Winter Food Source's In Big Woods

[Sharpshoot3r]

What is the winter food source in areas that dont have agg? Left over oaks? Browse? What do they prefer?

[EllieTheChubb]

Woody browse is their least preferred food. Deer will actively lose weight if they are only eating buds and bark but when its the only thing around its better than nothing.

[elk yinzer]

Definitely red oaks #1 if they produced the preceding fall. Any greenery they can get to on logging roads and landings, rights of way, etc. Browse...greenbriars and brambles are probably tops in preference from what I see. Beyond that, various species of preferred trees and bushes, but I don't see it especially relevant to target anything specific, just that generally they'll be browsing in cut/disturbed areas. A lot of hemlock in some areas, I think that tends to come into play beyond hunting season. I see them digging in areas ferns grow quite frequently, I believe they eat the rhizomes.

[brancher147]

Acorns if there are any. Grapes. But mostly browse, nothing is more important to big woods deer. Areas with lots of browse like areas that were recently logged are good winter food sources.

[Bigwoodslongbow]

Browse mushrooms buds oaks beachnuts ect.... But most importsnt is if,u see them eat moss.... Hes a dead buck!!!
After eating moss they have trouble processing it and almost lay down to chew it very close by.

[218er]

If the snow is isn’t too deep and doesn’t require burning too many calories they’ll eat acorns, once snow deepens poplar buds on saplings, red osiers, and taller grasses seem to get mowed down.

[BigBrutus11]

Woody browse is their least preferred food. Deer will actively lose weight if they are only eating buds and bark but when its the only thing around its better than nothing.

I would exclude red osier/ dogwood from the least preferred Woody browse. They will eat that even before some greens, especially if it's in limited quantities. At least that's what I've seen in my observations. It's like candy to them where I hunt. Rasberry briars is another good one, I've seen area's where it looked like a lawn mower had cut them down, the deer had eaten them down so low. Another is that reddish/ purple color plant you see in the boggy parts of swamp. My biggest buck up north was full of it. Wish I knew what it is called though

[Sapper1980]

I've seen where they will eat pine needle as far as they can reach..those are the ro UK ghost winters and usually when every other option is exausted.

[Sapper1980]

I've seen where they will eat pine needle as far as they can reach..those are the rough winters and usually when every other option is exausted.

[stash59]

Woody browse is their least preferred food. Deer will actively lose weight if they are only eating buds and bark but when its the only thing around its better than nothing.

I would exclude red osier/ dogwood from the least preferred Woody browse. They will eat that even before some greens, especially if it's in limited quantities. At least that's what I've seen in my observations. It's like candy to them where I hunt. Rasberry briars is another good one, I've seen area's where it looked like a lawn mower had cut them down, the deer had eaten them down so low. Another is that reddish/ purple color plant you see in the boggy parts of swamp. My biggest buck up north was full of it. Wish I knew what it is called though

Deer are browsers. Not grass eaters like elk. Yes it depends on what kind of woody browse is available. But they naturally eat more woody browse than grasses. No they won't pack on the weight of deer in ag country. But they have survived for centuries in areas where woody browse is a huge part of their diet.

Something alot of hunters forget about are forbs. Types of forbs are numerous, but a common forb is clover. Any CRP type field will have forbs. I listened to a biologist on a podcast. That said alot of old farm fields/CRP, contain plants with higher levels of nutrients including protein. Than you can get from planting food plots.

My buddy keeps a small field brush hogged. Keeping the plants that would grow tall cut, which allows easier access to the forbs for the deer. The 4 wheeler trails he actually mows with a lawn mower. Get hit even harder.

So for a bigwoods hunter burn areas can provide great forb producing ground. And of course old logging trails and even the clearcuts themselves, until the brush takes over.

Also depends on what part of the country your bigwoods scenario occurs. As far as to what the deer prefer. The bigwoods of the UP, WI and MN are way different than the bigwoods of TN, KY, which differ from those of AL, GA and then those of New England.

[BigBrutus11]

Woody browse is their least preferred food. Deer will actively lose weight if they are only eating buds and bark but when its the only thing around its better than nothing.

I would exclude red osier/ dogwood from the least preferred Woody browse. They will eat that even before some greens, especially if it's in limited quantities. At least that's what I've seen in my observations. It's like candy to them where I hunt. Rasberry briars is another good one, I've seen area's where it looked like a lawn mower had cut them down, the deer had eaten them down so low. Another is that reddish/ purple color plant you see in the boggy parts of swamp. My biggest buck up north was full of it. Wish I knew what it is called though

Deer are browsers. Not grass eaters like elk. Yes it depends on what kind of woody browse is available. But they naturally eat more woody browse than grasses. No they won't pack on the weight of deer in ag country. But they have survived for centuries in areas where woody browse is a huge part of their diet.

Something alot of hunters forget about are forbs. Types of forbs are numerous, but a common forb is clover. Any CRP type field will have forbs. I listened to a biologist on a podcast. That said alot of old farm fields/CRP, contain plants with higher levels of nutrients including protein. Than you can get from planting food plots.

My buddy keeps a small field brush hogged. Keeping the plants that would grow tall cut, which allows easier access to the forbs for the deer. The 4 wheeler trails he actually mows with a lawn mower. Get hit even harder.

So for a bigwoods hunter burn areas can provide great forb producing ground. And of course old logging trails and even the clearcuts themselves, until the brush takes over.

Also depends on what part of the country your bigwoods scenario occurs. As far as to what the deer prefer. The bigwoods of the UP, WI and MN are way different than the bigwoods of TN, KY, which differ from those of AL, GA and then those of New England.

I couldn't agree more, it's like Dan said in his Swamp DVD God knows how many different plants that deer will feed on in the swamps. The thing that I didn't realize until I watched his DVD was how important the red osier/dogwood is to deer. Granted the area that I hunt doesn't appear to have as high of quantity as the ones on the DVD. But rest assured from now on I will be going out of my way to find it. The funny thing is when I think of the area's that have it All are in or adjacent to buck bedding areas. It was right there in front of me the whole time, it took watching the Marsh and Swamp DVD's a few times to see what I've missed for years up north. By the way Dan's Marsh and Swamp DVD's are the most informative material I've ever watched or read for that matter!!

[NYBackcountry]

Ferns on sunny slopes are big around here.