- Vegetables. Unsurprisingly, deer love fresh vegetables. Some of the veggies you can put out to attract deer are turnips, carrots, cabbage, celery, kale, and squash.
- Legumes and pulses. During the summer, deer need a lot of protein to help with milk production and antler growth. ...
- Fruit and nuts. One thing that you might not realize about deer is that they love fruits and nuts! ...
- Oats. If feeding deer is legal in your state, oats are a cheap and easy option; they’re easy to digest and rich in both fiber and carbohydrates.
- Pre-mixed deer feed. If all of this seems intimidating, don’t worry; there are many commercial, pre-mixed deer feeds on the market.
What is the best food for whitetail deer?
[36] Douglas Fir: In the west, fir needles are commonly the best available food where whitetails, muleys, and blacktails take winter shelter. Deer seem to have a special fondness for red maple leaves.
What is the best thing to feed deer in winter?
What Is the Best Deer Feeder out There?
- Moultrie Feed Station – it has a 30 lb. capacity and is made of resistant plastic.
- Moultrie Pro Magnum Deer Feeder Kit | All Metal Housing – it has a battery indicator and vermin guard.
- Wildgame Innovations Pail Camo Steel Feeder – it has a 50 lb. capacity and is made of a steel material.
What is a whitetail deer favorite food?
- Mouth The teeth structure, jaws, and stomach of the white-tailed deer are strong and very useful for masticating & eating vegetation, but they don’t use them for thick grass. ...
- Stomach Another reason is that white-tailed deer have a different set of microbes in their stomach. So they don’t process mature weed as normally. ...
- Fruits & Nuts
What is the best temperature to hunt whitetail deer?
What is the best time of day to hunt deer?
- Morning Hunts. A lot of hunters prefer to hunt in the morning. This was always my dad’s favorite time to hunt. ...
- Mid-day Hunts. In general, you might have a better chance hunting at dawn or dusk because those times are when the deer are most active.
- Evening Hunts. Evening hunts are my favorite time to hunt. ...
What's the best thing to feed deer in summer?
During the summer, don't only use corn when feeding deer. Instead, combine it with a supplemental source of protein. It's tempting to stock the feeder full of corn, but it's not a good source of protein – only around seven to 10 percent. Rather, it's mostly carbohydrates, which is needed more in the winter months.
What do whitetail deer eat in the summer?
In spring, you may find deer feeding on grass varieties, but they prefer soft stems for summer. Deer may also feed on fruit trees such as plum bushes, pears, apples, and crab apples. These are their sources for carbohydrates during summer. Deer usually forage for their meals at dawn and dusk.
Should deer be fed in summer?
Feeding Deer in Summer Bucks are rapidly increasing antler growth and does are recovering from fawning and providing for those newly born fawns. For bucks, calcium and phosphorus continue to be important for maximum antler growth. A large percentage of these two minerals go directly to antler growth.
What can I feed my backyard deer in the summer?
Oats provide deer with a healthy mixture of fiber and carbohydrates without disrupting their digestive system.A wide variety of fruits and vegetables – including apples, grapes, cherries, pears, carrots, and snap peas – are eaten in nature by deer. ... Acorns are another safe food source.
What is a whitetail deer's favorite food?
They love pecans, hickory nuts and beechnuts acorns in addition to acorns. A couple of favorite fruits are apples, blueberries, blackberries and persimmons. Deer occasionally enter yards to get their mouths on flowers, vegetables and ornamental trees -- quite often to the surprise of the homeowners.
What do deer love to eat the most?
Deer will primarily eat browse (woody portion of leaves and stems), forbs (broad-leaved plants), mast (acorns, apples, etc), and grass. Although these are the main foods deer like to eat, the quantity of these different foods differ throughout the year and the region you are hunting.
Is corn bad for deer in summer?
Unhealthy “Junk Food” As ruminants, deer have a specific blend of microbes in their stomach that break down their naturally high-fiber diet. Large amounts of carbohydrate-rich, low fiber foods like deer corn can disrupt this microbiome — leading to bouts of severe diarrhea and dehydration that could be deadly.
How do you attract bucks in the summer?
9:4413:00How To Keep Summer Bucks During The Fall - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou. Might actually see the reverse because most properties are built for summer buck herds. And forMoreYou. Might actually see the reverse because most properties are built for summer buck herds. And for the occasional summer box living on them very few are built to attract and hold.
Should you feed deer corn?
Many articles, presentations, and campfire conversations about deer nutrition state emphatically that corn is not good for deer. In a general sense, this is true because corn is low in protein (9%), has a poor mineral profile, and can cause digestive upset and metabolic problems.
