DaveH

My neighbor' s son is trying to make some extra $$ by raising pumpkins in a 2-3 acre patch of ground which has a small thicket next to it where a number of deer bed. This used to be a small corn field which the deer went to all the time. Are deer at all attracted to pumpkins?

Josh Sorensen

After they freeze and thaw a few times deer will stomp them to bits and eat them. I doubt its thier first choice but when food gets harder to find they will eat them.

woodseye

Agree with Josh,if not taken in at first frost they will quickly get broken up and the insides eaten.

woods

DaveH

That would be alright if he didn' t harvest them before the first frost. He plans to sell them during late September thru October---before we get a hard frost on them. I think he plans on growing some gourds out there too.

jerseyjoe

I had a few growing outside my garden fence. Grew them for my young son. They were the size of softballs. Deer hit them in mid september and ruined them..

buckmine

I have posted on this topic many times.

I have been growing them for 5 years now. I sell them Mid October until Halloween. I see you are in Conneticut. Here in MN I am fortunate that the pumpkins freeze. The deer will eat them when they are frozen solid. Also when deer get used to them being grown in the same area they will start eating the pumpkins when they are ripe and still on the vines.

DaveH

buckmine--I' m in Maryland, so our frosts generally occur a good bit later. However, it looks like the pumpkins won' t be a deterent at the very least. I know they loved the corn (when it was there) and they continue to love the alfalfa that is on the other 2 sides of the thicket. Hopefully they' ll like the pumpkins/gourds enough that I' ll stand a reasonable chance there when the wind dictates hunting that side.

nettech

Yes deer do indeed eat pumpkins, infact they love them, before they baned feeding deer in Wi i used to put out alot of pumpkins and the were usually gone with in a week or two.

buckmine

Dave the Harford Co through me off. At a quick glance I thought it was Hartford. I have never been out East. At least North East that is.

The small pumpkin pies are much tastieer than the Jack o lantern pumpkins. Last year was the first year for Buttercup squash for me and they like them also. Maybe better than the pie pumpkins. May have to experiment this fall.


While I am here can any one help me with my image down below? The help section is not helping!!!

Tree climber

I grow punkins in my hunt club every year and have for last 6 years.I always pick mine in late Sept. and Oct.
the deer are there every day and have yet to have one eaten.they may eat them when they get frost or freeze on them. I have all mine gone before then.

I guess you just have to pick them before cold weather.