Habitat & Conservation  |  01/25/2016

South Dakota GFP Offers Free Food Plot Brood Mix


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The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is offering a new brood mix to help provide for wildlife in the spring and summer.

“Food plots are a great way to attract wildlife to your property and to assist wildlife such as deer and pheasants through the long winter months. Traditionally, corn and sorghum plots have filled this need. Now Game, Fish and Parks is offering a brood mix for spring and summer as well,” said Brian Pauly, GFP private lands habitat biologist.

The brood mix is an annual mixture of cover crop species designed to flower from spring through fall and then produce seed for wildlife forage during the winter months. By flowering, the brood mix provides pollinator habitat that traditional corn/sorghum food plots lack. Pollinating insects, such as bees, leaf hoppers, butterflies, moths and ants thrive in areas with flowering, broadleaf plants.  Insects comprise nearly 100 percent of a pheasant chick’s diet, making habitats for pheasant chicks to forage a key component of pheasant production.

Landowners can receive free brood plot mix, corn or sorghum seed to plant, plus receive a payment to help offset planting costs. Landowners interested in the brood mix can contact Brian Pauly at 605.353.7185 or Matt Grunig at 605.353.6699 before March 1, 2016.

For more information on South Dakota’s habitat programs and resources, visit habitat.sd.gov.

(Photo credit: Colby Kerber / Pheasants Forever)