[johnnybow]

Does it have to freeze before they really start hitting them?

 

[Guest]

It depends on how many deer there are to the food available.

I've seen brassicas wiped out in September and seen them untouched in February.

 

[CJBS2003]

My turnips are already gone this year... Years past it wasn't until December. Check out my buddies kiss my brassicas posts. His turnips are about gone as well.

 

[Guest]

I would say I'm getting less usage this year than last.

 

[magnus]

I've been getting steady browsing on the leaves ever since they emerged. Same with the turnips, ever since they formed. But lately, the deer are walking past clover, corn, and soybeans to get to the brassica, including turnips.

 

[HomeintheWoods]

I have an extremely good mast crop. The deer have utilized the forage brassicas, but not wiped them out. The turnips have seen less usage but they are being eaten. I would guess that 60% of my greens are still there and 85% of my turnips are still available. If it hadn't been for the extremely wet fall conditions I think I would have a very robust brassica plots heading into late fall. For reference, I planted 4.5 acres of brassicas or mixtures this August.

 

[threeinchmag]

In my experience they hit the turnip tops after the rape is gone.Then after the turnip leaves are done they munch on the bulbs throughout the winter.

 

[CROW MASTER]

my brassicas are shot , the deer hit 'em hard. they never got a chance to develop the beet, the deer stressed them out. inside my apple tree inclosures they're are 3-5'' beets where the deer cant get at them

 

[threeinchmag]

How big is your plot?

 

[indianahunter]

First year for me.... For sure they hit the rape hard early, then began to hit the turnips. Not one root eaten that i could see today. Cant walk across the field without steppin on a good 3-6" root. Did notice a huge drop in forage after the last frost. Leaves turned a little yellow and they stopped eating them. Seem to be in the cover crops from the chopped corn. Barley? it looks like. Nice 3-4" shoots. Might try a strip of barley/rye/wheat for next year. Plant it about oct 1st, to peak now.

 

[CJBS2003]

I planted my wheat and oats in early Sept and it has done quite well. The deer have been in it since the opening of archery and are still hammering it along with the winter peas and clover mixed in.

 

[Littlepond]

Checked a neighbors food plot over the weekend and there was lots of activity in the turnip patch.

 

[JB#24]

Took a look at my turnips tonight at camp. Looks like i had pigs in my field. they have everything ripped up and with the thawing they have it all mud where they have been pawing up the snow.