How to measure your plot
Acreage is the starting point for every other number — seed, lime, and fertilizer all scale from it. Measure the plot in feet, find its area, and divide by 43,560to get acres. For a rectangle, that's length × width; pace it off, use a measuring wheel, or drop pins in a GPS-area app. Get this right and the rest of your plan falls into place.
Odd-shaped plots
Real plots are rarely tidy rectangles. The trick is to break the plot into simple shapes — a rectangle here, a triangle there — calculate each with the tool above, and add the pieces together. A long, curving field edge is usually close enough if you treat it as a rectangle at its average width.
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Acreage Calculator FAQ
- How do I calculate the acreage of a food plot?
- Measure the plot in feet, calculate its area in square feet, then divide by 43,560 (the number of square feet in an acre). For a rectangle that's length × width; for a circle it's 3.14 × radius²; for a triangle it's ½ × base × height. The calculator above does the division for you.
- How many square feet are in an acre?
- One acre is 43,560 square feet. So a 100 ft × 200 ft plot is 20,000 sq ft, or about 0.46 acres. A square acre is roughly 209 ft on a side.
- How do I measure an irregular-shaped plot?
- Break it into simple shapes — rectangles and triangles — measure and calculate each piece, then add the areas together. For curved or complex boundaries, a phone GPS-area app or mapping tool that lets you drop pins around the perimeter is the fastest way to a good estimate.
- How big should a deer food plot be?
- Most hunting plots run a quarter-acre to two acres. Small 'kill plots' near stands are often 1/4–1/2 acre; larger nutrition or destination plots are 1–5+ acres. Bigger plots stand up to browse pressure better — small plots can get over-grazed before they establish.