Are you referring to the honeysuckle bush as apposed to the vine type?
Whitetails, especially mature bucks and does feed on the vine type extensively even when there is ample corn and beans available. I believe that it, as well as other browse plants keep the microbes in their stomachs happy.

My water hole dried up this year

I've heard this advice as well, and in my experience it seems to be true. You also brought up another good point about logging. I think it's in deer hunter's DNA/genes to freak out when they realize where they hunt is about to get logged. But the highest deer and quail populations I've ever seen were in areas where logging is regularly taking place across the landscape.

Another thing that really makes a difference in those pine plantations is regular burning. But, WHEN you burn is almost as important as IF you burn. Seems like a growing season burn in the early spring really does the most for browse.

Yes, logging can be a great management tool. The loggers just showed up at my oak property Friday.

AJE how are your oak prices? Just spoke with our logger and and another logger around and prices are down almost 300 plus from last year. We are putting our oak stand due for thinning on hold until prices rebound. We have some magnificent large oaks to harvest.

Water hole dry, if dry dig it deeper, or fill it on occasion. 35-55 gal drums carry easy enough.

If one lives in the farmland regions of WI one does not need to create food for deer as there is far more calories available for them than they can utilize with the social carrying capacity that is desired. The idea of food plots and other enhancements is to move the existing population to the areas that those who create the plots to be in their area. I grew up in northwestern Jackson county and am very familiar with the density, size and structure of the deer herd in that area of WI. For the last 25 years I have hunted in sections of the national forests to get a different reflection on hunting whitetails. Far, far fewer deer are bagged but the hunt fits my current goals better.

Bryce

I live in the mountains of Virginia. Not much farmland close by, so I think food plots are worth it for me.

My ranch is surrounded by crop land of many sorts and bedding areas are many consisting of very rough country to river bottom area.

There is a lot of WT but in 50 years of hunting I have only harvested two WT deer. One was 40 years ago with a rifle and one about 6 years back with a bow. Really no need to create a food plot or bedding area to hunt over.

I started on habitat improvement measures about 18 years ago. General measures to improve habitat, not just hunting....to include planting hard and soft mast trees, timber stand improvement select cuts, planting small plots to clover (not generally for hunting).

I enjoy working with the habitat as much as hunting at times.

That said, all of these consultants are horn tooting self-promoters that are full of it. Certainly not all, but the best ones are hard to find. And I don't believe in exploiting the land for better deer hunting purposes only, which a lot aim for. And hinge cutting is one of the stupidest concepts floating around, and garbage for the general habitat. I saw pic on a forum last year of a moron (quasi-known photog) that hinge cut an 18" white oak. What a turd.

Finally, someone else sees the value of hinge cutting!

When asked to do it I politely refuse and explain why. I have not yet seen where it was of value. I find something more worthwhile to improve. I have seen some real disasters.

Food, water and bedding. Deer need a safe zone where they are not bothered and food and water in a short walk. I agree safe bedding in areas where there is a lot of hunting pressure. They will learn this in a short amount of time.

habitat (food, cover and water) is always key for any animal, deer or warblers, it does not matter.
If you figure out what is lacking in your area and key in on that.
There is no one answer for all areas.
Never been a fan of food plots. Timber stand improvement 1st, planting native food sources 2nd.
Habitat management is key if one wants more deer, food is just one part of the puzzle.

I live in ag country.
Deer move around to the food source of the week.
Apples at certain times, oaks, corn. It changes.

During gun season its all about safe spots, areas that have no hunting pressure.
They remain the same year after year. The cover is not any better, it just is free from hunters.
After opening morning odds get very bad for antler hunters.

Bow season, the bucks are traveling looking for does. They will be around for a couple of days then they are gone to find other does.
Usually 3-4 days in the first 10 days or so of Nov. in my area.
If you want antlers only thats the time to hunt.
Your odds will go up massively.

So in my area, yes, do habitat improvement but more importantly keep pressure light and you'll do fine as long as you have enough acres of habitat.

Many still have not figured out that forest is poor habitat for deer. Savanna/woodland is much better. Predators are not the limiting factor in deer populations, habitat is. Stop worrying about wolves and start up the chain saws and you'll have more deer.

Build a bunch of houses? I've seen a couple of big bucks in town this year.