Can Deer Eat Cat Food? Top Answer Update

When we experience a particularly harsh winter, many people worry about how the deer are doing. From the warmth of our homes and the daily routine of feeding domestic and pet animals, it is often assumed that we can and should help deer get through the hardships of winter by feeding them.

Background:

Deer have several natural adaptations that help them survive the winter. These include a thick winter coat of hollow hair and storing fat through the summer/fall for winter use. Deer also go to the farms during the deep snow period of winter. Yards are areas that, due to the reduced snow cover, allow for easy movement while still providing shelter and a nearby food source. These yards are generally coniferous forests with an enclosed canopy that breaks wind and helps intercept snow. Deer develop a web of trails in these yards as they travel to and from feeding. Throughout the winter, they keep the trails open for easier travel and better evasion from predators. When deer are in groups, many eyes, ears, and noses are very effective at spotting predators.

Deer have also adapted to our northern climate by reducing their activity from January to February. Their entire metabolism actually slows down, so they need less food—much like turning down the thermostat. Despite these adaptations, however, adult deer routinely lose up to 20% of their body weight in winter, regardless of the amount or quality of forage present.

That’s not to say that winter isn’t a problem for deer. On the contrary, every year part of the province’s deer herd does not survive the winter, usually due to starvation. Not only does snow cover much of their diet (grasses, shrubs, leaves and low shrubs), but their locomotion becomes severely restricted when their depth of penetration in snow reaches about 50 cm. The first animals to succumb to the hardships of winter are usually fawns and yearlings (which have little fat reserves to fall back on) and old or sick animals. The level of starvation depends on the severity of the winter, the quality of the winter supply, and the number of deer competing for food in a given area.

The ability of a herd of deer to survive the winter depends on several factors. First, the condition of the deer going into the winter is important. The amount of fat stored is a measure of the energy available in winter. Then the severity of the winter weather (duration of cold and depth of snow) determines how much energy is needed. Stress from disturbances from humans, dogs or predators also use up energy reserves and ultimately the amount of food available over the winter. Together, these factors determine whether a deer will starve or survive. A very long and cold winter with persistent deep snow leads to the depletion of fat stores and together with the lack of accessible food, starvation and eventual death can occur.

When winter has become severe, people often think about feeding deer. Winter feeding isn’t just about whether or not to feed deer, it also needs to consider when, what and how to feed, and the costs and benefits of doing so. It has to be done right. The wrong method can harm or even kill deer.

Problems With Feeding Deer In Winter:

First we have to ask ourselves: “If we manage to feed deer properly and thereby more deer survive the winter well and give birth to healthy and vigorous kids, what will the situation be like next winter?” Eventually the number of deer will exceed the carrying capacity of the natural habitat and more deer will depend on our handouts. Can we keep the feeding program going with larger capacity each year?

Even when fed, deer will continue to graze on nearby natural foods. Finally, the most natural overgrowth in the area will be eliminated. The same site will have very little natural food to offer the following year.

Concentration of deer around feeding sites near our homes can cause a number of problems. Damage to property in the area can increase due to their browsing on ornamental shrubs and trees. They can become a hazard to local traffic as they move to and from the feeding site. Domestic dogs will start chasing and even killing deer.

Deer are more vulnerable to coyotes during periods of deep snow. When deer concentrate at an additional feeding site that is not coupled with adequate cover and opportunities for escape from predators, they may be more easily captured by coyotes.

Deer that are concentrated regardless of snow depth are more susceptible to disease.

Wrong diets are often fed. These lead to indigestion and possible death.

If the food is not provided sufficiently or not distributed correctly, aggression and fights will occur at the feeding station. Most of the time, the deer that need the most food will get the least.

For these reasons, winter feeding of deer is not generally accepted as good management practice. The Department of Lands and Forestry generally advises against feeding deer except in special circumstances, and then it must be done properly if our efforts are to actually be of any general benefit to the deer.

The benefit of deer feeding:

First we have to ask ourselves, “Why do we want to feed deer?” When it comes to making us feel good or seeing more deer out our kitchen window, maybe we should reconsider. These are reasons for our benefit, not necessarily for the benefit of deer.

The main reason for feeding deer is to prevent large scale starvation.

When deer make it into spring in relatively good condition, they are more likely to give birth to strong and healthy fawns with an increased chance of survival.

How to properly feed deer:

A proper feeding program requires the following essential elements:

An efficient delivery system to provide food for game on an established network of trails,

A method of delivering the food by the end of winter, and

An adequate supply of the right kind of food.

Where to feed:

First, make sure you have permission from the landowner before starting a feeding program.

Deer must have good cover in the immediate vicinity of the delivery location. It may be tempting to feed them where it is most convenient or entertaining for us. However, the wrong location can do more harm than good.

Find out where the deer are and what areas they are using for cover. This will likely mean using a snowmobile or walking with snowshoes. Keep in mind that your quest can disrupt and stress them, which drains energy reserves.

If you can’t find their trail network, pack the trails with snowshoes to allow the deer to approach and exit the feeder from many directions.

What to feed:

Natural winter food for deer consists primarily of woody foliage from hardwood branches and occasionally needles from balsam fir. Most preferred foliage species include: sugar, red, sycamore, and striped maples; yellow and white birch, witch hazel and beak hazel and red oak.

Deer struggle with many diets that livestock easily consume. Deer rely on a variety of bacteria and microorganisms in their rumen (stomach) to break down food. A change in diet requires a change in the population of these microorganisms in order to properly process the new food. Other problems such as “acidosis” (excessive buildup of acid in the rumen) and diarrhea (diarrhea) can occur when given cereal grains. Therefore, it is important to gradually introduce artificial feeds in an area where natural foods are also available.

1. Natural Food. If possible, it is best to feed natural foods. To do this, chop down some of the favorite hardwood trees mentioned above. Again make a series of traces from the new lining to their cover area. Check these trees every few days and turn them over so all the branches can be used. The number of trees needed and when more need to be provided depends on how many deer are in the area. In spring/summer you can come back and cut down the same trees for firewood. With this, you will not only immediately provide the deer with food, but over the next few years in the clearing you have created, a large number of suckers will grow from the stumps, and other shrubs and seedlings will grow. Both short-term and long-term feeding are achieved.

2. Deer pellets. Most farm feed stores carry a specially formulated ration for deer or can tell you where it can be purchased. This feed has been specially formulated for deer, taking into account their energy, protein and fiber needs as well as their digestibility. Initially, deer may not recognize these pellets as food, but if introduced with small amounts of corn, oats, or alfalfa, they will gradually become accustomed to the new food.

3. Cereal grains. While oatmeal or coarsely ground oatmeal is not as balanced a diet as deer pellets, it is easily digested and reduces the likelihood of problems associated with a sudden diet change. Whole corn and whole oats can also be used and are often readily available. A ratio of 1:1 to 1:4 corn:oats is recommended.