Are salt licks good for deer?
All hooved mammals love salt, so licks made only of salt do a fine job of attracting deer. Licks with added flavors, minerals and nutrients can be even better, especially if you find one the deer in your area really love.
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 is the cheapest thing to feed deer?
An inexpensive way to feed deer is with corn. Deer love corn and many hunters rely on it for supplemental feeding. That being said, corn is not an excellent source of protein, which is essential for antler growth and the nursing of fawns.
When is the best time to feed whitetails?
The most important time for proper nutrition for whitetails is summer. Bucks are rapidly increasing antler growth and does are recovering from fawning and providing for those newly born fawns.
What are the nutrients that deer need?
For antler growth, deer feed ingredients such as calcium and phosphorous are a must.
Why is it important to feed deer in spring?
To conclude, spring and summer deer feeding are extremely important to overall deer herd health and to maximize antler development. However, don’t think of it strictly as supplemental feed and minerals.
What is deer feeding?
Deer feeding can take on multiple aspects. As a whole, it includes planting food plots, providing supplemental minerals and feed, and working on habitat projects to improve native forage production. Deer management is all about providing the best resources, at the right amounts and the right time. Feeding deer in spring and summer correctly enables you to improve your herd during critical times, which leads to a healthy, more robust deer herd come fall hunting season.
What should be the protein content of deer feed?
Protein content should be higher in summer than spring. Feeds should have upwards of 15-22% protein content. Also when feeding deer in summer, your feeders need to be accessible by fawns so they too can take full advantage of all the deer feed ingredients you’re supplementing with.
What is the best ratio of calcium to phosphorus for deer?
When selecting the right summer deer feed, look for calcium to phosphorus ratios in feeds should be 1:1 or 2:1 to for optimal antler development. Does have the largest nutritional needs in summer, especially a nursing doe. Their requirements exist on two fronts.
Do bucks grow antlers?
As mentioned previously, bucks are starting antler growth and does are preparing for fawn rearing. Both of these lifecycle changes require certain nutrients to maximize their potential. Unless you have planned appropriately for late season and spring forages, chances are your food plots are just being planted.
What is the best food for a whitetail deer?
When the whitetail is lactating, high calcium and high phosphorous food are preferred. The calcium is necessary for milk production. Mushrooms are perfect sources of calcium and phosphorous. The deer will also prefer the mushrooms during antler growth. Increasing the mushroom presence increases antler quality.
What do deer eat in winter?
It is, therefore, a time when deer are least selective. They will eat acorns, hickory nuts and buds of available woody plants. When hunting during the winter, try protein foods like soybeans and fruits like pears. In short, what the deer cannot source elsewhere.
Do deer eat mushrooms in spring?
That is what the deer will want to avoid in the spring. Deer seek out nuts and phosphorous rich mushrooms to replenish all the winter exhausted. The return of weedy plants is also met with a lot of excitement. Deer will munch away for extended periods of time on the growing weeds.
Can whitetails eat pecans?
Pecans are not as loved as acorns and fruits. Whitetails, however, do eat pecans in the combination of forbs and other plants. A pecan only food plot will not be as appealing as a plot with mixed goodies.
Do whitetail deer eat meat?
Whitetail deer do eat meat. They will eat hatchlings and dead animals occasionally. They do this when they are desperate for calcium. You cannot, however, use meat as bait. They do not like it that much. Now, armed with the knowledge of "What do whitetail deer eat" map your hunting grounds.
Do deer like soybeans?
There is hardly a time that deer will overlook soybeans. They love them. They will walk past a cornfield to reach soybeans. Never leave them out of a food plot.You should not assume that a green food plot is an attractive food plot. Deer look past the green. Deer will rank potential food as either :
Do deer eat pumpkins?
Nuts that have high-fat contents are also sought out by whitetails. At this time, deer will also eat pumpkins for their vitamins and carbohydrates. Mushrooms are also very important at present. They replenish the phosphorous used for growth from spring through summer.
What is the attraction behind supplemental feeding and deer minerals?
The attraction behind supplemental feeding and deer minerals is one thing, the strategy behind the attraction is another. The approach behind both supplemental feeding and deer minerals should lean on the side of attraction and inventory rather than a chore devoted to increasing the health of the herd.
When is the best time to start deer chores?
Late spring, early summer is the perfect time to start two of these deer chores…putting out summer deer feed, and deer minerals.
Do deer feeds make a difference?
Unlike deer minerals, deer feed, and supplemental feeding programs for deer do make a significant difference. Nutrition is one of the key factors when determining antler development and a high protein deer feed with other nutrients during the spring and summer months can absolutely create a difference on your hunting property!
