Hungry deer

[4wanderingeyes]

Right now, I have about 10 deer wintering on my land, they are hammering the understory of my trees. They are out in my yard all the time eating my trees. I will open the door and yell at them, if they do run away, they dont run far, then come right back. I love watching deer, but I dont want them to ruin my trees.

Do I hope they move on, on their own, or do I feed them so they leave my trees alone? I am afraid if I feed them, more will just show up. I have been keeping about a 150 yard path plowed from snow to my log pile so I can keep cutting wood when I have time, the rest of the ground has 2+ feet on it, so they hang in this plowed area, that also happens to be through a food plot planted with clover, and winter rye.

 

[homerj]

If you feed them, a whole bunch of their friends will show up. If you want to protect trees in deer wintering areas, it's going to involve fencing and/or repeated applications of repellent. Good luck

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you can, maybe plow a bit more area to expose it to sunlight - possibly greening-up some of the food plot?? Help the deer find the rye & clover. I'm a sucker for animals - I'd probably be putting out corn or some other high-energy food to help them get through. Beats finding a bunch dead from starvation, to me. No easy answer.

 

[homerj]

Deer feed numerous times each day. If a person is prepared to provide enough food to feed 10 deer (until their friends show up, it'll be 20 before you know it) 4-5 times a day from now through spring green up, go for it. Just be aware that unless you're in farm country where deer have been eating corn consistently, you could end up doing more damage than good by feeding corn.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If you can, maybe plow a bit more area to expose it to sunlight - possibly greening-up some of the food plot?? Help the deer find the rye & clover. I'm a sucker for animals - I'd probably be putting out corn or some other high-energy food to help them get through. Beats finding a bunch dead from starvation, to me. No easy answer.

Corn is no bueno in the MN/WI Northwoods in the winter in most cases. Deer's stomachs are adapted to woody browse this time of year. A pile of corn can kill them if it hasn't been available consistently up to the time you feed so their stomachs are adapted to it.

Also, not sure about @4wanderingeyes location but deer feeding isn't legal in lots of places now days due to CWD concerns.

 

[bwoods11]

Deer pellets with some mineral mixed in …might be a good option . I would probably feed them if legal ?

 

[Fair oak]

Those deer know they must conserve energy to survive. Sometimes they almost look like zombie deer the way the move around mid/late winter. They know there is possible danger around people yet the benefits your property has provided thus far has obviously outweighed the risks, that’s why they are staying so close. If you decide to feed, I’d use horse protein pellets. Introduce it to the deer very slowly. TSC usually has 50# bags for around 15-20 bucks a bag. Expensive but worth it during severe winters in certain areas. Horse pellets are what many northern region biologists will recommend for supplemental feeding during winter months. Definitely not corn as the deer could starve to death with full bellies as they can’t digest it well right now.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Corn is no bueno in the north country in the winter in most cases. Deer's stomachs are adapted to woody browse this time of year. A pile of corn can kill them if it hasn't been available consistently up to the time you feed so their stomachs are adapted to it.

Also, not sure about @4wanderingeyes location but deer feeding isn't legal in lots of places now days due to CWD concerns.

I am in NW Wisconsin, and they did open my county back to allow baiting, not sure about feeding them out of season, I havent looked. Other then throwing out the questionable veggies from the fridge, not baiting, or feeding has been done.

I had planted lots of rod, ninebark, and other browse type bushes last year, some protected, some not. Not sure how they are faring because I havent made it back that far yet, and it was in many random areas.

I could plow more areas, but moving 2 feet of compacted snow isnt an easy task. Plus, the snow actually keeps the plot somewhat green under the snow. When you remove the snow, and you get below 0 temps, it freezes it and kills it off.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I know folks in the north country who've used this before https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...298-&msclkid=882c14f15ce41d4213d87723faf52549

Adds up to $ in a hurry. From what I've read, people tend to say its easy to put deer in a worse spot than not feeding at all if you dont continue with the feed until native food becomes more readily available again. The other downside is if feed is limited, the more vulnerable like fawns are or weaker does are likely to be outcompeted for the valued feed and waste time around it rather than scrounging up available browse. Although i'm not sure how they wouldn't be outcompeted for that as well..

 

[PrairieShadow]

Corn is no bueno in the north country in the winter in most cases. Deer's stomachs are adapted to woody browse this time of year. A pile of corn can kill them if it hasn't been available consistently up to the time you feed so their stomachs are adapted to it.

Also, not sure about @4wanderingeyes location but deer feeding isn't legal in lots of places now days due to CWD concerns.

