Should you feed wild deer?

Supplemental feeding of wild deer is harmful and can lead to bouts of severe diarrhea and dehydration, which could be deadly.
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Why you should not feed wild deer?

Supplemental Feeding Can Harm Deer

attract predators and increase risk of death by coyotes or domestic dogs. spread disease among deer. cause aggression, wasting vital energy reserves and leading to injury or death. reduce fat reserves as deer use energy traveling to and from the feed site.
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What can I feed wild deer in my backyard?

Oats provide deer with a healthy mixture of fiber and carbohydrates without disrupting their digestive system.
  • A wide variety of fruits and vegetables – including apples, grapes, cherries, pears, carrots, and snap peas – are eaten in nature by deer. ...
  • Acorns are another safe food source.
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Can you feed deer in the wild?

NEVER FEED WILDLIFE.

Feeding big game animals is prohibited in California (Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 251.3).
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Should you feed backyard deer?

If you feed deer in your backyard or at a park, you could be harming them instead of helping them. Bringing deer together at feeding sites increases their risk of contracting communicable diseases, such as chronic wasting disease, from other deer.
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The Do's and Don'ts of Feeding Deer Over Winter



What is the best thing to feed wild deer?

What To Feed:
  • Natural Food. If possible, it is best to feed natural food. ...
  • Deer Pellets. Most farm feed outlets carry a specially formulated ration for deer or can tell you where it can be bought. ...
  • Cereal Grains. ...
  • Hay or Alfalfa. ...
  • Fruit & Vegetables.
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Whats the best food for deer?

The 9 Best Late-Season Deer Foods and How to Hunt Them
  • Acorns. In most areas, there are still plenty of red oak acorns on the ground for deer to feed on. ...
  • Newly Seeded Alfalfa. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Soybeans. ...
  • Brassicas. ...
  • Corn. ...
  • Hard/Woody Browse. ...
  • Shrub/Brushy Browse.
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Should I put out water for deer?

It's not enough to just supply food. Deer need to consume water and food at about a 3-to-1 ratio. If they can't find enough water, they won't eat, and if they don't eat, the nutritional gap stunts growth and increases stress. A dependable water source could be the keystone to a successful supplement program.
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What should I not feed my deer?

What Should You Not Feed Deer? Wheat, barley, and corn should not be fed to deer. Unfortunately, deer are not sophisticated enough to know not to eat things that are especially bad for them. The high starch content in those foods can kill a deer because their stomach cannot digest and break down those starches.
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Should I feed deer corn?

Many articles, presentations, and campfire conversations about deer nutrition state emphatically that corn is not good for deer. In a general sense, this is true because corn is low in protein (9%), has a poor mineral profile, and can cause digestive upset and metabolic problems.
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Do wild deer eat carrots?

Carrots are root vegetables and can be found in a number of colors such as orange, purple, red, and yellow. Once in a carrot garden, deer will dig up the carrots and eat them. A garden full of carrots is one of the quickest ways to attract a population of deer.
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How do you get a deer to trust you?

You could also plant several food plots throughout your property.
  1. Deer are drawn to crops that are high in protein, such as kale, turnips, soybeans, peas, and alfalfa. A mix of plants that include clover and grasses, like wheat, oats and rye, will attract deer. ...
  2. Deer also like nuts such as chestnuts and acorns.
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Is it OK to feed deer corn in the winter?

Although corn has poor protein, it has high carbohydrates. Whether it's planted in a food plot, or fed at a feeding site, corn can be a great benefit to whitetails during winter. Most deer managers are more than willing to plant their plots in the spring and summer.
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What happens to deer when you feed them?

Supplemental feeding of wild deer is harmful and can lead to bouts of severe diarrhea and dehydration, which could be deadly.
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When should you stop feeding deer?

Late Winter to Early Spring

“Are You Feeding Your Deer To Death?” is one example. This is because deer stop eating grains in the fall when corn, wheat and others are harvested. Incorporating grains at the wrong time can lead to potentially fatal digestion issues. Of course, diets change with the region.
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Is it OK to feed deer apples in the winter?

You should try to load up deer feeders with apples near the end of winter. They'll benefit more from easily digestible foods during the winter months. Deer naturally eat apples, and apples are perfectly safe for use in a deer feeder. Apples provide deer with a sweet treat that gives them a large nutritional boost.
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Where do deers sleep?

Where do deer sleep? The quick answer is, “anywhere they want.” Deer sleep anywhere they bed and may do so singly or in groups. However, during daylight it's far more common for deer to sleep in heavy cover where they feel secure.
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Will deer eat bread?

FYI- Feeding deer bread. A small amounts of white bread cannot do any harm, but if a single deer were to eat anything more than a few slices of bread there is always the potential for life-threatening lacticacidosis.
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Is peanut butter good for deer?

Deer love peanut butter, so it is an excellent bait. You can use peanut butter alone or in a mixture to lure deer into an area for hunting or just to enjoy watching them. Peanut butter is much cheaper than most commercial deer attractants and works as well or better.
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What time of day do deer drink water?

Deer can go long periods without drinking anything because they often get the water they need from lush vegetation. However, deer typically leave their bedding and go to water in the evening before they find food, especially when it's convenient.
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What do deers drink?

Deer get water from three major sources: Free water: These are natural bodies of water from puddles, streams, seeps, springs, lakes or ponds, as well as cattle troughs and other man-made catchments. Basically, liquid water you can see and touch. Preformed water: This is water found in food that deer eat.
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What foods do deer love?

Deer will primarily eat browse (woody portion of leaves and stems), forbs (broad-leaved plants), mast (acorns, apples, etc), and grass. Although these are the main foods deer like to eat, the quantity of these different foods differ throughout the year and the region you are hunting.
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What is the cheapest thing to feed deer?

An inexpensive way to feed deer is with corn. Deer love corn and many hunters rely on it for supplemental feeding. That being said, corn is not an excellent source of protein, which is essential for antler growth and the nursing of fawns.
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How many times do deer eat daily?

Deer feed 5 times per day as rhythmic pattern feeders, and there are 3 very important categories of deer feeding opportunity during a 24 hour period.
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