Avoid feeding pure corn, barley, or wheat as they contain too much starch and can cause digestive problems that can lead to death.

Like pellets, these foods can be placed in handfuls on top of well-packed snow, preferably under conifers to avoid snow cover. Once the deer have become accustomed to this feed, they can be released by placing feed bags on the ground and cutting out a large sheet on top. This keeps the forage together and off the ground, reducing waste. Funnels such as those used for feeding domestic cattle or sheep can also be used.

4. Hay or alfalfa. Care should be taken when feeding hay or alfalfa as deer (especially when starved) can have trouble digesting them. Introduce this feed gradually, making sure natural foods are available as well.

5. Fruits & Vegetables. Although deer eat apples, carrots, cabbage, etc., their use is not recommended. They are like candy for a child – tasty but of little value for a balanced and nutritious diet.

As you can see, feeding isn’t just about throwing some crusts of bread off the back porch. If you want to effectively feed deer (to their benefit), make sure you do so with the energy and resources to continue through the end of winter.

Other Recommendations:

Start early in the winter to allow the deer to find and get used to the new food and their rumen microorganisms to adapt.

Use the same food all winter.

Provide groceries in multiple locations to ensure everyone has an opportunity to feed themselves. This will also minimize aggression.

Keep feed dry when using pellets or grains. Wet food is unlikely to be eaten.

Provide a constant supply of feed. After each snowfall, check that the lining is not covered.

Increase the amount of food available in late winter when needs are greatest and activity levels have increased.

When spring approaches and the snow is no longer deep or when no more deer come to the site, feeding should be stopped.

Feeding deer in the winter is a difficult and costly task, and the desired results may not be achieved. However, if you decide to take up the challenge, deer should get the most benefit if you follow this advice.

For more information on feeding deer in winter or managing woodland for the benefit of deer and other wildlife, contact the Department of Lands and Forestry wildlife biologist for your area.

Rescue. The first two said they could send someone to “drop them off”. I wanted to help her! I put out creeper we feed the deer and gave her a tomato. We have a pond in the yard so they have access to water. I’ve researched on google and providing a safe place, food and water seems like the best thing to do. I am. I hope she stays in our safe yard until she gets better.”

…”

“A wounded deer (female) wandered into my garden yesterday. I called the sheriff’s office, the wildlife bureau and the wildlife department

Do deer eat rice? Not the cooked or processed variety, of course, but if you’re a hunter you’ll probably want to learn more about using rice bran as a deer attractant.

Deer hunting requires many strategies. Even though deer will usually eat anything, you need to find the right deer attractant. For some people, blocks of salt, blocks of game, blocks of cattle and many more are used effectively. However, you may also consider using bran as a deer bait or supplement. So the question you need to ask yourself is: do deer eat rice?

Rice bran as an attractant for deer? The answer is yes and no. Deer can eat rice, but not rice flour or whole rice. What they eat is rice bran because it provides high concentrations of fat and is an excellent source of nutrition. Many growers have talked about using rice bran in the past. It is also a common component in commercial feeds for white-tailed deer. Some supplements also contain rice bran in smaller amounts. However, there are still a good number of people who will say that deer don’t eat rice bran. So bottom line:

Deer can eat rice bran, but it depends on:

The presentation

Using feeders to present rice bran can be difficult. Many hunters have found more creative ways to make them presentable. For some, small troughs work well in their location. For others, just opening the bag of rice bran and leaving it open on the floor is enough. However, laying the sacks of rice bran on the ground can only work in drier regions.

The season

Deer will likely eat rice bran in late winter when it becomes more difficult for them to find food sources elsewhere. At this point, they are not usually fussy and will eat almost anything in their path. During the dead of winter, deer tend to use foraging plots more frequently.

phosphorus content

If you live or hunt in areas with low phosphorus levels, rice bran is an effective deer attractant. Rice bran is high in phosphorus and could become a popular meal for deer in this area. However, if the surrounding plant matter is high in phosphorus (particularly from manure), deer may abandon your rice bran.

Final Thoughts

Do deer eat rice? Yes they do, but it depends on the time of year, the food available, and how you present the rice bran. However, rice bran can spoil relatively quickly in many environments, as it tends to mold when wet. So if you want to use them in raw form, do so while deer hunting. If you have other plans of using rice bran as a supplemental feed, you may have a difficult time as they are not as affordable as they used to be. Nevertheless, they are also contained in many supplementary and commercial feeds. Therefore, there are many ways to use rice bran depending on your budget and usage.

Additional Articles

Photo courtesy of Gregg Mojica

by Connie Oswald Stofko

If you feed deer in your yard or in a park, you could be harming them instead of helping them. Bringing deer together at feeding stations increases their risk of contracting communicable diseases such as chronic wasting disease from other deer.

For this reason, in 2002, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) banned wild feeding throughout New York State.

Recently, the DEC passed a new regulation to more clearly define what is and is not illegal feeding deer. (Moose are also covered by this rule, although I haven’t seen any moose in western New York!)

For example, bird feeders can provide food for deer even if you are not trying to feed the deer. The new regulation clarifies that accidental feeding with a bird feeder will only be considered a violation if DEC has previously issued a written warning to the person responsible for the accidental feeding. This allows disruptive situations to be addressed without restricting bird feeding in general.

Other exceptions to the feed ban are:

planting of plants in connection with agriculture or horticulture

Plantings that improve the living conditions of wild animals

feed cattle

The regulation also establishes procedures for the legal use of a specific pesticide and a device that kills ticks on deer, even though it uses corn to attract deer. 4-PosterTM Tickicide is dispensed via four reels or “posts” attached to corn-filled bait stations. As the deer eat the corn, the rollers deposit pesticides on their heads and necks. Tick-borne diseases pose a human health threat, so according to the DEC it is in the public interest to use these devices in areas with high rates of tick-borne diseases.

The new regulation also requires that retail products packaged for sale as food or edible attractants for wild deer or elk must carry a label clearly stating that such use is illegal in New York.

Further details on the new regulation can be found here.

Feeding deer can be harmful

Feeding deer can be harmful to the deer, people and the environment.

Can feed deer:

Increase the number of wild vehicle collisions.

Acclimate deer to human presence, leading to other dangerous deer-human interactions.

Damage the natural habitat. Deer that are fed will also eat surrounding vegetation, which can lead to overgrowth. Plants in this area can be damaged or destroyed by the deer. The result is a habitat that supports fewer animals. The deer, in turn, are dependent on artificial feeding.

Reduced diet for deer in winter. Deer are cow-like ruminants and have a multi-chambered stomach with a complicated digestive process. If the type of food deer eat is suddenly changed by human feeding, it can take time for the digestive process to adjust to the new food. The animal can get little food when it needs it most.

Negatively affects deer behavior resulting in increased social conflict among deer.

Change the migratory movements of deer in critical wintering areas.

Read here how deer survive without human help.

