How much do I need for a good food plot. I've never hunted before and will start this year, I am also planning to purchase some land in the near future for a home site and hunting my question is what is a reasonable amount of land that I need to look for. I'm active duty ARMY and I MIGHT retire in 6 years. I'm looking for a home site and hunting site I'd like to have them together but may consider two seperate pieces of land. What do you experienced hunters suggest. Money is somewhat of an issue. As you know Soldiers aren't rich. We are looking in either N.C or KY. Thanks for all responses.

IT WILL DEPEND ON THE DEER POPULATION AND HOW MUCH HUNTING LAND IS AROUND YOUR LAND...I HAD 40ACRES OF FAMILY LAND THAT HAD 2000 ACRES SURROUNDING IT AND WE SHOT PLENTY OF DEER...

SORRY.. ON A FOOD PLOT I FEEL LIKE THE BIGGER THE BETTER...BUT ALL YOU NEED IS SOMETHING BIG ENOUGH TO BIG THEM BY YOU AND SLOW THEM DOWN FOR A SHOT...

Pinetree makes a couple of good points.......you need to know how the surrounding properties are being managed and yes bigger is better but not always possible. 

When you go looking for property, get to know some the local residents and discuss hunting with them, you'll learn real quick what the feelings are in that area and it may help you decide on a specific tract of land. When looking at specific tracts, look for cover, water sources and natural food sources. If there is open pasture, then you can plant part or all of that as food plot(s). Even in the end, if all you can afford is 20+/- acres, then eventually you can turn that small amount of acreage into a "Mini Dynamo" of a hunting area for you and your family to enjoy for generations to come. 

Remember, your property will become what you make it, the harder you work to attract the deer and hold them close, the better your chances will be at putting meat in the freezer.

Good Hunting

Shawnibal Lecter

40 acres seems about right and more is better, but eaven the right one acre tract next to a game preserve or forrest might be enough. It's all about what is on the land. Deer need food water and cover.

I would go with 30 or more acres in KY.Some really nice reasonable farm houses down there with abundant deer,turkey,hogs,and in eastern KY the elk are getting bigger and bigger.

Hey Jermaine, have you looked into land up in Wilkes County? I live next to it in Yadkin County (used to live in Charlotte where youre at now) but Wilkes has a ton of deer, used to lease property up there every year, and there was an abundance of bucks, does, etc.

Iam in Canada and I have 4 quarter sections of land. Most of mine is woods expect for my plot areas. I use about 5 to 10 acres for a plot. My neighbours have fields of alf/clover which go as much as 160 acres. The deer are always out there feeding in the evening and early morning, so I had to come up with a food that they would come to before they headed out to the big fields and a bite before bedding down.

I grew chicory, turnips, kale, alf and birdsfoot trefoil...all of it was a sucess from Sept to Dec

Put a lot of effort into knowing your neighboring properties and what their plans are. Subdivisions etc. going in can hurt if you only have 30-40 acres. As far as food plots go, I think 3-5% is the number most go with. So if you have 100 acres try to have atleast 3-5 acres in food plots. The key is also to keep them going all year, not just during hunting season.