Weeds that deer love

[markT]

Our deer are absolutely loving this plant. Interweb says "Blue Cardinal." The plant has a square stalk.

 

[hogpatrol]

Looks similar to blue bonnets.

 

[timeout]

Our deer are absolutely loving this plant. Interweb says "Blue Cardinal." The plant has a square stalk.
View attachment 1372545

I'm making the assumption that these are perennials native to your area.

 

[wbm]

Square stalk plus Bilabial flowers=A Mint. May smell like a mint or it may not.

 

[wbm]

Deer here...New Mexico,,,like morning glory...a lot!

 

[swimster]

Honeysuckle is a favorite probably not considered a weed.

 

[joshb]

That looks just like the plants my wife bought a month ago for her flower garden. A perennial called Cat Mint. I wanted the sage.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Alfalfa and marijuana are both pretty good, I'm told...but my memory isn't what it used to be for some reason. Lol!

 

[Knotwild]

I found this in one of my deer plots - they love it and I can see why - it tastes pretty good. A google image search says it is Chinese Artichoke. I heard it called rattlesnake plant and was told it is invasive. All I know is that every time I plowed the roots to the top, in a couple of days the plot would be covered with deer tracks and every one of them would be gone. I planted some corn there and the chemicals took it out.

 

[timeout]

Alfalfa and marijuana are both pretty good, I'm told...but my memory isn't what it used to be for some reason. Lol!

While marijuana is considered weed, alfalfa is a legume

 

[msalm]

The deer hammer my chicory every year, I plant it but it also grows weed-like along the shoulders of the roads.

 

[Adam in WI]

The deer hammer my chicory every year, I plant it but it also grows weed-like along the shoulders of the roads.

Tell me more, neighbor

 

[msalm]

Best plant going for me, about time the beans are browning up the chicory is full and green, I watched 4 mature bucks come out and feed in it tonight, just at close so I watched them for 20 minutes and howled to scare them off before coming out.

 

[Adam in WI]

When do you plant it? And where have you found it?

 

[TrapperBR549]

Hard to beat ragweed here in Missouri. It grows even in the worst drought, protein is around 28% if I remember correctly, and it is the best brood habitat for quail and turkey.
I just run a tiller through the grass in the spring and I will have a dandy plot that summer.

 

[snert]

Favorite deer food? Seems like anything I plant in my lawn gets eaten. Dang pirates!

 

[okie]

I found this in one of my deer plots - they love it and I can see why - it tastes pretty good. A google image search says it is Chinese Artichoke. I heard it called rattlesnake plant and was told it is invasive. All I know is that every time I plowed the roots to the top, in a couple of days the plot would be covered with deer tracks and every one of them would be gone. I planted some corn there and the chemicals took it out. View attachment 1373207

that pic reminds me of a song "poor old dirt farmer" LOL

 

[msalm]

When do you plant it? And where have you found it?

Forage chicory, plant spring or summer, mow once or twice a year, my plots are usually good for 3-5 years before I either rotate or till and replant. Buy the straight seed from any number of dealers, I’ve had great service from deer creek seed right here in WI.

 

[timeout]

Deer do indeed like chicory. There is some better chicory IMO than what is growing along the roads. I have deer hammering radishes in one plot right now. I have mixed emotions on food plots. Last year I had a luscious green food plot and a couple of clover plots, yet following the soybean harvest they were ignoring it to eat the stems that came out the back of the combine. I sat the last 4 hours of the day in an elevated stand two night ago watching a plot with corn, soybeans, forage soybeans, radishes and winter peas. I had one doe and her fawn come in there. That doe ate until I swore she would have a bellyache. She chowed down mostly on the radishes. When I went to sneak out of the blind there were 2 does with fawns to the NE eating in a CRP field and a forky to the SE doing likewise. My guess is that they were eating ragweed. So the super smorgasbord food plot lost out to the CRP field 5 to 2. Acorns are on the ground here now also, so how many deer were in the woods eating those is anyone's guess. Food plots may always be the clear winner when surrounded by piney woods, but in ag country it has been my experience that they aren't the do all end all. Late fall and winter, corn and soybean plots are super though.

 

[markT]

Planted all my plots this morning B4 the rain from the “him”a caine (iAN). Planted Rackmaster deluxe with the normal blend. Also planted oats and for the first time Australian Winter Peas. Not sure how they will do but gave it a go in two small plots.