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S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S 1 1 1 and developing forages and nutrition products specifically for whitetail-deer management. And a new term was coined as well; food plot. W hen I first got into the world of whitetail nutrition, we knew that the quality of deer herds was determined by three primary factors: age, genetics, and nutrition. Hunters influenced age with their kills, Mother Nature dispensed the genes, and on a micro scale, hunters and herd managers could supplement nutrition through food plots. Better nutrition, better does and fawns, better bucks and racks. It was a revelation—and a revolution. Protein provided the foundation for improved nutrition, and the clover, a legume, provided it. Unlike humans, deer instinctively know what they need to thrive, and the higher protein content of clover compared to other plants attracted deer. At the time, protein was a seldom- used word in deer-hunting circles. However, at the institute, researchers quickly learned of the vital role protein plays in the deer's life, especially antler growth, doe lactation, and muscle and because I had planted clover previously, and the whitetails didn't seem to care much for it. But I had hardly climbed from my stand when I began tracking down the origins of the clover that had been so attractive to the deer. In an amazing case of serendipity, the clover had been developed for cattle at my alma mater, Auburn University, by agronomist Dr. Wiley Johnson. When I first met Dr. Johnson I asked him, "Can you develop a clover that would be optimal, one specifically for whitetails?" Dr. Johnson said he'd try and accepted my challenge to engineer a deer-specific perennial clover planting. After much real-world testing and after everyone was assured that such a forage had indeed been developed, I founded the Whitetail Institute of North America in 1988. Since then the institute has been dedicated to improving the quality of whitetails through better nutrition. The patented clover seed was released to the public. The result of that small flame ignited a whole new industry built around deer nutrition. The Whitetail Institute was the first and only company at the time with the sole purpose of researching erfect for planting food plots, Kubota's new 4-wheel drive BX1870 can work smoothly even in tight places. Powered by an 18-horespower, 3-cylinder diesel engine, the tractor features hydraulic power steering, 4-wheel drive, and bright halogen headlights. P