Hunters who manage their own hunting land know that food plots can play several important roles in habitat improvement and the quality of hunting on their property.

Most obviously, a properly planted cold-season food plot can provide a pretty good place to hunt deer when deer season rolls around. But just as important is the fact that food plots, especially if they are timed to be productive when animals need high-quality food in their diets, can improve the number and health of game animals that use the land.

Hen turkeys will hold on land with food plots because poults need places to eat plants and bugs - both of which food plots support. In the spring, where there are hens, there will be toms. Doe groups will hold on ground that supplies them with the energy and protein they need to nurse fawn. Older, healthier does get the best habitat. And in the fall, healthier does are what the biggest bucks are looking for.

More and healthier game animals mean better hunting in the long run. But to have food plots, you have to have a way to plant them that is flexible and economical. That's why the Firminator from Ranew's Outdoor Equipment should be a part of any hunter's land management plan. The Firminator combines a heavy-duty disc harrow, a true agricultural-grade cultipacker and a precision ground-drive seed system in one unit that you can pull behind an ATV or a tractor.

It's a simple all-in-one system that discs the ground, puts the seeds in at the depth you choose, and then packs the ground to assure good seed-to-soil contact. It's everything you need to put in a food plot.

However, the line of Firminator products is designed with the understanding that different land managers have different equipment needs. Don't have a tractor? There's a Firminator ATV version for you. Do you just need the seeder? The Firmiseeder will do the job. You have a seeding system, but not a cultipacker? There's an option for a stand-alone cultipacker from Firminator. Do you work in very loose or sandy soils? The 16-inch heavy-duty cultipacker will easily roll over the loosest soils.

With the Firminator line of products, you can get just what you need for the job you want to do.

The Firminator system itself is also quite flexible; it handles seed as small as clover or as large as chufa; it can maneuver in small food plots; and it distributes seed based on the rate you choose even if the speed you pull it varies.

This year, resolve to have a better hunting season by putting in food plots. Make it easy on yourself by using Firminator equipment.

To learn more about the whole line of Firminator products and accessories, check out their web page at www.thefirminator.com.