joeaveragehunter Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 In northern wi, I have tried turnips in my food plots. Year one about an acre. Year two half acre. This year quarter acre. The deer never touch them during the hunting season... we stop hunting after rifle season in early december. I have relatives who have also had similar results with turnips... deer not touching them. Unless I am way off, cold weather turns the starches to sugars and the deer are supposed to love them. Is it just in my area? I know a few people that swear by them down by the twin cities in MN. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 I planted some evolved habitat seed last week that has mostly turnips and rape in it.I hope I have better luck than you have had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 It took a good 2 to 3 years before the deer "learned" that they could eat them. Once they figured it out PT turnips are a mainstay for my cold season plots. Don't give up--they will eventually turn on to them and when they do you'll be planting more. todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 I've never had them hit very hard either. The deer do seem to be eating them some, but they never have been a very good draw for me. This is about my 4th year planting them. I'm hoping one of these days they decide to tear them up. I do mix mine with oats and winter peas, which the deer seem to like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 In the early days I had poor results also. I don't plant anything with turnips anymore. They were always there in the spring rotting. Standing corn and brassicas are my late season food sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darron Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 This was my first year planting a brassica plot and the deer are hitting it pretty good, even before our first frost. The tops are being eaten off. I'm in SE Ohio with very little ag fields, so this may be a factor as well. They are hitting my rye, triticale, wheat, oat, awp and red clover the hardest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 Like these guys said above me, it may take some time before the deer "learn" to eat em. The first year we planted turnips on our old farm, the deer literally walked around the food plot to get to where they were going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 We tried a brassicas mix here with purple top turnips and really did not have much luck. Tried another brassicas mix and got the same type results. The deer ate the greens some after the first frost, but they did not ever dig up any of the turnips like seen some places. We tried them for a couple years in a row in the same plot. Not sure why, but we watched deer walk through the brassicas to get to pasture grass in November and December when the turnips should have been a good draw. Maybe there is just too much other preferred food still available here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 They dug em right up here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 I'm no expert on the subject of whitetail feeding by any means, but personally I've never thought much of planting turnips for deer. I know lots of guys that plant them, but I always thought that was because most farmers around here plant greens in the fall, and deer do eat them, therefore folks think they love them, when the fact was that was the only thing in the garden. I've always found that given the choice of turnips vs clovers, wheat, oats, peas, etc, the turnips seemed to come in last. I know some folks swear by them, but I'm one that has yet to be convinced. Never tried the brassicas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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