Preferred food source in NE Ohio

[Double drop]

Wanted to let you all know that I know what it is right now....chickory! Amazing, just 3 weeks ago I was driving around noticing that the chickory wasn't being eaten at all, just clover. Drove around again today and I literally can't find one chickory plant in an acre and a half that's not been nipped! So I guess that's the "special" on the menu right now. Thought this might help someone out there in preseason scouting
DD

[trkyslyr]

Clover tends to be a preferred summer food, but chicory, oats and winter wheat seem to take over in Sept. and become preferred browse until frost. We tested 7 different food plots last year, and during archery season there was no comparison to the chicory blends and buck forage oats that were planted. Two weeks ago, we planted some regular "seed" oats to see if they fare as well as the name brand "buck forage oats" did, and at a fraction of the cost. Typically, some food plot blends will market themselves as a "harvest" plot. These seed blends will be better in Oct./Nov. than other plots that are great nutrition plots (ie: clover). Once the beans dry they will pound them as well due to high protein to put on weight for the winter. Once it gets cold, they will turn to corn because it is all carbs and does very well for keeping them warm. (obviously these foods are not exclusive during these perods, but preferred, it seems)

But still, I believe nothing is hit more consistantly than a good oak stand!

[OLDHAT]

I don't even know what chickory is? Been diggin' roots, roaming the hills for 25 years, guess what? I don't know what chickory is!

Oldhat

[Buckfever4life]

It grows abundantly along our lowland roads, sometimes in such profusion it's downright distracting. Look for the beautiful, mirage-like haze along the roadsides from midsummer through early autumn. "Weeds" are usually defined as something undesireable. Dense stands of Chickory can be so beautiful I can't bring myself to wish them gone - but otherwise, Chickory qualifies as one of the toughest of roadside weeds. Dry them out in a drought, spray them with snow, sand, salt, and oil, mow them down every other week - but it keeps coming back. Chickory is a true glutton for punishment, and seems to thrive on it. Chickory is a tough perennial http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g303/chadeckhart/chickory1.jpg

[LongRifle]

I believe it is also called Blue Malva. Did not know Deer liked it. It does have a very deep root system that brings up minerals, that many other plants can not reach.