What Is The Best Thing To Feed Deer?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  • Acorns.
  • Soybeans.
  • Oats.
  • Alfalfa or hay (Warning: Do not feed during the winter)
  • Turnips.
  • And many others, depending on the time of year.

What can I feed wild deer in the winter?

Most brassicas are relished for the succulent, high protein, green forage they produce.

BioLogic’s Winter Bulbs and Sugar Beets

or Maximum are good choices for most late-season food plots and will provide forage that will improve the health of winter deer herds, particularly in times of stress.

What should you not feed deer?

Do not feed

hay, corn, kitchen scraps, potatoes, lettuce trimmings

or any animal proteins from animals rendered into feed. Deer may actually starve when fed supplemental foods during winter if they have a full belly of indigestible foods.

What do deer like to eat the most?

Food they absolutely love are:

pecans, hickory nuts, beechnut acorns

, as well as acorns. Fruits such as apples, blueberries, blackberries, and persimmons are also appealing to deer and satisfy their appetites.

Is it OK to feed deer in my backyard?

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

Can you feed deer Quaker Oats?

If formulated deer food mixtures are unavailable, oats are the next best supplemental food for deer. Oats provide deer with a healthy mixture of fiber and carbohydrates without disrupting their digestive system. … Therefore, it is

safe to feed deer these fruits

.

Do deer eat carrots?

Carrots have proved to be among one of the best vegetables to feed these deer with. … Carrots are root vegetables and can be found in a number of colours such as orange, purple, red and yellow. Once in

a carrot garden, deer will dig up the carrots and eat them

.

Do deer like oats or corn better?


Oats are a preferred supplement

. … Corn is often used as a food supplement, but is low in protein and nutritional value. It may result in acidosis if introduced too quickly, so should be used sparingly as an energy supplement such as for does trying to feed new fawns.

What is the cheapest thing to feed deer?

Making Your Own Inexpensive Deer Feed


Oats, corn, nuts, and dried fruits

are a great combination. You can buy most of these items in bulk in supermarkets and online which will help reduce costs. Mix them up and bring them to the stockpile or the feeder.

What attracts deer the most?

Plants that typically attract deer include

red clover, chicory, and orchard grass

. Certain high-protein crops, such as peas, soybeans, turnips, alfalfa, sorghum, kale, or corn, are also attractants that the animals enjoy feeding on. Deer like the nutritious nuts that come from chestnuts and acorns as well.

Do deer like apples or corn better?


Apples attract deer

, in which are going to pull the bucks. As for bucks like them only. NO way, they all like them, but I wouldnt say they like them more than corn. If you put corn and apples together in a bait pile, the apples will be eaten by deer first, then the corn.

What vegetables will deer not eat?

Deer Resistant Vegetables and Herbs

Certain plants, such as rhubarb, are toxic to deer. Deer usually also avoid root vegetables (which require digging) and prickly vegetables such as

cucumbers and squashes with hairy leaves

. Cultivars with strong odors such as onions, garlic and fennel are not palatable to deer.

How many hours a day do deer eat?

Low fiber foods digest quickly and deer may feed

every four hours

. During late fall, deer typically feed on higher fiber plants like tips of trees and nuts. High fiber foods take longer to digest, so in this case deer will typically need to feed every seven hours.

Is bird seed bad for deer?

Unfortunately,

deer eat bird seeds

even if they are not the first or second food choices. They can quickly empty a bird feeder, which will cost you extra funds to purchase more seeds to feed the birds around you. Deer can also cause damage your feeders as they rip or knock them down while trying to gain access.

Is it bad to feed deer corn?

Corn is high in starch and a good source of digestible energy, but

can cause problems in a deer’s digestive system

. When deer eat too much corn or other high-‐carbohydrate food, many complex changes occur in the rumen. … A short-‐term consequence of eating too much corn is that the deer feel sick.

Are salt licks good for deer?

Salt Lick For Deer: Why Do Deer Like Salt? … They

contain essential mineral nutrients of salt deposits and trace

minerals such as phosphorus, iron, zinc, and calcium. Mineral licks can be commonly found in nature. Animals regularly visit those sites where natural salt licks are abundant to supplement their diet.

Sophia Kim
Author
Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.