What do deer eat that is natural

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purebowhunting
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Re: What do deer eat that is natural

Unread postby purebowhunting » Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:41 am

I agree that there are few plants that deer will not eat at some point in their growth cycle, the window of use may be very small with many plants.


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stash59
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Re: What do deer eat that is natural

Unread postby stash59 » Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:32 am

They do have certain plants/ parts of plants they focus on at certain times of the year. Alot of this will vary by region, state and even different areas in a state.

The other thing is some how they can tell which plants of a certain species. Are currently carrying more nutritional value. Most of us have observed alfalfa or clover fields. Yes they do tend to feed near the edges or where terrain will hide them. But if they go and head into the middle. They all seem to concentrate in 1 or 2 general areas. Often when one can see the field in the right light. These areas are greener/darker.

When scouting in marshes, late winter/early spring. Some areas of red dogwood are just hammered. Others to don't seem to have gotten even 1 nibble.
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Hawthorne
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Re: What do deer eat that is natural

Unread postby Hawthorne » Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:13 am

Deer live their lives at 5ft and under. We had to use 5ft tree tubes to keep deer from eating our fruit and nut trees after planting. My property is old field habitat. Hundreds of different weeds and brush. I’ve watch them feed there like it was a bean field. I have found wild strawberry, black berry,wild plum, wild grape,a few different dogwoods, many different clovers and grasses. Wild apple and oak doesn’t make it because of the deer. I have walked thru clear cuts on public land where every aspen whip has been browsed.
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treeroot
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Re: What do deer eat that is natural

Unread postby treeroot » Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:32 pm

Yesterday in pa it appeared they were digging and eating ferns. The rest looked like general brouse. When snow gets deep around my house in NY they hammer red brush.


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