Peter Fiduccia - The Deer Doctor
-Woods N' Water Big Game Adventures-
Food Plot Consulting Services
Peter is acknowledged as an authority on planting food plots for deer and other wildlife. For over 30-years Peter has provided hunters with professional food plot advice. His advice about plating food plots has appeared in magazine articles, in books, newspaper columns and on his nationally syndicated television program "Woods N' Water."
Over the years, Peter has consulted with numerous property owners and/or lessees, organizations, and hunting clubs about successfully planting food plots. Peter will visit your property and work to develop a soundproof food plot management plan that specifically fits your long-term hunting goals. During the time spent with the client, Peter will evaluate the property and make realistic recommendations regarding seeds, fruit and nut trees and other plantings to improve your deer hunting and overall wildlife habitat.
Peter's information is true-to-life. Although he assures clients the plots will attract deer, including adult bucks, he doesn't make false claims or exaggerations that food plots will "hold deer" (particularly mature bucks) on a piece of land indefinitely. The fact is, whether you own fewer than 50 acres or 500 or more, it is virtually impossible to hold deer, especially adult bucks -- even more so during the rut.
Peter will tailor a practical food plot plan that will increase the deer hunting success ten-fold. His unorthodox food plot planting plan will have deer, including mature bucks, visiting your plots when you want them there most--during the daylight hours of hunting season.
During his visit to evaluate a property, Peter recommends that clients take notes. His sage advice will save you time, frustration, and money. A sound food plot plan is a prerequisite to taking your hunting success to the next level, while developing a more appealing piece of property for attracting deer.
Peter specializes in developing food plots that include blight resistant chestnut and fruit trees. Plots developed with these types of trees can bear fruit within three to five years. Peter's key to planting successful chestnut and fruit tree food plots (small orchards) in both fields and woods, is designed by planting only late-dropping crops (late October to mid-November).
What Peter Covers on his Site Evaluation
Of course, this varies from property to property. However, Peter will deal with all aspects of potential seed plantings, naturally available food, specific nut and fruit trees.
Where to Plant Food Plots
Like most successful farm practices, food plots grow best in areas that have provided flourishing vegetative growth.
Creating Deer Cover
A primary way to quickly create cover that also provides deer with an on-going source of food, is to use a term called "hinge-cutting." (Note: Hinge-cutting can be dangerous & should be done only by a professional.) Peter will cover this topic as well as how to improve the overall health of natural vegetation including bushes, berries, oak trees, forbs, hard and soft mast browse and even weeds. Did you know that poison sumac and poison ivy are preferred sources of food for deer? Or that deer eat a weed known as golden rod?
Create a Refuge
A refuge (or sanctuary) is a key element to helping to keep deer using your property on a consistent basis. In fact, several families of does, yearlings and fawns will begin to use a refuge as a primary bedding area. This is only true, however, if a refuge is created and used exactly as the dictionary defines the word - refuge. All size properties can dedicate acreage to create a successful sanctuary.
Realistic Expectations
Peter provides clients with proven hunting strategies that he has used for 5+ decades to encourage deer (including mature bucks) to use any given piece of property more often. While it is virtually impossible to "hold" mature bucks on any given piece of land indefinitely, it is very possible to keep them returning to your property on a consistent basis by using the right tactics.
Some elements include: creating buck and doe beds, low-impact hunting tactics, water-holes, refuges, hunting areas that attract does, pinch points, inside corners, etc. All these and more will regularly encourage deer to use your land more than your neighbors.
Reduce Predator Populations
Peter provides simplistic but highly effective advice on how to drastically reduce the potential of coyote and/or bear predation of deer on your land -- without ever having to life a firearm or set a trap.
Deter Poaching
Peter suggests sound advice on how to drastically reduce the potential of deer being poached from your property.