What to plant for deer in the summer?
One of the many ways to combat the challenge of summer nutrition is to simply offer deer more forage , and at the same time, more variety of forage. Shrubs offer a great way to do this. A few good choices include silky or red osier dogwood, Allegheny chinquapin, raspberry, Chickasaw plum, strawberry bush, and American beautyberry. Plant them along woods borders and edges of fields to create a feathering effect. That will make animals feel comfortable coming out earlier so they can get more feeding in at major plots and crop fields. You may have to protect the shrubs with tubes and water them early on after planting if rain is lacking.
What is the best time to hunt whitetail deer?
Many hunters and novice land managers assume that summer is a time of limitless, green, high-quality forage for deer - the ultimate season for whitetails. There are lush green foods high in nutrition everywhere they turn. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that clear-cut and positive of a picture. In fact, in most regions, spring ...
What is the best shot to give clover plants?
But if your clover or clover-chicory plants seem to be slacking off in production, a shot of phosphate and potash such as 0-46-0 and 0-0-60 at the appropriate time can give them a great summer boost. Only do so if the plants are growing and there’s adequate moisture, both in the ground and in the forecast.
When to replant decimated buck sites?
The good thing is that once more consistent rain is on the horizon, say during late July through September, you can replant these decimated sites with brassicas, cereals and annual clovers or a mixture such as Hot Spot or Last Bite and still have a great ambush site for an October buck. 8.
Can you plant apples on a hunting site?
There’s nothing wrong with planting late-ripening apples, pears, and persimmons for a hunting site, but planting some of these early-bearing fruit trees significantly adds to the property’s food diversity as well as being a great gift to your animals.
Is it better to hunt deer in summer or winter?
In fact, in most regions, spring and fall offer superior fare for deer. The only thing you can say about summer is that it’s usually better than winter. However, even that’s not always the case, depending on the property’s management plan.
Do whitetails match spring?
They definitely are. It’s just that they don’t match the high protein levels, nutritional value, and tenderness of spring’s first growth. Mother Nature really doesn’t supply the quality of nutritious forage necessary for whitetails to achieve their full potential.
Deer Supplemental Feeding
Many landowners use supplemental feeding programs on their property as part of their management plan. Most supplemental foods designed for deer are high in nutrition and can be important during periods of drought or extreme cold.
Types of Supplemental Feed
Corn is probably the most popular deer feed on the market. Hunters have used corn to attract and feed deer for many years. Increasingly, more and more states are making hunting over feed legal and corn has high attraction for deer. Unfortunately, corn is one of the least nutritious feeds you can provide to your deer.
Should You Feed?
Rather than telling you to feed or not, I will discuss the positive and negative aspects of feeding and let you decide. Supplemental feeding has inherent benefits and risks that should be considered before making a decision for your property.
Summary
The benefits and risks listed above are universal, but specific risk factors, especially disease and predation, can differ significantly by region.
What do deer doe eat?
During the summer months, you'll find the doe feeding upon a variety of different plants, including various grasses, woody plants, mushrooms, herbs, fiddleheads, and even berries if they can be found. Since the winter months can make it a bit harder to find food, the deer whitetail doe usually eats more in the summer to store up some fat ...
Where can I find whitetail deer in the summer?
During the summer time, you'll usually find the female whitetail deer in the thick forests, since there is plenty of food to be found there in the summer. Also, not only do the thick forested areas provide plenty of food, but they also provide safety and shelter from the summer storms that tend to occur.
What color is a whitetail deer doe?
While the whitetail deer doe tends to start losing her grayish coat during the spring, as the summer comes along, her fur becomes a beautiful reddish color, with white underneath.
Why are whitetail deer called whitetail deer?
The whitetail deer are so named for their tails that are white on the bottom, which is revealed when they flip up their tails, and when it comes to large animals in North America, this animal is the most numerous across the continent.
When do whitetail deer nurse?
Although this may seem to be a laid back and lazy time for the whitetail deer doe, you have to remember that she's just recovering from carrying young through the winter and nursing them in the late spring as well.
When do whitetails start to intermingle?
The doe spends a great deal of time alone or with other females during most of the summer, but by the end of the summer, the males and females start to intermingle once again. Usually you'll find that the summer months are when the whitetail are least active, and there are a variety of unique problems that a doe may face during the summer.
Do whitetail deer eat in the winter?
Since the winter months can make it a bit harder to find food, the deer whitetail doe usually eats more in the summer to store up some fat to help her get through those winter months. While during the winter and even the spring you'll often find groups of doe together, often along with their fawns, many times the females become a bit more solitary ...
