winter feed for deer
 

sorry, originally posted this to the wrong forum. Anyway...

We have about two acres of food plots on our land (mostly clover). At this time in the year, it is more than adequate for the number of deer on our property, plus those that wander on and off. However, when winter comes up here in central PA and the deer are left with nothing but a foot of snow on the ground, there has to be substantial die-offs from starvation, etc.

So here's my idea...I was thinking of mowing off about an acre of clover and letting it dry while it is still warm enough. Then bail it up and store it in a barn until January/February when I would put it out for food.

Has anyone ever done this? I wonder how the deer will react to this, and how much I should put out at one time so that it doesn't get covered up by more snow. Any feeback/advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated

RE: winter feed for deer
 

It's my understanding that deer aren't real big hay eaters. Of course if they are starving then they'll eat almost anything.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Here in northern Minnesota, many of us supplement a deer's diet during the hard winters. generally they will nibble on alfalfa hay until into Dec, then don't touch it much after that. My wildlife biologist friend explaines that deer stop producing the enzyme needed to break down green matter during the hard winter months, then kick it back into gear as winter fades and spring comes. A few years back we had a KILLER winter here in northern Mn. All the deer clubs whinned and got the state to anti up some $$$ to feed deer. Many hay bales were scattered throughout the region, with little or no effect. Autopysies showed dead deer with bellies full of nice green hay, but body couldn't break it down properly. Taz

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Try this link. It may be helpful.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/pubmenu.html#wild

Dan O.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

hes talking about mowing off the clover and bailing it.......not hay

RE: winter feed for deer
 

A lot of hay from around here is comprised of clover, but I have never seen the deer eat it. If you have the resources and can find some extra ground to plant try brassicas. They will last into the winter, or until the deer eat them all. I wonder why the deer would not have those enzymes for digestion during the winter, but elk do. They feed elk hay in winter. Just wondering.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

The following is part of a Wisconsin DNR article that is no longer on the DNR web page since CWD baiting regulation went into effect.

winter deer feeding .....

What to feed... If you accept the responsibilities of feeding deer, the following foods should be considered.

Deer Food Mixes: The Department of Natural Resources recommends feeding a special deer food mix consisting of a mixture of corn, alfalfa, oats, soybeans, molasses, and several vitamins and minerals. Many feed mills in Wisconsin sell this mixture in pellet or meal form. If such a mix is not available, rabbit or horse pellets with at least 12% protein can be used. By late February, deer that have been eating on woody browse for most of the winter can switch and readily digest this food better than corn or hay.

Oats: After the special deer food mixture, oats are preferred over all other supplemental foods. They provide deer with a very favorable ratio of fiber and carbohydrates.

Corn: We do not recommend feeding deer a pure corn diet as the high starch content of corn can cause high acidity in the rumen which kills microorganisms necessary for digesting food. Corn is widely used deer food in Wisconsin. It is less expensive than the deer mixtures, but not as nutritious. If corn is fed, it should be mixed with oats at a ratio of 4 parts oats to 1 part corn. Do not use corn unless you start feeding it early in the winter before deer are stressed.

Hay: In northern forested areas of Wisconsin, hay is the least desirable food for winter feeding purposes, and is not recommended. When deer have had reduced intake because of low food supplies, rumen activity declines and fermentation of fiber decreases. The fiber type in alfalfa cannot be readily broken down, and it can impact deer in such a way that it dooms them to continued starvation.

As a side note ... deer will often pick through the oats to get to the corn kernals. But once the deer become accustome to oats will take it readily. The draw back is that oat kernals do not hold up to damp weather like corn kernals and will go bad more quickly.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Isn't that still hay?
http://www.cyberspaceag.com/kansasagriculture/glossary.htm
Hay: Product such as alfalfa and certain grasses which are cut, baled and fed to animals.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

I put out a molasses block last winter and they hammered that thing. There was actually a hole in the ground this spring where it used to be.
It sounds like a mixture of oats, corn, and molasses is the best way to go.
I've also heard from a friend at work that the reasonthe deer's body stops producing the enzyme that breaks down clover in the winter is because they go without it for a few months? If this is in fact the case, I'd think that if they kept eating clover, they would continue to produce this enzyme.
Either way, I'm glad I can order from a Domino's down the street.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Make sure baiting is legal where you are, I would think that is considered baiting.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

That and go inside when it's cold out. How deer can survive out in the elements is beyond me.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

purina deer chow...buck ola...those are good choses. they cost a little more, but they provide protein and the vitamins deer will need. does need alot of vitamins during the gestation period.

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Don't bail your clover for the deer - It'll probably rot before the deer eat it. If you have the resources to do it - You might better sell the bales to a local farmer and use the money to plant a winter plot as well (corn, winter wheat, and or Rye).

Deer will not eat baled clover. - they will debark the small trees first.

I can appreciate your desire to help the local herd in the winter months. We plant corn for this reason - and leave it standing. I'm fairly sure we've helped a few deer survive the last few winters with 4-6 acres of standing corn - there's never any left!

Better yet - our young tree growth has rebounded quite well - and many areas that were"open woods" before, are now lush with undergrowth!

RE: winter feed for deer
 

just clear cut a few acres every winter. especially if you have some nice poplar/aspen stands

1. the deer will eat off the tips of the freshly cut tree tops
2. the following winters, deer will have a significant amount of new growth to browse on

RE: winter feed for deer
 

im gonna go against the grain and say feed hay, My boss owns alot of ground and every winter we put out hay bales from them to eat.... 3rd CUTTING only, anything else and they won't eat it, They only eat it once the snow flys, this year so far we've put out 12 bales and later this winter were gonna be dumping more, he also has a dozen or so food plots for the fall.............

RE: winter feed for deer
 

Any forage that is cut and dried and kept for feeding later is hay. Deer don't eat hay. When a plant is mature enough for hay, the fiber content is too high for deer to utilize it. Deer need high protien not high fiber. All plants convert to higher fiber content as they mature. Some of the commercial deer seed companies have products that will grow in winter, even under snow covered fields, just be sure to use seed developed for deer, not livestock. Plant and storecorn, oats &wheat for sillage, construct several feeding stations away from stand sites and pour the feed to them, you should increase the population on your property. If you can afford it, there are many companies that make deer chow, comes in a bag like dog food, that is formulated especially for whitetails. Plant corn, soybeans, wheat and oats and let these fields stand in winter, do not harvest, deer will use these fields after the clover is gone.