Need ideas for food plot-
05-23-2013, 02:08 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/W WI.
Posts: 814
Need ideas for food plot-
I have a perm stand with soybeans out in front of it (7 acre field). I also have a little transition food plot where the deer usually come out of the timber. (I have a salt lick by this one) My question is: What would be a good seed to plant in the small transition plot. The deer usually hang out there and graze as well as use the salt lick.
I am thinking about turnups and beets. any Ideas anyone?
I am thinking about turnups and beets. any Ideas anyone?
05-23-2013, 05:03 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,178
I'm a Turnip Planting Fanatic,go for it! 
We usually plant some Rape & Brassicas since they are mostly the nice Big Green Leaves instead of the large Bulbs like a Turnip...I would put a mixture of similar Plants to give a Variety to the Deer,We also mixed in some Groundhog Raddishes last year with the Rape,Brassicas and Turnip blend.A few Years ago I also threw in some Sugar Beets and they did fairly good also....any Sugar Beets will cost a pretty Penny!
In 2 of our Food Plots on the Family Farm I used the Whitetail Institutes Tall Tine Tubers blend of 3 Hardy Turnips that did very good in the lower bottom Fields...other wise we just used plain Ol Purple Top Turnips that do great with some fertilizer as long as we get some decent rain?
Another thing to consider is the Deer will hit and browse the above Plants a little at first,don't fret...once a few good frost hits the Plants the Sugar level goes up and the Deer will hit it more thru the colder months!Even now the Deer will browse it occasionally as with other local plants and crops...Deer like many different varieties of Plants so don't dispair if they don't live in Your Food Plot,they travel move around where they feel safe and need good cover/bedding and water!
I Love my Turnip Plots and will continue to mix,improvise and try new things to get the Deer to stay in our Area where we Hunt,We also planted some Durana Clover in 4 Small Food Plots across some Big Timber in hopes of drawing in Deer more thru the Summer months...time will tell?
We usually plant some Rape & Brassicas since they are mostly the nice Big Green Leaves instead of the large Bulbs like a Turnip...I would put a mixture of similar Plants to give a Variety to the Deer,We also mixed in some Groundhog Raddishes last year with the Rape,Brassicas and Turnip blend.A few Years ago I also threw in some Sugar Beets and they did fairly good also....any Sugar Beets will cost a pretty Penny!
In 2 of our Food Plots on the Family Farm I used the Whitetail Institutes Tall Tine Tubers blend of 3 Hardy Turnips that did very good in the lower bottom Fields...other wise we just used plain Ol Purple Top Turnips that do great with some fertilizer as long as we get some decent rain?
Another thing to consider is the Deer will hit and browse the above Plants a little at first,don't fret...once a few good frost hits the Plants the Sugar level goes up and the Deer will hit it more thru the colder months!Even now the Deer will browse it occasionally as with other local plants and crops...Deer like many different varieties of Plants so don't dispair if they don't live in Your Food Plot,they travel move around where they feel safe and need good cover/bedding and water!
I Love my Turnip Plots and will continue to mix,improvise and try new things to get the Deer to stay in our Area where we Hunt,We also planted some Durana Clover in 4 Small Food Plots across some Big Timber in hopes of drawing in Deer more thru the Summer months...time will tell?
Last edited by GTOHunter; 05-23-2013 at 05:20 PM.
05-24-2013, 03:12 AM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 52
If this is your bow stand I would plant Clover and Chicory. Clover is a great food source for spring to fall and has little maintenance plus it will last 4 to 5 years. If this is your gun stand then turnips, rape and kale mixed is what I would put in. My experience is they will eat rape and kale in early fall and as you go into cooler days they will eat your turnips.
05-28-2013, 07:10 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Schuyler county,IL
Posts: 286
Depends on how small ?? If your deer numbers are mid /high than a small plot of turnips will get wipped out before the even gets rolling ? Clover can handle the pressure better than other plants.. You also have the option to electric fence off that small patch until its able to handle the pressure ?