It’s no secret that deer love apples, and simply holding one of these bright red or green fruits around them can attract deer in no time!

However, a lesser-known secret is that feeding deer too many apples can be really bad for them. Although they love and enjoy this sweet treat, deer can’t properly digest apples during the winter season!

In the wild, deer follow a herbivorous diet and will often eat anything edible they see. They are not very picky and can feed on shrubs, leaves, twigs, grains and other foliage. However, their diet varies widely with the seasons, and wild deer naturally change their tastes to accommodate their dietary needs. Many plants die out during the colder seasons, making it difficult for deer to forage. Therefore, people tend to help the deer by feeding them what they think they like, which is apples. Instead of helping them, however, feeding deer too many apples can harm them.

Do deer eat whole apples?

Yes, deer can eat whole apples! Deer are not picky eaters and will eat anything edible they can find. This includes branches, leaves, weeds, grains and grains.

Because of this, they can eat apples whole, including the parts that humans don’t like to eat, like the core and stem. As for apple seeds, as long as deer don’t chew them or eat them in large quantities, they pose no harm to them.

Most deer feed is in a raw or unprocessed state, as anything artificially made or processed can upset their digestive system. If you choose to feed deer, consider giving them raw, whole foods like grains, grains, lichen, and fruits and vegetables that their bodies can digest.

Why do deer like apples?

Deer have very delicate digestive systems and feeding them the wrong thing can upset their stomachs. Apples are one of the fruits that they can naturally find and eat in the wild, which is why it’s safe to feed them these juicy fruits! However, apples should only be fed in moderation.

Deer love sweet, meaty fruits, and apples go perfectly with them! If you want to attract deer, just hold up an apple. The bright red or green color and sweet smell will surely catch your attention. Unlike some other fruits, like tough squash or prickly cucumbers, apples are entirely edible and, due to their small size, can be eaten by deer in a single bite. If you feed deer, give them apples as a sweet treat!

However, like any other food, it is not at all possible to feed deer only apples. Apples are certainly high in nutrients, but are fairly low in fiber and protein, which are very important nutrients for deer. If you’re feeding deer this delicious fruit, make sure it’s part of a healthy, balanced diet so they get the full benefits.

However, it is advisable not to feed them apples in winter. In nature, apples typically grow during the cold months of November and December, but deer typically do not eat them during this time as their dietary needs do not call for what apples have to offer. Apples are very rich in many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, all of which are very useful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, apples have a very high water content and are very low in protein. Deer need protein to keep warm during the cold winter months. During the winter season, deer should be fed a mix of various grasses, fruits, vegetables, grains, and deer pellets to provide them with adequate nutrition.

Do deer eat apples off the ground?

Yes, deer will definitely eat apples off the ground! Although these grazing animals are herbivores, they will eat almost anything edible. This includes foliage, leaves, twigs, branches, grasses, weeds, flowers and fallen fruits and vegetables!

It is well known that this animal loves to eat apples and will gladly accept them as treats from humans. In addition to fresh apples, deer also eat slightly rotten or fermenting fruit because they just like the taste of apples so much. They have even been observed eating growing apple trees and chewing on the leaves and branches.

White-tailed deer are not very good at climbing trees and cannot really reach apples hanging from the top branches of trees. They can snatch fruit from low-hanging branches, but otherwise they can only eat apples in the wild when the apples fall to the ground. You’re not limited to a single apple variety either, and will eat almost any variety of this juicy fruit, including small, sour crab apples, too! In fact, the smell of apple trees is known to attract deer, so you might see many of them hanging around in apple orchards or orchards. They will even eat apples they brought with them.

What not to feed deer?

The type of food deer eat tends to vary with the changing seasons, to which they naturally adapt. They are foragers in nature and usually forage above ground, finding edible shoots, twigs, fruits, vegetables and grains.

Because of this habit, they don’t typically eat roots and tubers like potatoes and yams, which they can’t digest properly. They only eat these things when there is a shortage of food, such as in snowy areas in winter. In fact, many deer species have adapted to subsisting on minimal, lower quality food during the winter and you may find that they lose between 20-30% of their body weight during this time, which is exactly how they evolved to help survive the food shortage.

Humans tend to help this animal in such situations when they are unable to forage for food naturally. However, there is a misconception that apples are only allowed to be eaten as apples easily attract deer. As a result, human-fed deer often lack many necessary nutrients that come from other food types besides apples. Deer can become malnourished or die as a result. Frequent feeding by humans also robs a deer of its natural instinct to feed, as it becomes dependent on us for food that may not even have the right nutritional value that animal needs. It is recommended that deer apples be fed occasionally as a treat and not allow them to become overly dependent on human feeding.

It is highly recommended to feed these animals nuts and oats instead of apples because they contain protein and fat that are very useful for their body in the long run. You must be very careful when feeding deer and other wildlife during the winter as feeding them things they cannot digest can cause them to become full at first but ultimately starve because they cannot get the nutrients from the food given can record to them. Because wild animals’ stomachs are used to eating wild foods such as weeds, grains, lichens, fungi, and seeds, feeding them anything man-made or grown by humans is discouraged. This includes potatoes, corn, kitchen scraps, hay, lettuce, or anything that contains dairy or other animal fats. The nutritional value of these foods is often at odds with a deer’s already delicate digestive system.

Billions of carrots are produced across North America each year. Their growing season is from early spring to late summer. After planting carrots, it takes about 70-80 days to finish growing. Over time, not only has it become an edible food for humans, but deer also consume this vegetable. Deer love to eat carrots, which is bad for farmers and can cost them millions of dollars a year. Example: Do deer eat carrots? Yes, they do.

Winter is typically a harsh weather condition for most of us. And not just us. This extends to other animals. Most of the time, people, especially deer lovers, wonder how the deer are coping with the severe winter conditions. People are tempted to help these lovable animals survive by feeding them. Carrots have proven to be one of the best vegetables to feed these deer. They contain essential nutrients such as beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium and antioxidants. Additionally, a deer’s stomach easily digests carrots, helping them survive when other food options prove difficult. Deer then become accustomed to this delicious and nutritious treat and will come back for more.

Carrots are root vegetables and can be found in a range of colors including orange, purple, red, and yellow. In a carrot garden, deer dig up and eat the carrots. A garden full of carrots is one of the quickest ways to attract a population of deer. The problem is that once deer have established their home range, they keep coming back for more food. In fact, for hunters involved in deer bait hunting, carrots are proving to be excellent hunting fodder for these hunters in the United States. Carrots can be used in food fields to attract and hunt deer.

Fruits and vegetables not suitable for deer

This vegetable is often referred to as deer resistant. That’s because deer generally avoid plants that emit a strong pungent odor. Having one of these deer resistant plants grown in your yard may be enough to keep that deer population out of your yard. Some homeowners may invariably grow these plants when the destructive effects of deer on their gardens become widespread. You can also try using a natural deer and rabbit repellent. Deer and rabbit repellents are available in both granular and liquid application sizes and can be used to treat large areas, e.g. B. in agriculture, are used. These have been used to protect apples, squashes, carrots, soybeans and other agricultural produce for decades.

