As far as the plot goes this year, you could really try about anything; if you are looking to get out and get some thing done in the near future. Diversity in my opinion, and experience, has been a great key to successfully attracting animals to the property. If you already have chicory, then a cereal grain would be a great accompaniment to that plot.
Winter Wheat is a great option for a cereal grain, especially over the course of several years. This is because Winter Wheat has a higher composition of Gluten than other species of wheat. Gluten is a composition of two different proteins and makes up a majority of the individual plant/seeds composition (>< 75%). Furthermore, Winter Wheat has a higher tolerance for colder temperatures than other ‘general’ wheat species. Normally winter wheats are planted in the early fall and hold their integrity throughout winter utilizing dormancy to mature mid summer of the following year. Being that nearly 80% of a deers antler is comprised of protein, winter wheat is the end all to early emergence and great nutrient source in early spring (in my opinion, coupled with clovers).
As cold temperatures prevail in the northern midwest and the initial rut is slowing, deer begin to seek out carbohydrates. This is a large part of the explanation to why deer seek out Brassica species. These species begin to die off in the freezing range and their on going metabolism halts progessively to the point that vast amounts of sugars are released within the plant. These sugars are only simple carbohydrates however, and complex carbohydrates come from more complex proteins found in sources such as soybeans and corn (Also Winter Wheat in its maturity, which you will most likely not reach this year). Other sources of simple (and some complex) carbohydrates are found in Turnips, Sugar Beets, Radishes, and Kale.
You said that you have one good strip of corn, and one assumed good plot of chicory; you have a mid to late season muzzleloader/harvest plot going. With the road being so close as you said with minimal visual barrier my first initiative would be to NOT plant something with its prime any where close to the gun season. I know this is not what you want to hear, but in my personal experience it only invites onward gawkers and the less moral to display their inhibitions. Personally, based on a one/this year plan, I would plant something like peas, forage soybeans, or lab-lab. These will begin to grow throughout August bringing deer into the pattern of crossing that road. We all know the struggles of growing these species in small, heavily grazered, plots. These species will be heavily grazed as they begin to grow and will never reach the maturity to supply late season carbohydrates. This will condition your animals to ‘coming aboard’ for the later ripening of your chicory while not exploiting the best feeding opportunity they have all season long during a time period prevalent to road pressure and poaching.
On a long term basis, with your trees already in place and growing, I would greatly consider Winter Wheat or Oats (any cereal grain easily re-seeded by mowing and discing) as a great option for this plot on the long term.
but I would still think more “into the future” for this Plotas Bobss mentioned WW is good for a number of years!!
