What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

We had that ice and snow storm here a week ago, and from the constant thawing and freezing there is a crust of inpenetrable ice on the ground, as thick as several inches in spots. That closes off several food sources.....acorns and such.

So, what do deer survive on in conditions such as these, when they can't get to the bare ground?

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

All the ones I've seen late season only eat lead...

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Actually in my area, under similar conditions they seem to eat green briar and black berry bushes AKA sticker bushes.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

deer will eat a tree if they need to,around here they eat standing corn,or find a field of long grass,cat tails along a river,there`s always something to eat,that`s about all they do when they`re not rutting is find something to eat

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

deer are browsers--they'll nip off twigs and branches.I've seen browse lines on some wood lots that have been cleand bare 6-7' the whole way across

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I have seen them eating a lot of cedar. Around here they are still able to paw up acorns and pick through the cut fields

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Plus they also eat corn and beans that have fallen off or havent been picked up when farmed!

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I watched a buck eat green briar once while standing on a bed of fresh acorns, so I don't think it bothers them too much to have to eat that stuff.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I likey:D

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Yup, and don't rule out elm and pine. They have no nutritional value but deer will eat them.

If you want a really good read, pick up a copy of "Heart and Blood" by Richard Nelson I believe. It's a really good look at the whitetail through the seasons both biologically and through the eyes of a hunter, nonhunter and antihunter. This guy really went to indepth links to write this book. You'll learn more than you thought you knew.

In it he mentioned a hard winter kill up in Michigan or Wisconson, I forget which but they found winter killed deer and their bellies were full of pine/elm needles. They felt full but still died of starvation.

Don't forget that the deer's metabolism really slows when conditions are the worst but what's hard on them is the continuous pressure hunting puts on them at this hard time of the year.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Deer are always on survial mode eating whatever they can, It is always going to be the highest protein source that they can find. Be it cedar over spuce, aspen over red maple...That is why at times they can be so hard to pattern....right when you think that you have them pegged, A new food source pops up....ie acorns, mushrooms, or a recently cut alfalfa that has started to regrow fresh new growth.. winter brouse like dogwood, honeysucle are your best places to look for now...I would also look for southern exsposers too...You will see the first signs of melting there allowing the deer to get at your ground sources again..

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

CORN CORN CORN THE FIELDS ON SUNDAY WERE TORE OPEN,,, STILL COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW IT LOOKED LIKE A MASS OF SCRAPES IN EVERY CORNFIELD I CROSSED MOVING SNOW AND ICE FOR CORN IS ALOT BETTER THEN TWIGS DEER WILL FIND THE BEST FOOD SOURCE DURING ANY CONDITION

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I saw a soybean field CLEANED OUT the other day, dont know if they took care of that before the ground froze or what!

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I know they eat turnips.........[8D]

This plot was over a foot tall last weekend and this week they are demolishing it. They are just now getting to the actual turnips but since the snow flew they mowed through the tops.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

got to witness them eating the heck out honeysuckle leaves this morning under my stand.
Dan

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

I wish I had a couple acres of standing corn or soybeans to watch over right about now. It would be loaded with every deer in the area.

I know they eat honeysuckle and blackberry vines in these conditions. Also the shrubbery and creeping ivy around my house. They love my English Ivy leaves.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Hmmmmm.....we have LOTS of honeysuckle.....gonna have to look into that.

RE: What do they eat when the ground is frozen?
 

Honeysuckle is a good food plot, but it likes to take over so plant it sparingly. And speaking of plots I thought all deer were fed these days.:DMany so-called open range real huntersuse them late season,funded in part by UStax dollars. It's a funny world.:D

A stand of pines is also a good late season spot when the temps drop. Can be 15 degrees warmer inside.

I drop a few trees on my small place. They eat the tops, hide in them and it creates a natural funnel. I use them for heat the next year. It also opens up the ground for under growth and they like that as well.