Improving hayfields for deer and turkey?

[BlakeJ]

I have about 7-8 acres of pasture that gets bailed a few times a year. I was wondering if there's a way to improve it with some better forage for deer and turkey. I was thinking about broadcasting some seed after a bailing right before a big rain, and hoping for a little germination. But I'm not sure what seed to try. Maybe kleingrass and some kind of clover? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Central tx, good river bottom soil.

[BTLowry]

Do you intend to keep producing hay or do you want to convert?

I can't think of anything that you can plant to benefit deer and turkey that would be desirable in a hay field other than clover

[BlakeJ]

I'll keep bailing it.

[gingib]

can't do anything

[Deerguy]

If you kep it in hay production, none of the 'improved' (non-native) grasses are beneficial for deer and other wildlife. Even for beneficial species, monocultures are typically not good. You need a a diversity of herbaceous species, which can be found in several seed mixes from places like Bamert Seed, Native American Seer, Turner Seed, etc. General prescription if to glyphosate the entire field (probably twice) during the growing season to limit future competition, and then drill the native seed the following spring. Don't fertilize, as this will promote the non-native stuff.

[Razrbk89]

We mix about a pound of clover seed per acre in with fertilizer every other year. That keeps a good layer of clover in our pastures/hay fields. We have the right weather/moisture to keep clover year round with no maintenance, so that helps..

We have one 20 acre Bermuda hay bottom that is a wildlife desert. Bermuda, rye, & fescue are worthless to wildlife.

[shark79]

If you had access to a no till drill you could plant oat and wheat in Sept.

[Slick8]

Oats and clover.

As stated above, a drill will give you best results. Let the oats go till your first spring cut and bail.

[J&M Hamilton10]

Clover and vetch

[d_e_smith]

Drop a disc around the edge and a cpl runs down the middle...the junk deer like will show up in no time.

[Big pig]

I would plant along the edges by broadcasting oats.
Would it hurt the hay production next spring if you
Broadcast oats, wheat and elbon rye seeds lightly across the field?

[BlakeJ]

Thanks for the info, I'll mess with a couple acres this fall and see what happens.