Thoughts on chicory (Fusion)?

[Stubborn1vt]

Just wanted to ask others for their experience planting chicory.  I have planted it, but I can't say that the deer LOVE it.  It's tough, drought tolerant and can withstand grazing.  Is it palatable or preferred?  Is a clover/chicory mix better than a straight clover planting?  These questions are probably not important in the grand scheme of things, but I am bored until I have a tag in my pocket again.  Next week!

[mowin]

31 minutes ago, Stubborn1vt said:

Just wanted to ask others for their experience planting chicory.  I have planted it, but I can't say that the deer LOVE it.  It's tough, drought tolerant and can withstand grazing.  Is it palatable or preferred?  Is a clover/chicory mix better than a straight clover planting?  These questions are probably not important in the grand scheme of things, but I am bored until I have a tag in my pocket again.  Next week!

Food plots have become so advanced, and IMO, complicated during the past 15yrs. So many verities, techniques and opinions, it's different to figure out what's the best course of action for ones budget and equipment on hand. 

[Robhuntandfish]

I've been using mixes. They seem to get a choice of whatever they want. That being said I can't seem to get radish and brassicas to grow very well in my areas.  I think it's too wet.  Clover and rye grasses grow fantastic though.  The mixes I use have some chickory and they do seem to leave that for the clover first but it all seems to get eaten.  My little plots were chewed to the ground. 

[Teamhoyt]

Ii think next year I'm planting clover on the logging roads on our lease. We have no fields just 85 acres of hardwood. Not seeing many deer, so I figure clover will bring in the does. Build up the doe population and eventually everything will work out. Could be wrong but it's worth a try

[Upstate Nerdneck]

1 hour ago, Stubborn1vt said:

Just wanted to ask others for their experience planting chicory.  I have planted it, but I can't say that the deer LOVE it.  It's tough, drought tolerant and can withstand grazing.  Is it palatable or preferred?  Is a clover/chicory mix better than a straight clover planting?  These questions are probably not important in the grand scheme of things, but I am bored until I have a tag in my pocket again.  Next week!

I put in 2 acres of clover and chicory for my spring/summer plot this year.  I've never gotten more pictures of deer so consistently before.  They were hammering it absolutely every night.  I had to trim it twice with my brush hog.

2 things to note:

They seemed to vastly prefer the clover the first 2 weeks of October, so put a strip closer to your stand for early season.

The plot absolutely DIED for activity after Halloween.  They swapped over to acorns, and radishes to a lesser extent once chase/rut got hot.

[mowin]

12 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Ahh- Chickory. Used as a coffee  Substitute  heavily during the Civil War

 And of course before and after.

I'm just gonna go out on a limb here.. not thinking he's looking for a coffee substitute.  

[Robhuntandfish]

3 hours ago, Teamhoyt said:

Ii think next year I'm planting clover on the logging roads on our lease. We have no fields just 85 acres of hardwood. Not seeing many deer, so I figure clover will bring in the does. Build up the doe population and eventually everything will work out. Could be wrong but it's worth a try

Get out there late March/early April and throw that clover seed out.  Can't believe how well it took in our trails by frost seeding. We could see a wall of clover where we seeded in the trails.  Easy to do

[Robhuntandfish]

5 hours ago, Teamhoyt said:

Ii think next year I'm planting clover on the logging roads on our lease. We have no fields just 85 acres of hardwood. Not seeing many deer, so I figure clover will bring in the does. Build up the doe population and eventually everything will work out. Could be wrong but it's worth a try

This is our trails from frost seeding 

[fletchny11]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Get out there late March/early April and throw that clover seed out.  Can't believe how well it took in our trails by frost seeding. We could see a wall of clover where we seeded in the trails.  Easy to do

I want to frost seed some trails and plot this year. What have you been having success with?

[Robhuntandfish]

1 minute ago, fletchny11 said:

I want to frost seed some trails and plot this year. What have you been having success with?

I used outside pride white clover and also whitetail institute clover.  

[fletchny11]

Wonder if you can frost seed deer radish and clover together and if it would work?

[Robhuntandfish]

8 minutes ago, fletchny11 said:

Wonder if you can frost seed deer radish and clover together and if it would work?

The radish would only be an annual.  The clover will last 3-5 years.  Dunno how the radish would do but guessing it wouldn't do well. Like planting radish in the garden before a frost.  

[Robhuntandfish]

I bought some of this to try in the spring for frost seeding too. In some areas we newly cut.  https://www.domainoutdoor.com/foodplotseedmineralandattractant/comeback-kid-foodplot

[Stubborn1vt]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

 

Looks great!  You must have some pretty decent soil/pH.

[Teamhoyt]

4 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Get out there late March/early April and throw that clover seed out.  Can't believe how well it took in our trails by frost seeding. We could see a wall of clover where we seeded in the trails.  Easy to do

I've got 1 area that has alot of ferns. Do you happen to know if I frost seed it will it suffocate the ferns?