Deer are usually known for eating grass, leaves, berries, and even fruits during the warmer seasons, but what about when it gets cold out?
What do deer eat in the winter? Today, we want to answer some of your most pressing questions. We want to figure out what you can feed deer in the winter. We will also discuss what their favorite foods are, how to attract them, and more.
Brassica Blend
If you are wondering what to feed deer in the winter, a brassica blend is always a good option. Brassica is a lush forage that comes from the mustard family, and it grows very fast. If you want to attract deer in the winter, using a brassica blend is your best bet.
Deer like these greens because they are fast-growing, tasty, and full of protein. These include mustard greens, radish greens, turnip greens, kale greens, cauliflower greens, cabbage greens, and more.
Many of these plants do quite well in the cold, which is why deer will go looking for them. Therefore, if you create some brassica blend piles, you should be able to lure in some deer without a problem.
Corn
If you are wondering “what is a deer’s favorite food?”, the answer is corn. Deer absolutely love corn. If you are creating some deer feed in winter, including corn in the mix is a great idea. Corn is not something that deer usually have access to in the winter, as it is often frozen and buried under the snow.
However, it is a very tasty treat that deer like to indulge in. If deer find corn, they won’t be able to help themselves. Hunters often make piles of corn to attract deer. It has a bright color and a strong scent. They’ll stand there and eat as much of it as they can.
Deer also like corn because it has a lot of calories, carbs, and fats. It provides them with much-needed energy during the cold winter months. This therefore provides hunters with ample opportunities for a clean shot. You can make a little food plot with corn and put your tree stand nearby. Just remember that it is illegal to make food plots for this purpose on public land.
Woody Browse
So, what do white tailed deer eat? For those that don’t know, the white tailed deer is one of the most common. It’s a popular option for hunting. Indeed, woody browse makes up about 80% of a deer’s food source during the winter.
Woody browse refers to twigs, small sticks, bark, and other woody growths. No, this is not the first choice in terms of flavor or nourishment. However, if there is no other food around, then it is better than nothing. It is a so-called last resort to keep deer full and nourished during the scarce winter months.
Honeysuckle, grape vines, hackberry, greenbrier, oak, elm, white pine, sumac, white cedar, and more, are all prime options. The best winter browse can be found up to around five feet off the ground. That said, this is often a last resort for deer. If you make a food plot with some corn, apples, and other treats, you’re likely to attract some deer.
Dead Leaves
If there is no other winter food around, deer may also eat dead leaves off the forest floor. In the wild, deer must eat what they can to survive.
Although dead leaves aren’t the best food, they do the trick in tough times. They have just enough nourishment to keep deer alive for a few months.
If there isn’t any woody browse to eat, then dead leaves are the absolute last resort. If it is a very tough winter, it is likely that deer eat a lot of dead leaves. In this case, making a food plot is recommended. Deer will be very hungry and come right for that pile of food.
Apples
Some of the best food for deer are fruits, particularly apples. Deer absolutely love apples. They’ll come from far and wide if they smell apples. Apples are very sweet and tasty.
They also have a strong smell. Apples are also full of vitamins, minerals, sugars, and carbs. These are all nutrients that deer require to stay alive during the cold winter season.
If you want to attract deer to your hunting blind, apples are some of the best attractants.
Mast
Mast is a general term for seasonal food that deer may eat. These include things like berries, acorns, apples, pears, and other fruit. Yes, we covered apples above. However, this is because deer tend to love apples over all else.
They will also eat most other fruit. This is the case so long as it has some kind of nutrients. Acorns are another fan favorite with deer. They like to eat them off the ground during the winter. They are very high in fats and carbs.
We can also take this one step further, as deer will also eat vegetables. Deer will eat virtually anything green. They also like carrots, eggplant, and any other such vegetable. If you are making a food plot to attract deer, that old lettuce in your fridge can still serve a purpose.
Cereal Grains
Cereal grains are also good to feed deer. Now, this is not a food that they have access to in nature. This is especially the case during the winter. However, it is known that deer enjoy eating cereal grains. They are generally full of carbs, fiber, sugars, and other valuable nutrients. If you include some cereal grains in your food plot, the deer are likely to come.
If you want to find out more about deer hunting, check out this awesome Deer Hunting Guide.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are plenty of foods that deer like. If you want to make a food plot to attract deer, we recommend mixing together all of the above. So, what do deer eat in the winter? The answer is woody browse, corn, grains, fruits, mast, and more.