West Texas food plot?

[thedosranchhand]

I'm looking to get something different in the ground in Nolan county. Each neighbor has winter wheat planted each year so I'm looking for something different that might do good out here for my kill plot. I understand it all depends on moisture, but what have y'all planted that worked and grew out here. Thanks, Brice

[Sippy]

Try a forage oat. Mine get hammered every year more than my wheat in coleman county.

[thedosranchhand]

Anybody have anything else?

[BrandonA]

Purple Top Turnips planted with oats. The turnips are a Brasica and the deer won't tounch them really until you have a good freeze. Then they get a very sweet sugary taste and the deer love them. Like a deer cocaine.

[tef]

I've been wondering about the same thing. Second year on our lease in Foard Co., locals have wheat everywhere, but thought a little 1-2 ac plot of something "different" might draw them in more. My biggest concern out there is defintely moisture, but having said that, I noticed most if not all the wheat fields did good out there last year. Following this, thanks for posting.

[Kdog]

Purple Top Turnips planted with oats. The turnips are a Brasica and the deer won't tounch them really until you have a good freeze. Then they get a very sweet sugary taste and the deer love them. Like a deer cocaine.

When do you plant Brasica's in Texas?

[thedosranchhand]

^^^^

[Boomerang]

Anybody have anything else?

You are dry out West. Wheat is bitter but when it is the only green, they will eat it. Other winter crops have such fine seed it is hard to establish the roots between rain showers plus being hammered by deer. Try triticale! Seed planting depth is like wheat and more palatable, they love it. So if your neighbors are planting wheat, I think you can still draw a lot of deer in on triticale.

[Boomerang]

I've been wondering about the same thing. Second year on our lease in Foard Co., locals have wheat everywhere, but thought a little 1-2 ac plot of something "different" might draw them in more. My biggest concern out there is defintely moisture, but having said that, I noticed most if not all the wheat fields did good out there last year. Following this, thanks for posting.

I think 1-2 acres is too small. You may want to look at 20 acres for your plot.

[thedosranchhand]

One more time

[BrandonA]

When do you plant Brasica's in Texas?

We plant them right along with everything else. Usually in September.

[Kdog]

We plant them right along with everything else. Usually in September.

Cool thanks.

[Tejas Wildlife]

Turnip seeds are TINY! You will find they don't disperse equally, no matter how you sow them. I take a DRY gallon jug, standard milk jug type, fill it with seed & then punch 6+ holes in the bottom with my knife. Shaking the jug, i walk in a preplanned route 75-100 yards from my hunting stand. About a week AFTER a hard freeze the deer will start tearing the turnips up! Turnips serve as an "attractant" rather than a major food source. If you have cows on the place they will eat the turnips too.

[thedosranchhand]

Top

[unclefish]

I'll throw my vote for Cereal Rye (not rye grass). Its the most winter hardy of all the cereal grains. Deer love it and its more drought tolerant than wheat.

It will grow and germinate down to 34 degrees. In the spring it will get 4-5 feet tall and provides great fawn and quail cover. I plant the Elbon variety.