Bow-plots

Hunt plots.  This is where the magic happens.  Deer love to meet there, and hunters follow them.  Any small clearing can be made into a hunt plot.  These little plots are like small little "grocery stores" out in the middle of absolutely nowhere.  I 'm going to refer to them as "bow-plots" because you can shoot deer anywhere in the plot, and because of an ideal shape to plant the bow-plot.

Planting a huntable shaped plot
Though bow-plots can be any shape, and they usually range from 1 acre at most to however small you want it to be.  The a good shape for a mini plot is a capital L or a crescent (hence the name "bow-plots", because a bow is crescent shape).  If you plant this way, and if your plot is 1 to 1 half an acre in size, then you may consider putting two stands at that plot.  This way you can sneak away without the deer on the other side knowing you were there.  If your plot is smaller than half an acre, then I would suggest one stand at that plot, because deer will probably notice your going away if the plot is 1 fourth an acre or smaller.  For hunting purposes a narrow plot is better than a wide one.  This way any deer that walks into the plot is likely in bow range, even if he is on the other side of the plot.  But for plants, a wide plot is better.  In that case, plant the plot pointing east to west to give the plot maximum amount of sunlight everyday.  But take make use of what is available to you.  Any small clearing should do.  Even a couple of downed trees that are next to each other can work because it lets in sunlight.

What to plant
Okay, now that we have a huntable shaped plot, what do we plant?  Many brands of food plot mixes work well, such as Antler King, Whitetail Institute, Evolved Habitats, and Tecomate.  But if your not looking for a brand name, then I would suggest that you have a mix in your plot made up of chicory or rape with some clovers and some turnips or radishes for winter. 

Why they work
Bow-plots work because whitetails feel more comfortable in these little plots because they are only a jump or two from cover.  They also work because (as I have said earlier) that any deer that comes into the plot is likely to wind up into bow range.  Usually they are located closer to bedding areas so deer are more likely to visit them in the daylight hours.  They are places that deer will most likely visit a couple times of day, which will most likely be morning and late in the afternoon.  Every buck in the area adds the plot to his trips around the area looking for scrapes of other bucks to challenge them in the rut and sniffing for does that are ready to breed.  This is where the big guys are, because of their experience of looking for danger, they feel more comfortable in these secluded spots.  Fatal mistake.  If your there when he walks in, he's in your cross-airs.