By: Ryan Basinger

Ryan Basinger of Alabama is a certified wildlife biologist and the Wildlife Consulting Manager for Westervelt Wildlife Services. He has a broad range of professional experience managing wildlife populations and their habitats on public and private lands throughout the Southeast. Ryan has conducted research on a variety of species and habitats where he examined the effects of various forest management techniques on browse production, availability, preference, and nutrition for white-tailed deer. Ryan also has conducted extensive food plot research where he compared production, nutrition, preference, and availability of various forages planted for deer. He earned his bachelor's degree in wildlife science from Mississippi State University and his master's in wildlife management from the University of Tennessee.

Food Plot Species Profile: Buckwheat

Jan 14, 2015 Ryan Basinger

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a warm-season annual forb that can provide several benefits to your whitetail food plot program. However, it is not a legume, as are some of the more commonly planted summer deer forages,…

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Food Plot Species Profile: Berseem Clover

Sep 19, 2014 Ryan Basinger

One of the primary reasons berseem clover hasn’t gained much traction since its introduction to the U.S. in 1896 is that it lacks winter hardiness. Likewise, its use as a deer forage has been limited….

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Food Plot Species Profile: Red Clover

Jun 30, 2014 Ryan Basinger

If you don’t have red clover growing in some of your food plots, let me explain why you should. Dr. Craig Harper and I examined red clover in research plots in Tennessee for several years. We…

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Food Plot Species Profile: Iron Clay Cowpeas

May 2, 2014 Ryan Basinger

Iron-clay cowpeas are one of my all-time favorite summer forages for deer. I have probably planted more acres in cowpeas during summer than any other species. Cowpeas are relatively inexpensive, easy to establish and manage,…

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Food Plot Species Profile: Soybeans

Jan 24, 2014 Ryan Basinger

Soybeans (Glycine max) are a warm-season annual legume and perhaps the most preferred summer forage for white-tailed deer. They are extremely nutritious, containing upwards of 25 to 30 percent crude protein in fields with good…

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