Also, deer hate plants with thick, hairy, or prickly leaves/stems. Digging up root vegetables like carrots can be fun for these deer, but that doesn’t mean they won’t eat aerial foliage. The following plants are not typically eaten by deer:

● Onions

● Garlic

● Asparagus

● Eggplant

● Lemon Balm

● Chives

● Leek

● sage

● fennel

● oregano

● Rosemary

● Thyme

● Marjoram

● Lavender

● Rhubarb

● Fig

● Parsley

● Tarragon.

Some other plants that deer dislike but can eat are:

● pepper

● Tomatoes

● Potatoes

● Currants

● Cucumber

● melon

● Okra

● horseradish

● Borage

● anise

If you keep a herd of deer, you can reap a good buck by understanding what fruits and vegetables deer eat and how they adjust their diets to meet their changing nutritional needs. Also, it is not advisable to change their diet quickly as they will need time to get used to their new feeding system.

What is your favourite food?

While deer prefer foods that have been classified as whitetail foods (leaves and twigs of woody plants, grasses, nuts, fruits, asters and mushrooms), their diet largely depends on the availability of these foods depending on the season and environmental conditions.

After all, do deer eat carrots? Deer are able to digest carrots easily and will therefore welcome such meals whenever they are available. If you are looking to repel deer for commercial or home use, try Nature’s MACE. Our all-natural repellents offer long-lasting protection and are effective all year round. They keep deer and rabbits away with proven technology.

Here are the rules for supplemental deer feeding

Depending on where you live and what you are used to, extra feeding deer can be a common practice or an illegal offence. Many states are beginning to enforce stricter restrictions on what can and cannot be fed to wild whitetails, largely out of concern for the spread of diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). But where legal and under the right conditions, supplemental deer feeding can be helpful. Here are some good ground rules to follow when considering this approach.

Dietary needs all year round

Over the course of a typical year, most whitetails change their diet quite significantly. They do this to get as much food as possible during a given season. This is especially true in northern areas with harsh winters, as white-tailed deer must drastically change their food sources to survive. So what do deer eat all year round? Here’s a seasonal breakdown to show you.

winter

As mentioned above, winter in northern areas can be a particularly cruel time for white-tailed deer, which is why extra deer feeding efforts are brought up so heavily at this time of year. What do deer eat in winter? Snow often covers all herbaceous vegetation, leaving them only woody brushwood to eat. Twigs are not very digestible (they are very high in fiber) and are low in nutrients. But deer are suited to this scenario, and their four-chambered stomach allows them to survive with it. In agricultural areas, they also eat standing soybeans or corn because of their high fat and carbohydrate content.

Many bucks go into winter in deficit and spend most of their time eating to catch up. Deer and fawns are also in survival mode at this time of year. For this reason, many people assume that feeding deer in winter is helpful, although there is more to it than you will see below.

spring

Spring is full of fresh new growth after a long and stressful winter. Deer are switching their diets towards tender green growth (e.g. grasses, herbs, foliage, etc.) which are generally higher in protein and minerals than older vegetation. This growth is also very tasty and digestible for deer. In areas with high habitat quality, additional wild feeding in spring is unlikely to provide any benefit simply because the natural vegetation is so nutritious. Some good examples are fields of clover or alfalfa, herbs and grasses in natural meadows, regrowth after a prescribed fire, or the delicate tips of new branches. Why do deer go there in spring?

Bucks will almost certainly lose a significant amount of their drop weight and will need to eat lots of highly nutritious food to replenish their muscle mass and fat reserves before their bodies invest much in antler growth. Likewise, many females are either pregnant or nursing to feed their new fawns. They, too, need plenty of nutrient-dense foods to fuel this cycle. After all, last year’s fawns are also playing catch-up with body mass and will consume a lot of food to do so.

Summer

The summer season is a time of routine for whitetails. They will seek out reliable food sources such as agricultural crops (e.g. soybeans, corn, etc.) or young clearcuts to feed on foods high in protein and carbohydrates. They typically don’t sleep too far from food and spend each day on a simple rotation of feeding and bedding.

Again, this is a recovery period for deer. Hopefully bucks have regained their original muscle mass after a stressful winter, and they’re also using nutrients and minerals to encourage antler growth. Many supplemental deer feeding efforts during the summer focus on providing deer feed that is high in nutrients/minerals to help the bucks grow their antlers quickly. Females still suckle fawns and try to maintain their own bodies during the summer. Fawns are self-weaning and eat a lot of vegetation too.

autumn

Fall is usually the fourth quarter for deer (and many other animals). You need the final push to gain as much weight as possible before winter hits. Therefore, they switch from a high-protein diet to a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that puts as much fat into their bodies as possible. Some good fall food sources are hard-fed (e.g., acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts, hickory, etc.), soft-fed (e.g., apples, pears, persimmons, etc.), and agricultural crops (corn, soybeans, cabbage). , cereal grains, etc.).

While bucks will definitely be eating a lot in early fall, they tend to break out of this pattern as the rut approaches. When the rut occurs, most bucks focus on hunting and breeding females or fighting rival bucks. During this time, they can lose a significant portion of their body weight. Deer and fawns, on the other hand, eat as much as possible in autumn. As long as they are not being chased or molested by bucks, they can be found feeding day and night in many areas.

What to feed deer

So now the ultimate question: What is the best way to feed deer? Sure, it sounds like they get much of their food naturally, but what if your area lacks habitat quality or good food sources? This is where well-intentioned (but misinformed) people can be wrong. Assuming supplemental deer feeding is indeed legal where you live, here are a few tips on what to and shouldn’t feed deer.

First, the best game food for any given season will always be the same or reminiscent of its natural food sources, plain and simple. They’re naturally suited to certain foods at certain times of the year, so why mess with what works? Like the name itself, it is intended to be an addition to what is already available to them. For example, it is difficult to beat corn heaps for additional feeding of game in the summer or in the fall. Many deer already eat a lot of corn in agricultural fields and it has a high carbohydrate content that they are looking for.

However, if you suddenly feed a lot of corn to deer that aren’t used to eating it in winter, you can cause acidosis. Basically, their bodies can’t handle this sudden infusion of new food and they can die from it. So when it comes to what to feed deer in winter or what to feed deer instead of corn, stick to more natural sources like clearing a small patch of woods to bring the grass down to deer levels. This is a very inexpensive way to feed deer – all you need is a chainsaw and a few hours of your time. And when that patch grows into young forest, it provides more food for the deer in winter.

If the deer in your area are already used to eating corn all winter, you can start feeding the deer corn slowly and see how they take it, but you probably won’t have a problem in those areas to feed deer corn all year round. Ultimately, the best deer supplement is one that will attract the deer in your area and actually help them gain body mass.