Yet here in SD deer can live almost solely on corn all winter. I do provide some alfalfa for them as well though.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Yet here in SD deer can live almost solely on corn all winter. I do provide some alfalfa for them as well though.

My understanding is it's not a problem if they've been eating corn all along. A northwoods buck that has never seen a cornfield and has been getting by on aspen twigs for 2+ months doesn't have a gut that that is adjusted to digesting a pile of corn unless they've been eating piles of corn placed by human since hunting season.

 

[PrairieShadow]

My understanding is it's not a problem if they've been eating corn all along. A northwoods buck that has never seen a cornfield and has been getting by on aspen twigs for 2+ months doesn't have a gut that that is adjusted to digesting a pile of corn unless they've been eating piles of corn placed by human since hunting season.

Correct. I guess I was just pointing out the fact once again that location matters since we had discussed it in other threads.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Main thing of help that i see doing at properties this winter is just driving down the trails in snowmobiles/tracked ATV which will make getting around a little easier. Also laying down some aspen/ash/basswood/maples where it makes sense for releasing oaks or opening the canopy and the deer will hammer the tops.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Corn is no bueno in the north country in the winter in most cases. Deer's stomachs are adapted to woody browse this time of year. A pile of corn can kill them if it hasn't been available consistently up to the time you feed so their stomachs are adapted to it.

Also, not sure about @4wanderingeyes location but deer feeding isn't legal in lots of places now days due to CWD concerns.

Was not aware of those things. I suppose corn is some regions is not a good thing, due to the gut flora of the deer being tuned to woody browse. Supplemental feeding is discouraged here, but in a few THICK ICE-CRUSTED winters here, some corn helped our deer survive when they couldn't break the crust to dig for acorns or food plot greens (rye). We didn't find any dead deer in the spring, so hopefully it saved some deer. Maybe some good HAY would be better???? ---------- Thoughts on hay?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Also laying down some aspen/ash/basswood/maples where it makes sense for releasing oaks or opening the canopy and the deer will hammer the tops.

Great idea - IF he has enough trees to drop for winter browse. Deer WILL HAMMER tree tops if dropped - they LOVE tops. Did it at our camp before when logging.

 

[Catscratch]

I drop trees for firewood in the coldest part of winter and leave the top for the deer. Killing two birds with one stone type of thing.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Main thing of help that i see doing at properties this winter is just driving down the trails in snowmobiles/tracked ATV which will make getting around a little easier. Also laying down some aspen/ash/basswood/maples where it makes sense for releasing oaks or opening the canopy and the deer will hammer the tops.

I burn firewood, and I usually go around dropping trees this time of year, to get them on the ground before sap starts flowing. The reason I haven’t done that is the snow is 2+feet deep, and not only is it not really safe to do it, because it is too hard to get away, but tromping through 2 feet of snow with a chainsaw is just plain hard work.

Although I will probably start dropping some soon, just so I don’t fall behind.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I burn firewood, and I usually go around dropping trees this time of year, to get them on the ground before sap starts flowing. The reason I haven’t done that is the snow is 2+feet deep, and not only is it not really safe to do it, because it is too hard to get away, but tromping through 2 feet of snow with a chainsaw is just plain hard work.

Although I will probably start dropping some soon, just so I don’t fall behind.

Just be very safe, 4WE. I've cut trees / firewood all my life, and it's amazing how fast things can get dangerous. Be safe!!

 

[jackpine]

Right now, I have about 10 deer wintering on my land, they are hammering the understory of my trees. They are out in my yard all the time eating my trees. I will open the door and yell at them, if they do run away, they dont run far, then come right back. I love watching deer, but I dont want them to ruin my trees.

Do I hope they move on, on their own, or do I feed them so they leave my trees alone? I am afraid if I feed them, more will just show up. I have been keeping about a 150 yard path plowed from snow to my log pile so I can keep cutting wood when I have time, the rest of the ground has 2+ feet on it, so they hang in this plowed area, that also happens to be through a food plot planted with clover, and winter rye.

Saw the same thing last weekend when I was up there. About 3 ft of snow and the deer were concentrated on roads and driveways around cabins. They all looked healthy, but there's still alot of winter left

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[4wanderingeyes]

That is pretty much what they are doing here. Walking down the roads in and out of driveways. I have a path plowed from the road, to my house, along the side of my house to my wood boiler, then onto my old campsite that I have all plowed to access my log pile. It is about a 1/2 mile total, and they walk it all day long. They bed next to my log pile, and on the side of my wood boiler.