Food Plots New place for plot

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buckaroo

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I'm moving soon, and I will have about two acres along my driveway on top of a ridge. The soil seems good, with some green grass mixed in with some sage. It will be the end of May before I can actually do anything, I'm thinking, just mow, fertilize, lime and put clover wheat in for fall, or is it too late for another option?
 
I have planted clover during May and later even. Many times I don't see much evolve in that particular season/year when I do it this way. However, the following year it seems to really come along. Personally, I would probably do an Oats & Clover mix if I was to plant it. I'll also say this as this has been my personal experience in my area of East TN...I'm not a huge fan of clover plots (I know it's blasphemy). People can say what they want about me, but I have the trail cam footage to prove it. I never saw or captured on film much activity in clover plots. However, I took these same plots and planted them in Chicory and the increase in deer presence was AMAZING. My point is, try the clover but I would monitor it. Just because everyone preaches clover is the way doesn't mean your deer will gravitate to it. Maybe there's just an abundance of clover everywhere surrounding my property - I don't know. All I know is, they flat out tore the chicory up from Summer to Winter. Of course, chicory is expensive - but what's the cost in planting something the deer don't particularly care for?
 
BlountArrow said:
I have planted clover during May and later even. Many times I don't see much evolve in that particular season/year when I do it this way. However, the following year it seems to really come along. Personally, I would probably do an Oats & Clover mix if I was to plant it. I'll also say this as this has been my personal experience in my area of East TN...I'm not a huge fan of clover plots (I know it's blasphemy). People can say what they want about me, but I have the trail cam footage to prove it. I never saw or captured on film much activity in clover plots. However, I took these same plots and planted them in Chicory and the increase in deer presence was AMAZING. My point is, try the clover but I would monitor it. Just because everyone preaches clover is the way doesn't mean your deer will gravitate to it. Maybe there's just an abundance of clover everywhere surrounding my property - I don't know. All I know is, they flat out tore the chicory up from Summer to Winter. Of course, chicory is expensive - but what's the cost in planting something the deer don't particularly care for?
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I've had similar success with deer eating Chicory. I 1st got acquainted with chicory when I planted 1/5 acre of Whitetail Institute "Alfa Rack" behind my house. It contains just a small amount of chicory but I noticed right away that the deer really devoured the chicory. I still love clover and alfalfa but there's no doubt the chicory is good too. WI sells a Chicory - Imperial Clover mix, by the way called "Chicory Plus". I made up some of my own this February by broadcasting chicory in an already established clover plot. I'm anxious to see how it does.
 
We started using chicory in food plots 15+ years ago. It is one of the few food plot plants that peaks in growth and nutrition in late summer and that deer will readily eat.
 

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