This might have been brought up in the past, but I feel that it is an interesting and beneficial topic. When given the option of any food including apples, pears, acorns, beans corn etc what is a deer's favorite food?
Whatever is at the peak of ripeness on the menu in their area. A deer's diet is very diverse at any time of year, and changes with the seasons as different plants mature and bear fruit or seed.
I'd say it's pretty hard to compete with a good crop of acorns. The deer here will leave corn and bean filled feeders when acorns hit the ground.
My vote is for apples/pears. On a side note, I have a bunch of locust saplings starting to grow in my food plots since this spring. Every one of them browsed right down to the branches with thorns!
Deer got in my garden the past few nights(must have jumped a 7" fence). It/they ate pumpkin leaves, green bean plants, and totally demolished a hydrangea bush. Surprising to me they did not even touch Kale, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, or any herbs.
Not much here will beat pears. Apples are a close second. Then come acorns/beech nuts/etc. Then along comes a good fresh broadleaf like clover and alfalfa. Timing is everything.
The oaks in my area usually are dropping from august to early september all over by the time season opens.
I might have to pic acorns but they eat almost any type of plant. I heard or read somewhere that deer eat about 200-500 different plants
Well Covey my point is the acorns are gone before season opens typically thus the attraction for deer does not help or hinder hunting.
I would have to agree with White Oak acorns. I have a couple of pear trees and there is not one on the ground that is not eaten from by the deer and regarding chestnuts they go wild over them. I also have a couple of chestnut trees and if you don't gather them the day they fall they are gone by the next morning. Have to agree that they have a diverse appetite.
The same here, I have a couple of pear trees in an open field close to the farm home. Each year, I come to see that the deer have trails from all over, coming in at night, and eating all that has fallen recently!
