What Do Deer Eat?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Dewey
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:59 am

Spysar wrote:
Stanley wrote:Never saw blue deer pee. Interesting for sure.


If you google it, you will see that others have seen it too. I have only seen it in the winter, in the snow obviously. I think it from the blue berries (buckthorn berries maybe?) that drop in the snow, right about the time the blue shows up.

This is about the time I start to notice it. I'd try and get a pic, but there's no snow .


What about green pee? I have found this a few times in cedar swamps.
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Funny thing is when I Google "green deer pee" a post I made on BBO a long time ago pops up with these same pics. Spysar mentions the blue pee and berries on there as well!! :lol:

I almost feel dirty for being on that site!! :shock:
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:59 am

Yes I've seen blue pee numerous times (thought it was Smurfs at first)...

Wintering areas they strip the bark off Hemlocks - YUK
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Kodiakman
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Kodiakman » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:48 pm

Blue Pee. Yup, absolutley, seen it hundreds and hundreds of times but it was always from rabbits, not deer. No Joke. It was always more of a brighter, almost turqoise color. I used to chase rabbits insanely when I was younger. I used to, haven't been rabbit hunting even once the the past 3 years. Not even for tournaments. Anyways, I always found it with their scat in brush piles, tree lines and along side down timber. I always just assumed that it had something to do with food availibility and a reaction with the extreme cold. That isn't science, just my observations. Always seemed to never see it on the snow on warm sunny winter days, but would always see it in the middle of a low teens cold snap. Bright as can be.
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Tadmdad » Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:45 am

Black Squirrel wrote:Here in the farmland I hunt, I notice they really like red osier dogwood, or any dogwood varieties for that matter.


Agreed X2....preferred food source in northern bigwoods heavily browsed. Also Old Man's Beard Lichen, being this grows above snow line, important winter food source.
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby magicman54494 » Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:54 am

Tadmdad wrote:
Black Squirrel wrote:Here in the farmland I hunt, I notice they really like red osier dogwood, or any dogwood varieties for that matter.


Agreed X2....preferred food source in northern bigwoods heavily browsed. Also Old Man's Beard Lichen, being this grows above snow line, important winter food source.


They love this stuff and seem to eat some everytime they find it.
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:58 pm

magicman54494 wrote:
Tadmdad wrote:
Black Squirrel wrote:Here in the farmland I hunt, I notice they really like red osier dogwood, or any dogwood varieties for that matter.


Agreed X2....preferred food source in northern bigwoods heavily browsed. Also Old Man's Beard Lichen, being this grows above snow line, important winter food source.


They love this stuff and seem to eat some everytime they find it.


Here I am thinking Tad called you a name :)
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby Tadmdad » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:53 pm

Agreed X2....preferred food source in northern bigwoods heavily browsed. Also Old Man's Beard Lichen, being this grows above snow line, important winter food source.[/quote]

They love this stuff and seem to eat some everytime they find it.[/quote]

Here I am thinking Tad called you a name :)[/quote]

Now that's just funny $hit right there :lol: If I start calling out names.....certainly won't be disguising it. :mrgreen:
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Re: What Do Deer Eat?

Unread postby carl1191 » Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:04 pm

From research that I have found done in Wisconsin, aspen is a staple food in a deers diet throughout the year. It may not be the number one food eaten throughout the seasons, but it is utilized throught the year. Young aspen leaves and shoots tend to be the most preffered. Yound maples also a very palitable and desired, along with pretty much any new succulent growth coming up after logging activity or natural events such as windthrows, fires etc. As others have mentioned red osier dogwood berries are highly sought after by a host of wildlife species. Other berry producing trees and shrubs are utilized throughout the year when available. Round leaved hipatica is another forest forb that I see deer eating a lot. It grows all over in mature forests. Those are just a few that I have found and observed, but their are many more.


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