When it comes to feeding deer in summer or spring, you now have many more options. Many people will purchase high protein deer chow for their supplemental deer feeding regimen. This helps them recover faster and restore muscle mass, and for bucks it can help with antler growth too. You can combine the deer protein pellets with our GYT90 deer attractant (4 gallon carton) to make your own customized deer antler food. The high-fat raw soybean oil acts as an attractant, helps them gain weight and provides many essential minerals for antler growth, including calcium and phosphorus. Just mix it into your feed or pour it over feeders.

Where and how to feed deer

You have a few options as to where and how to go about your supplemental deer feeding. You should find something that works for your own situation because a consistent nutritional program is more important and beneficial than a random one.

food pile

The easiest way is to just go out and dump the game food in a heap somewhere. You can do this quickly along access roads and trails, which also makes checking wildlife cameras easier. However, the disadvantage of this type of supplemental wild feeding is that the exposed food can be eaten by other animals including crows, blue jays, squirrels, raccoons, pigs, bears, etc. Because it is exposed to the elements on the ground, it can do so more quickly as well rot. Especially deer feed pellets tend to go to pulp when lying on wet ground or when it rains.

feeders

A better option for most situations is to use a game feeder. Gravity or battery powered feeders protect and better regulate game feed ingredients from spoilage. Deer can’t come in and gulp it down – they only have to eat a little at a time. Feeders are easiest to refill when they are also next to paths. The best time to feed deer with an automatic feeder is usually during the day, which can train them to come during shooting times. If you can’t hunt deer over or near feeders, timing really doesn’t matter.

Other locations

Of course, other places are also good for feeding deer.

Small openings near large agricultural fields can be great spots as they are often roosting spots for deer before venturing onto the fields at night anyway.

Small patch cuts in an otherwise mature forest attract deer for what they are. If you add additional wild feeding or mineral locations, you can bet this will be a popular spot.

If you can find a series of game trails that converge between foraging and litter areas, this could be a great area for a game eater. There’s already a lot of wildlife traffic and you should be able to get great wildlife camera pictures there too. Just try to use a larger feeder in these spots so you don’t have to refill too often.

Is Supplemental Deer Feeding Right For You?

If your property lacks abundant natural food sources year-round, there may be an opportunity to use supplemental feeds to help the deer herd. And if where you hunt isn’t legal or relevant, try to manage natural food sources as best you can. It will definitely make a difference.

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White-tailed deer get fatter when it gets colder outside. This helps them during the colder months when food is scarce. What do deer eat in winter? Here are the rules for feeding deer in the US and Canada.

Deer eat woody foliage in winter. This can be leaves, berries, seedlings, bulbs or buds. In winter, they get their prey from the ground. You can also have some rich foods such as kale, radishes, turnips, apples, or cabbage if it’s available.

Deer can usually forage on their own, but some states allow people to feed deer in their area.

It’s important to know the laws so you don’t interfere with the deer’s usual feeding habits. More information about this can be found below!

What deer like to eat

Deer eat hundreds of different types of plants. They love fruit and some vegetables. They will also eat most of the greens.

Corn is a deer’s favorite treat.

Some other foods they love are blackberries, greenbriers, seedlings, honeysuckle, hackberry, grapevines, acorns, apples, pears, kale, radishes, beets, canola, cabbage, cauliflower and sugar beets.

They also like to eat the leaves of elm, birch, white pine, white cedar, and maple trees.

Most flower bulbs, roots, vines and seedlings also make great wild food.

New fodder for deer

When it comes to feeding deer at any time of the year, you need to consider the current condition of their bodies.

Depending on the season, the deer look for specific foods to put on their bodies that will help them prepare for the future or what is available.

Deer’s bodies will also be better adapted to digesting certain foods during certain times of the year. In the fall, deer are more inclined to eat corn and acorns. They make a great cleaning crew after you’ve harvested all your corn.

Therefore, feed deer plants that usually grow around this time of year. Here are some examples for each season.

Fall: Corn, acorns, raspberries, apples, kale, radishes, and beets.

: Corn, acorns, raspberries, apples, kale, radishes and beets. Winter : vines and leaves.

: vines and leaves. Spring: Greenbriers, honeysuckle, vines, pears and radishes.

: Greenbriers, Honeysuckle, Grapevine, Pears and Radish. Summer: blackberries, raspberries and pears.

Deer can eat corn in spring and pears in winter.

However, you must be extra careful. Don’t just leave a bucket of pears for the deer. Do a little at a time. Put some of the new food where they usually eat.

This will help your body slowly adjust to the change in diet.

If you feed deer regularly, do this for two to three weeks, then they will adjust to the new food. If this is a one-time thing, just don’t overfeed them.

rumen acidosis:

Rumen acidosis is a deer disease they can get in winter if they are fed improperly. During the wintertime, their bodies rely mostly on the fat they gained in the fall for energy.

Rumen acidosis is caused by an excess of carbohydrates, especially grains, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

You’ll still eat a good amount, but it’s minimal and will take a while to digest. The food they eat in winter, such as leaves, provides them with the nutrients they need to survive. However, if they eat the wrong foods or too much of anything during the winter, it can affect their health and they could die.

Problems with feeding deer

First of all, consistently feeding a deer is not recommended. There are some people who regularly feed deer for hunting purposes.

Of course there are regulations and guidelines for this. Over time, the deer can get used to the process and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

You shouldn’t skip a meal in the hopes of deer flocking to your yard. You should also avoid feeding a deer regularly as a pet unless you have done extensive research and spoken to an expert. They can carry parasites and diseases if you’re not careful.

Rumen acidosis is most commonly caused when deer overeat corn during the winter. Corn does not have as much fiber and has more carbohydrates.

In winter, the deer’s digestive system is slow and absorbs more necessary nutrients. Eating corn can affect the digestive system and make it difficult to absorb other foods. This then dehydrates and kills the deer.

Leave it to the deer to fend for themselves. They have the biology to survive and probably did so many winters before.

I know you might want to hold out some food hoping they’ll nibble a bit off your hand, but you shouldn’t. It’s best to let them live their lives and we live ours to keep them safe and healthy.

Additional nutrition can help deer in winter

Deciding to feed deer early in the season, introducing feeds gradually, and sticking with the program through spring are all good ways to keep them healthy during the winter.

Avoid rapid feed changes to avoid health problems like rumen acidosis. Source: Bangor Daily News

This is how deer stay warm in winter.

Deer feed on corn in winter.

Is it legal to feed deer in my state?

Every state has different laws and regulations when it comes to deer feeding. This is mainly for people who hunt because they like to keep herds of deer all year round or to attract many to an area with a constant food supply.

Even if you don’t hunt, these rules are good to know for the beautiful deer that live near you or if you’re thinking about starting a good zoo or deer sanctuary.

Most states focus on three main things: feed, bait, and feed placement. I won’t go through every condition because they are all different, but I can give you some general information.

