What To Feed Deer In Winter
So when food management is a concern then you can feed them nuts.
What to feed deer in winter. Think before you feed. High carbohydrate foods are needed to get deer through the winter because they produce quick energy and body heat. Put woody browse in reach. In some cases they end up eating leaves from plant species that humans use in agriculture.
How to provide emergency winter deer food. Some states require that all supplements be removed prior to hunting season. Feeding deer during the fall and early stages of winter is all about increasing fat reserves to sustain them through the rut and colder months. Corn or deer feed pellets are the most common foods that hunters refer to when they talk about feeding deer.
Deer eat a wide variety of plant matter though during most of the year they forage for berries acorns mushrooms lichen and leaves from woody trees and herbaceous plants. A well balanced diet of 16 protein and added fat and minerals to support reproduction is of greater benefit than just corn during this time of year. But first check the local laws for baiting in your area. Make a proper mixture.
So what is the problem with this. What to feed deer in winter. Acorns are another safe food source. Fall and winter feeding does not need to be the high protein diets that allowed the deer to reach their genetic potential for antler growth.
There are various kinds of nuts like acorn. This feed is more easily digestible and meets the nutritional requirements by also supplying the two most prevalent and studied minerals in deer calcium and phosphorous. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables including apples grapes cherries pears carrots and snap peas are eaten. Feeding deer large amounts of corn in the winter in an area where they dont normally get it can be a disaster.
During the winter they also eat the buds and pine cones of evergreen trees.