plot, geez I wish I owned some land, you'd be reading about me!

The problem with Round up and glycophosphate is that it has been used for years and some pest plants are now resistant insome areas. In Argentina, Johnson grass is now immune. In the eastern US there are several weeds that are either very resistant or immune to Round Up and other herbicides. At our three places we plant in the spring before the grasses get established, we plant thick. For the fall planting we wait until the native grasses are dormant-no weed problems at all. I ain't a production farmer, i plant food plots for game animals.

My two cents: I think we hunters will eventually realize that no matter how many food plots we plant or how much money we pour into them, they don't necessarily produce more or bigger deer. I think the food plot craze is just that: a fad that will subside in the next five to ten years as hunters decide that it's a hell of a lot of work for no substantial payback. Large landowners and commerical hunting operations with thousands of acres will continue to plant food plots, but those of us with smaller lots will decrease the amount of time and money we put into them.

hey buddy, i'd say you should try and contanct a couple of people who are assocaited with the food plotting business and see if they can give you any inside info as to what they are developing and where they see their companies going. I know whitetail institute is usually very quick about getting back in touch with you if you send in an email.

As far as...
I'd say that a statement like this is as ignorant as saying that supplements, protein, etc. etc. do not aid in muscle development and training in athletes...a better, healthier diet has been priven to produce bigger bucks and, more importantly, a healthier deer herd

To compare humans to free-ranging deer is even more ignorant. I'm simply saying that there are so many more factors involved in producing quality deer and bigger bucks than planting food plots. A better, healthier diet may produce a healthier deer herd in controlled situations, but thereare so many other variables that come into play besides planting a field of clover or wheat.
Again, when hunters realize that all the time and money they put into food plots on a ten, 50 or even 200-acre plot of land doesn't show direct results in the form of bigger deer, they'll stop planting them. It's a fad that will run its course. Will lots of hunters continue to plant food plots? Sure, but you'll see many others decide the results don't justify the cost.

ignorant, no big fella, as i do not lack knowledge in the field about which we speak a simple analogy was used in order to make reference to the given situtation at hand.

I don't see people stopping planting plots either. I suppose a few land owners might go this way, but with the cost of property - I think must hunters want to manage it in some fashion, and if feilds are present, they'llplant them.

I can see maybe theselittle plot mixeslike "Secret Spot", and others going away. Maybe this is what you mean - I think 1/2 the guys buying this stuff sprinkle it around their treestand and expect every 140+ class buck for miles to come in and devour it. Of course, when hunting season rolls around - its "not exactly"what they expected.

FH

I agree with FH. You get what you put into it. I can tell you from living in the middle of the best farmers in the U.S., and pulling more deer that would make your head spin to my farm, food plots work, but you can't spare the work.

On the foggiest days of last year, (you couldn't see across 2acre field) I counted 25+ on the reminents of RR forage soybeans. Oh, yeah this was not all day but about a 2hour period, and I'll bet I was only able to count a little over half.

Now, yes many landowner are finally learning there is more to it than just foodplots, like NWSG, tree plantings and so forth.