First, you should check if you can even feed the deer in your area and what the restrictions are. Some locations allow you to feed and keep deer on or near your property, while others do not.

Second, you need to see if you can use the feed for deer baiting or for hunting purposes.

States might allow you to bait deer closer, but then they can also say you can’t do that during certain times of the year.

That’s the last thing to check when you can and can’t feed the deer in certain areas when it comes to baiting.

Depending on the state you live in, there are various other little things and regulations. Be sure to find out about everything.

Here is a summarized list of regulations for each state.

Deer Feeding in Canada: All Regions

Here it is legal and illegal to feed deer in Canada. This list includes all 10 provinces and 3 territories.

It is important to note that these rules are subject to change. And while a particular region may allow it, smaller communities within that province or territory may prohibit it.

Where I live in Nova Scotia Canada there is no need to feed them. They are visible year round and we frequently let them come into our backyard to eat apples that have fallen from the trees. They will even dig them through the snow.

You might see deer while hiking this winter. Here are 35 tips for winter hiking.

Film your backyard wildlife

If you plan to feed deer in your area, consider setting up a wildlife camera. This is one of Bushnell’s readers’ favorites.

How to hide your trail camera from people. And how to connect a trail camera to a computer.

It’s your turn

Have you seen wild feedings in your area? Do you have a question for me? Join me in the comments!

from Central Oregon Daily News Sources

By BROOKE SNAVELY

CENTRAL OREGON DAILY NEWS

What to do if you discover a dead deer in your yard?

A family from Bend faced this dilemma Wednesday and shared some important lessons they learned.

Billye Friberg and her daughter Victoria thought their dog Emma was chasing a rabbit in their Midtown Bend backyard.

In fact, Emma had discovered a dead deer.

“There was no evidence of trauma. I called Fish and Wildlife to ask what to do,” Victoria Chase said. “They said because it’s private property you have to take care of getting rid of it. If it were on the road the county would take care of it.”

They called an animal transport service.

“The other possibility, if they follow the guidelines, is that they bury it on their property,” said Lee Ashcraft, owner of Lee’s Animal Removal Service. “Another option is to dump it in one of the landfills, but they still have to have permission to move it. The other option would be to call a service like mine.”

Wildlife viewing is one of the many highlights of the central Oregon lifestyle.

But feeding wildlife, particularly deer and moose, is a terrible idea and practice.

“Every year we perform necropsies on deer that have died in people’s yards with stomachs full of corn, grain and alfalfa,” said Andrew Walch, a wildlife biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. “So they die with a full stomach because it’s not the right food.”

Walch said deer can’t digest the food people put in front of them.

It causes acid from indigestion to enter their blood and bloat their stomachs, constricting their lungs to the point where they can’t breathe.

“If you throw away a bunch of apples or alfalfa or grain pellets, corn, those things, their guts can’t handle that high carb load all at once. It will kill them in a rather horrific way in a few days. It’s called ruminazide doses.”

said Walch.

Deer that die with full stomachs are routinely dragged from neighborhoods across Bend and killed by well-intentioned people who believe they are helping by laying out forage, including birdseed.

“It’s not common knowledge that bird seed can kill deer and that we shouldn’t be feeding these animals,” Chase said. “They are wild. I just thought people would want to know.”

Victoria has moved her bird feeders to a fenced area where deer cannot reach them.

Such is the problem of wildlife feeding that the City of Bend passed a resolution earlier this year urging residents not to feed any wildlife other than birds.

If the problem persists, the city may need to take a regulatory approach.

So do yourself, your neighbors and the deer a favor: Have fun watching, but please do not feed them.

It’s no secret that cereal grains — wheat, oats, grain rye, triticale — are a popular choice for growing in forage plots farmed for white-tailed deer. Cereal grains are very attractive to deer and they serve well in a variety of conditions. In terms of deer preference, oats consistently rank higher than the other grains and most other feeds for that matter.

species description

Oat (Avena sativa) is a cool season annual grain and looks very similar to the other grains in the early stages before flowering. However, experienced food plotters will note that oats are a deeper green color compared to the other grains. Even when oats are mature and produce a seed head, it is very easy to distinguish them from the others since their seed head is considered a panicle while the others have a spike. At maturity, oats typically reach a height of about 2 to 3 feet if soil fertility is good.

As previously mentioned, oats are highly preferred by deer and consistently rank among the top species consumed by deer in forage preference trials. Oats are also very nutritious. In well managed forage plots with neutral pH and good fertility, oats can contain more than 25% crude protein. This rivals any other cool season feed and is well above the levels deer need for optimal growth and production. Oats are also very easy to digest. In fact, oats are one of the most digestible game foods on the market, with an acid wash fiber count of under 20%. Acid detergent fiber is a measure of the indigestible fraction of the plant, the lower the better.

Another appealing feature of oats is that they germinate and grow very quickly, making them ideal as nurse plants for slow-growing perennial clovers and chicory, and providing early-season hunting opportunities. Total forage production in fall/winter is very respectable at 3,000 to 4,000 lbs./acre (dry weight) and oats have excellent resilience to heavy grazing pressure.

One problem with oats is cold tolerance. In the northern half of the US, oats are killed when cold weather sets in unless a cold hardy variety is used. For this reason, in northern regions, oats are usually planted in spring, except when attempting to provide a quick source of attraction in fall hunting grounds. Regardless, it’s important to select an oat variety that is cold hardy, which can be determined by contacting your local Extension representative or seed store. Also, oats don’t do well in wet, poorly drained soil, so be sure to plant them in well-drained locations.

Soil preparation and planting

Before planting oats or other forage, it is important to collect soil samples to determine the pH and soil fertility of your plots. This allows you to add the recommended amount of lime (if needed) and fertilizer to maximize forage production, attractiveness and nutrient quality. Oats definitely perform best and are most attractive to deer when soil pH is 6.0 or greater and nutrient levels are kept in the high range.

Similar to other grains, oats are very easy to grow and can be either spread or sown in a prepared seedbed. When dispersing seed, ensure you create a smooth, firm seedbed by disc tillage/till to ensure optimal germination and seedling establishment. If planting alone in a pure stand, scatter seeds at 120 to 150 lbs./acre PLS (Pure Live Seeds) and lightly dig 1 to 2 inches deep into the soil. Oats will not establish well unless incorporated into the soil with good seed-to-soil contact.

When no-till, be sure to kill existing vegetation with glyphosate a few weeks before planting to eliminate weed competition and expose the soil before planting. Oats should be drilled at 70 to 80 lbs./acre PLS at 1 to 2 inches deep when planted alone.

If your goal is to extend the life of forage fields into the following summer, it’s important to include other forages that are available when the oats sow and die in late spring. Planting a mix also helps cushion winter death if a cold hardy oat variety is not used.

