PREPARATION

Begin with a clean, weed-free planting area. Spray or otherwise terminate competing vegetation and prepare a firm seedbed with excellent seed-to-soil contact. Chicory seedlings establish best when they aren't forced to compete with aggressive weeds or existing vegetation.

SOIL TEST & FERTILITY

Conduct a soil test whenever possible. Antler Chicory™ can tolerate moderately acidic conditions, but properly corrected fertility will maximize forage production and persistence. Target approximately 5.5–7.0 pH and apply fertilizer according to soil-test recommendations.

PLANTING RATE

Broadcast (Prepared Seedbed): 10 lbs/acre
Drill: 5 lbs/acre
When Used In Blends: 2–3 lbs/acre

PLANTING DEPTH

Plant ¼–½ inch deep. When broadcasting, distribute seed evenly across a firm seedbed and lightly cultipack or roll. Avoid excessive
incorporation or deep burial.

TIMING

Antler Chicory™ can be established during suitable spring or fall planting windows. Spring planting should be from March–May and fall planting from August–October, depending on region. For fall establishment, provide enough growing time for the root system to develop before severe winter
conditions.

MOISTURE

Plant into adequate soil moisture or immediately before dependable rainfall. Moisture is especially important during germination and early root development. Once established, chicory's deep taproot provides considerably greater drought resilience than many shallow-rooted food plot species.

MANAGEMENT

Control competing weeds during establishment and avoid allowing mature chicory to become excessively tall and stemmy. When planted with clover, manage the stand to encourage leafy forage production while maintaining both components of the mixture.

ADJUSTING FOR PLS & GERMINATION

Recommended planting rates assume 100% Pure Live Seed (PLS) and 100% germination. Actual seed quality varies by lot. To determine an adjusted planting rate, divide the recommended seeding rate by the PLS percentage multiplied by the germination percentage, both expressed as decimals. Adjusting for PLS and germination ensures proper stand density and maximum forage production.

Straight Shot™ Antler Chicory is a premium single-species perennial forage packaged for hunters who want to build custom blends, enhance existing food plots, or plant chicory by itself without purchasing bulk
quantities.

Chicory provides highly nutritious, palatable forage with a deep taproot that helps it remain productive during dry conditions. It is especially valuable for hunters wanting to add drought tolerance, browse recovery, and long-term forage production to their food plot program.

Antler Chicory™ is a perennial. With proper establishment, fertility, weed control, and management, a productive stand can persist for multiple growing seasons.

Yes. Antler Chicory™ can be planted as a standalone forage, but it also performs exceptionally well when combined with clovers and other compatible food plot species.

Chicory pairs especially well with perennial and annual clovers such as Everlast™ Ladino Clover, Victory™ Arrowleaf Clover, Droptine™
Balansa Clover, and Blood Trail™ Crimson Clover. Cereal grains can also be incorporated when building a more diverse cool-season blend.

Yes. Adding chicory is an excellent way to increase forage diversity and drought tolerance in an existing clover plot. Successful overseeding still requires good seed-to-soil contact and adequate moisture.

Plant approximately ¼–½ inch deep. Chicory seed is relatively small, and planting too deeply can significantly reduce emergence.
When broadcasting, use a firm seedbed and lightly cultipack or roll after seeding.

Antler Chicory™ performs across approximately 5.5–7.0 pH, although maintaining good soil fertility and correcting significant acidity according to a soil test will improve establishment, forage production, and persistence.

Yes. Drought tolerance is one of chicory's biggest advantages. Once established, its deep taproot allows it to access moisture
deeper in the soil profile than many shallow-rooted food plot species.

Yes. Established chicory has excellent browse recovery and can perform well under significant deer pressure. Proper fertility and allowing the stand to establish before intense utilization will improve long-term performance.

Chicory generally requires more patience than fast-growing annual grains or brassicas. Early growth establishes the plant and its root system, with forage production increasing as the stand matures. Its real advantage comes from long-term perennial performance rather than simply being the fastest species out of the ground.

Yes. Chicory benefits from proper fertility. Unlike clover, chicory does not fix its own nitrogen, so fertilizer requirements should be based on a soil test. When planted with legumes, fertility should also account
for the needs of the companion species.

Antler Chicory™ can be established during appropriate
spring or fall planting windows, depending on your region. Fall plantings
should be established early enough to develop a healthy root system before
severe freezing conditions, while spring plantings should avoid periods of
extreme summer heat and drought during early establishment.

Chicory can sometimes establish through late-winter or early-spring overseeding where freeze-thaw action creates seed-to-soil contact, but it is less dependable for frost seeding than small-seeded clovers. For the most consistent results, plant into a properly prepared seedbed at the
recommended depth.

Choose Straight Shot™ Antler Chicory when you want complete control over how much chicory goes into your plot, want to enhance an existing planting, or want to build your own custom blend. Choose Clover + Chicory™ when you want a professionally balanced, ready-to-plant perennial blend without having to formulate it yourself.

Straight Shot™ gives hunters access to premium individual food plot species in practical quantities. You can experiment, enhance an existing plot, or build a custom blend without buying and storing a large bulk bag of seed you may not need.