bucksniper14, where are you located in WI? I am a WI native as well, now a cheesehead in the twin cities. Turnips will work well if you are into late season bow hunting (or if you have snow during the gun season). Deer will paw through snow to get the green tops all winter long. It will be tough to compete with corn and alfalfa fields. Soybeans (roundup ready for easy weed control) would be my choice in that situation, then turnips on part of the plot (where ever the deer chewed off most of the beans) for a late fall/winter food source.

Why can't you use fertilizer? I have 3 food plots and a garden on CRP ground. All of them get fertilizer, and the WI-NRCS (USDA) recommends fertilizer on contracted food plot land (see link).

The grow coat will not be a cure all. If there was a cheap coating that would guarantee a successful crop, every farmer would use it; and not put in the time preparing a good seed bed, planting to depth, fertilizing, liming, and controlling weeds. Another suggestionis to get a soil test, especially if you have sandy soil and/or are considering clover or alfalfa.

ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/WI/jobsheets/js-136.pdf