What do deer eat that is natural

[Derril Glen]

I know the basic diet of a deer but its gotta be more that they eat when the acorns are gone. Does anybody know more foods that they will eat or browse on

[Tennhunter3]

Some Berries like blackberries.
Some non poisonous Mushrooms

Green briars
Plant browse

Green fresh grass when first sprouts in spring.

[SaddleMaster]

https://www.qdma.com/know-native-deer-foods/

I was listening to an MSU Deer University podcast where they were talking about how insignificant acorns actually are overall for deer nutrition. They're obviously important during deer season because they are such an attractant but only for a short period of time. I think it was like 50% browse, 40% forbes, and only 10% hard and soft mast. I'll try and dig it up tomorrow and add a link here.

[Jdw]

I bumped a thread on the deer hunting section that will be helpful.

[SaddleMaster]

Here's the podcast from MSU Deer University on what deer eat. They have some good podcasts.

http://extension.msstate.edu/deer-unive ... at-and-why

[ihookem]

They eat marsh grass, that green straw stuff , flowers, maple leaves when they turn yellow.

[BackCoverBowHunter]

I have shot deer eating the yellowing beech leaves too. They were sucking them up like a vacuum cleaners.

[Huntress13]

Around here, in the winter they eat stems from leaves and whatever grasses they can find through the snow. And any ag left of the fields after picking. And shrubs in residential areas.

[SEMObowhunter]

A deer is like a goat. They will eat just about anything. I watched some the other evening pick on acorns, green briar, some sort of yellowed grass along a creek, and the whips of low brush. There isn’t much that they won’t eat. They love grapevine leaves, blackberry leaves, ragweed, yellowing maple leaves, green briar leaves and tender stems, honeysuckle is huge if you can find it. Especially this time of year and if you get a snow to weight it down so they can eat the tops.

[dan]

Honestly, a better question would be "what don't they eat?" They browse on just about everything thats not poisonous.

[mauser06]

Dan beat me to it.



There's definitely some preference...but deer can and will eat most stuff found in their habitat.

[headgear]

Dan beat me to it.

The same, most of the stuff I see them munch on I don't even know what it is, especially early season. Insane amounts of food out there, but still nice to have a hot food source if you can find one.

[hoyt31786]

Honey Locus Pods are huge draw in late season!

[tbunao]

I was listening to a "east meets west" podcast with Troy Pottenger about mountain bucks. If you don't know Troy he is the real deal when it comes to true mountain bucks. He mentions that one of his biologist friends told him of several natural growing browse and grasses in clear-cuts contain as much as 6% protein which is equivalent to the acorn. He wouldn't comment on what specific plants.

I think Dans answer would be easier to narrow down imo

[JakeB]

http://www.deerandforests.org/resources ... a.pdf/view

Although mainly focused on LA, this is a good read and will give you an idea of what to look for.