Oats thrive very well in mixtures with other annual forage crops such as crimson, arrowleaf, balansa and frosty barley clover, as well as winter peas and cabbage. I prefer to include annual shamrocks as they can extend plot life after oat ripening and produce nitrogen that benefits the oats. Otherwise you only get about 7 months of quality feed if you only plant oats. When oats begin to mature and produce seeds, palatability and digestibility are significantly reduced.

Oats are also an excellent choice for perennial clover/chicory plots. Oats germinate very quickly and offer an early attraction as the slower growing clover and chicory show up later. However, be sure to reduce the planting rate of oats to around 40 to 50 lbs./acre PLS using this strategy to avoid choking on the clover and chicory. Also, the height of oats, which is about 2 feet at maturity, is more accommodating than taller grains like grain rye and will not choke out the lower-growing clover and chicory, which need ample space and sunlight for heavy production during the summer.

when to plant

In the south, oats should be planted in September or October when adequate soil moisture or rain is in the forecast. In the north, a hardy oat variety should be planted in August in conjunction with other cool season forages that will be available should the oats be killed in winter. This strategy will provide a quick source of attraction for hunting grounds in northern regions. Alternatively, oats can be planted in April as spring/summer forage or seeded with frost. However, some of the forage legumes, such as soybeans and cowpeas, would be better suited if you are aiming for increased forage production in the summer.

weed control

Because oats are very quick to establish, the rapid growth rate helps naturally suppress weed pressure. In some cases, however, weed control measures are necessary. Fortunately, there are numerous herbicide options for controlling cool-season broadleaf weeds—like chickweed, wild mustard, henbit, and crimson deadnettle—as long as oats are planted. Herbicides such as 2,4-D, Harmony Extra, Banvel or Clarity are very effective in controlling broadleaf weeds. When grass weeds are a problem, such as B. annual ryegrass in the south, your options are more limited. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of any herbicides that kill ryegrass without killing oats. Therefore, you need to adapt your planting strategy and only use forage that allows you to most effectively manage the weeds in your plots.

If ryegrass is a problem and you want to grow a cereal grain, you need to substitute wheat for oats. When planting wheat, you can spray the plot with either Axial XL or Achieve. These herbicides will kill ryegrass but will not harm wheat or other broadleaf feeds contained in the mix. When using herbicides, it’s important to always read and follow the herbicide label for specific advice and safety information on proper handling and application.

can deer eat cat food? Anyone who has ever raised cats knows that they can be picky eaters, especially when they are sick or unwell. It turns out the same goes for deer, and feeding your cat deer might not be a good idea. It could make them sick or worse! Here’s what you need to know about feeding cat food to deer to keep both your pets and local wildlife safe and healthy.

Does cat food contain nutrients useful for deer?

Cats and deer are very different animals. While cat food is high in protein and other nutrients, deer do not eat meat as part of their natural diet; They graze on different plants. However, they have large appetites, so they might find cat food tempting if available. If you intend to provide food for your house cats or get rid of leftover pet food cans, you should store them in a place that is inaccessible to wildlife. However, if you plan to feed leftover pet food to deer (or other animals), check with your local county office for information on how much you can feed them without risking harm or contamination.

Is there a benefit to feeding your pet’s leftovers to wildlife?

It’s not a good idea to feed your pet’s leftovers to wild animals. At best, you feed a wild animal and make it sick. At worst, you could be providing it with food that is terrible for its health or diet and could harm an entire wildlife population. Also, some diseases that are common in pets — such as roundworms and tapeworms — can have harmful effects on certain animals when transmitted through eating their droppings. If you enjoy wildlife and want to help them survive, photograph them instead of feeding them! But if they eat your leftovers, don’t worry! Take a shot anyway!

Is it legal to feed wildlife from your yard?

No matter how many rabbits, birds and squirrels roam your garden; You cannot legally feed them from your home. While there are some exceptions for non-domesticated wildlife species like deer and raccoons to eat from your yard, it is illegal in most states (with a few exceptions) to feed wild animals. Feeding deer causes more problems than you might think. An abundance of deer puts pressure on local ecosystems, destroying trees and plants with their grazing habits. And laying out food for other animals encourages more animals to visit your yard — including disease-carrying rodents like rats or feral cats.

If you’ve ever wondered: can deer eat cat food? You’re not alone! Many people have heard of the urban legend that deer can enter homes and eat out of their owner’s kitchen, but did you know this can even happen to animals? Luckily, we can put your feline friends at ease by explaining why deer don’t like cat food and how you can protect your pet from these ferocious creatures.

Facts about feeding deer

1. Although deer are omnivores, they prefer vegetable matter to meat; They will also eat insects and fungi 2. Their favorite foods include sweet acorns, alfalfa, flowering plants and garden crops such as tomatoes, berries and melons 3. They may be tempted to fill your garden with a variety of plants or even a small bowl of leftover cat food 4. It is generally not recommended to feed deer as it could lead to aggressive behavior towards humans 5. However, if you have enough land for them to roam freely, you can offer them some leftover food (especially something with a lot protein) from time to time 6. Always make sure your neighbors are okay with you feeding deer so no one gets hurt 7.

Why are we doing it?

Although it seems reasonable, humans often create scenarios that endanger the lives of animals, sometimes knowingly and sometimes completely unconsciously. You may have seen videos or pictures of someone putting cat food in their yard to attract deer. But there are a few reasons you should never feed deer cat food. Most important is your safety. Cats are carriers of toxoplasmosis gondii, a parasite that can be transmitted to larger animals, including humans, through the feces or urine of an infected cat. Toxoplasmosis gondii is believed to cause serious mental disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, once people are infected with it. While the studies aren’t conclusive yet, it certainly isn’t worth taking any unnecessary risks to your health, especially with other animals like deer.

Why would a deer even want to eat this stuff?

They are hungry. Like walking around on a cold winter morning looking for something to eat. A bowl of kibble contains everything a deer needs to live: carbohydrates (sugar), proteins (from meat, seeds and legumes) and fats (from meat and dairy). And it’s packed with vitamins and minerals, as are those specialized deer pellets that cost $2 a pound. While it wouldn’t work as a sole food source — it would quickly become monotonous — it’s no small snack for hungry animals. So why do we keep cat food out of reach in our homes?

Here are the rules for supplemental deer feeding

Depending on where you live and what you are used to, extra feeding deer can be a common practice or an illegal offence. Many states are beginning to enforce stricter restrictions on what can and cannot be fed to wild whitetails, largely out of concern for the spread of diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). But where legal and under the right conditions, supplemental deer feeding can be helpful. Here are some good ground rules to follow when considering this approach.

Dietary needs all year round

Over the course of a typical year, most whitetails change their diet quite significantly. They do this to get as much food as possible during a given season. This is especially true in northern areas with harsh winters, as white-tailed deer must drastically change their food sources to survive. So what do deer eat all year round? Here’s a seasonal breakdown to show you.

winter

As mentioned above, winter in northern areas can be a particularly cruel time for white-tailed deer, which is why extra deer feeding efforts are brought up so heavily at this time of year. What do deer eat in winter? Snow often covers all herbaceous vegetation, leaving them only woody brushwood to eat. Twigs are not very digestible (they are very high in fiber) and are low in nutrients. But deer are suited to this scenario, and their four-chambered stomach allows them to survive with it. In agricultural areas, they also eat standing soybeans or corn because of their high fat and carbohydrate content.

Many bucks go into winter in deficit and spend most of their time eating to catch up. Deer and fawns are also in survival mode at this time of year. For this reason, many people assume that feeding deer in winter is helpful, although there is more to it than you will see below.

spring

Spring is full of fresh new growth after a long and stressful winter. Deer are switching their diets towards tender green growth (e.g. grasses, herbs, foliage, etc.) which are generally higher in protein and minerals than older vegetation. This growth is also very tasty and digestible for deer. In areas with high habitat quality, additional wild feeding in spring is unlikely to provide any benefit simply because the natural vegetation is so nutritious. Some good examples are fields of clover or alfalfa, herbs and grasses in natural meadows, regrowth after a prescribed fire, or the delicate tips of new branches. Why do deer go there in spring?

Bucks will almost certainly lose a significant amount of their drop weight and will need to eat lots of highly nutritious food to replenish their muscle mass and fat reserves before their bodies invest much in antler growth. Likewise, many females are either pregnant or nursing to feed their new fawns. They, too, need plenty of nutrient-dense foods to fuel this cycle. After all, last year’s fawns are also playing catch-up with body mass and will consume a lot of food to do so.

Summer

The summer season is a time of routine for whitetails. They will seek out reliable food sources such as agricultural crops (e.g. soybeans, corn, etc.) or young clearcuts to feed on foods high in protein and carbohydrates. They typically don’t sleep too far from food and spend each day on a simple rotation of feeding and bedding.

Again, this is a recovery period for deer. Hopefully bucks have regained their original muscle mass after a stressful winter, and they’re also using nutrients and minerals to encourage antler growth. Many supplemental deer feeding efforts during the summer focus on providing deer feed that is high in nutrients/minerals to help the bucks grow their antlers quickly. Females still suckle fawns and try to maintain their own bodies during the summer. Fawns are self-weaning and eat a lot of vegetation too.

autumn

Fall is usually the fourth quarter for deer (and many other animals). You need the final push to gain as much weight as possible before winter hits. Therefore, they switch from a high-protein diet to a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that puts as much fat into their bodies as possible. Some good fall food sources are hard-fed (e.g., acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts, hickory, etc.), soft-fed (e.g., apples, pears, persimmons, etc.), and agricultural crops (corn, soybeans, cabbage). , cereal grains, etc.).

While bucks will definitely be eating a lot in early fall, they tend to break out of this pattern as the rut approaches. When the rut occurs, most bucks focus on hunting and breeding females or fighting rival bucks. During this time, they can lose a significant portion of their body weight. Deer and fawns, on the other hand, eat as much as possible in autumn. As long as they are not being chased or molested by bucks, they can be found feeding day and night in many areas.

What to feed deer

So now the ultimate question: What is the best way to feed deer? Sure, it sounds like they get much of their food naturally, but what if your area lacks habitat quality or good food sources? This is where well-intentioned (but misinformed) people can be wrong. Assuming supplemental deer feeding is indeed legal where you live, here are a few tips on what to and shouldn’t feed deer.

First, the best game food for any given season will always be the same or reminiscent of its natural food sources, plain and simple. They’re naturally suited to certain foods at certain times of the year, so why mess with what works? Like the name itself, it is intended to be an addition to what is already available to them. For example, it is difficult to beat corn heaps for additional feeding of game in the summer or in the fall. Many deer already eat a lot of corn in agricultural fields and it has a high carbohydrate content that they are looking for.

However, if you suddenly feed a lot of corn to deer that aren’t used to eating it in winter, you can cause acidosis. Basically, their bodies can’t handle this sudden infusion of new food and they can die from it. So when it comes to what to feed deer in winter or what to feed deer instead of corn, stick to more natural sources like clearing a small patch of woods to bring the grass down to deer levels. This is a very inexpensive way to feed deer – all you need is a chainsaw and a few hours of your time. And when that patch grows into young forest, it provides more food for the deer in winter.

If the deer in your area are already used to eating corn all winter, you can start feeding the deer corn slowly and see how they take it, but you probably won’t have a problem in those areas to feed deer corn all year round. Ultimately, the best deer supplement is one that will attract the deer in your area and actually help them gain body mass.

When it comes to feeding deer in summer or spring, you now have many more options. Many people will purchase high protein deer chow for their supplemental deer feeding regimen. This helps them recover faster and restore muscle mass, and for bucks it can help with antler growth too. You can combine the deer protein pellets with our GYT90 deer attractant (4 gallon carton) to make your own customized deer antler food. The high-fat raw soybean oil acts as an attractant, helps them gain weight and provides many essential minerals for antler growth, including calcium and phosphorus. Just mix it into your feed or pour it over feeders.

Where and how to feed deer

You have a few options as to where and how to go about your supplemental deer feeding. You should find something that works for your own situation because a consistent nutritional program is more important and beneficial than a random one.

food pile

The easiest way is to just go out and dump the game food in a heap somewhere. You can do this quickly along access roads and trails, which also makes checking wildlife cameras easier. However, the disadvantage of this type of supplemental wild feeding is that the exposed food can be eaten by other animals including crows, blue jays, squirrels, raccoons, pigs, bears, etc. Because it is exposed to the elements on the ground, it can do so more quickly as well rot. Especially deer feed pellets tend to go to pulp when lying on wet ground or when it rains.

feeders

A better option for most situations is to use a game feeder. Gravity or battery powered feeders protect and better regulate game feed ingredients from spoilage. Deer can’t come in and gulp it down – they only have to eat a little at a time. Feeders are easiest to refill when they are also next to paths. The best time to feed deer with an automatic feeder is usually during the day, which can train them to come during shooting times. If you can’t hunt deer over or near feeders, timing really doesn’t matter.

Other locations

Of course, other places are also good for feeding deer.

Small openings near large agricultural fields can be great spots as they are often roosting spots for deer before venturing onto the fields at night anyway.

Small patch cuts in an otherwise mature forest attract deer for what they are. If you add additional wild feeding or mineral locations, you can bet this will be a popular spot.

If you can find a series of game trails that converge between foraging and litter areas, this could be a great area for a game eater. There’s already a lot of wildlife traffic and you should be able to get great wildlife camera pictures there too. Just try to use a larger feeder in these spots so you don’t have to refill too often.

Is Supplemental Deer Feeding Right For You?

If your property lacks abundant natural food sources year-round, there may be an opportunity to use supplemental feeds to help the deer herd. And if where you hunt isn’t legal or relevant, try to manage natural food sources as best you can. It will definitely make a difference.