feeding deer in winter
11-22-2002, 09:08 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: cazenovia, NY USA
Posts: 2,973
RE: feeding deer in winter
Feeding deer in the winter is trouble - but you can do it - naturally. If you have areas of harwoods that need thinning, do it in January, I mean drop the trees that need to be culled out. The deer will relish the windfall of browse, just wait till summer to block up the trees.
Supplying browse for wintering herds of deer id the best feed, when avialable.
Supplying browse for wintering herds of deer id the best feed, when avialable.
11-25-2002, 02:11 PM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Livonia Mi USA
Posts: 551
RE: feeding deer in winter
Lime and plant. Stay away from the feeding unless it becomes extremely critical... Like dead deer on the highway. The winter kill off may be the answer to the CWD and TB issues. Natures way of toeing the mark.
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
11-27-2002, 08:50 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,796
RE: feeding deer in winter
I agree that winter feeding is risky and can cause more harm than good. If you do feed remember that deer are ruminants and can't get nutrition from foods untill they develop the nesesary micro-organisms needed to digest the food source, this takes time.
Deer that have never eaten corn before will probably take advantage of a big pile they find in the woods, but their bodies can't process the new food as well as lesser browse that they are used to.
I recently read Whitetails - Natures Wild Spirits, it documents the story of a farmer that decided to put out hay for some resident deer, he was devastated when he started to find dear that had starved to death around his property because the deer were eating the hay and nothing else, but weren't getting any energy from it.
If you feed you must introduce the feed to the deer before they really need it, and you should be prepared to feed indefineatly because they will come to rely on you.
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
Deer that have never eaten corn before will probably take advantage of a big pile they find in the woods, but their bodies can't process the new food as well as lesser browse that they are used to.
I recently read Whitetails - Natures Wild Spirits, it documents the story of a farmer that decided to put out hay for some resident deer, he was devastated when he started to find dear that had starved to death around his property because the deer were eating the hay and nothing else, but weren't getting any energy from it.
If you feed you must introduce the feed to the deer before they really need it, and you should be prepared to feed indefineatly because they will come to rely on you.
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
11-28-2002, 08:44 AM
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 448
RE: feeding deer in winter
Note: The winter feeding recommendations below are now illegal in Wisconsin due to the current CWD problem.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/...r/wintfeed.htm
Winter Deer Feeding in Wisconsin
Deer are adapted to winter
Deer adapt physiologically and behaviorally to survive the rigorous winters in our northern forest habitats of Wisconsin. From late December to late February, deer activity, movement, and feeding decrease. At this time they are utilizing their body fat reserves acquired on their summer and fall range. This is especially important since natural winter foods (browse) are less nutritious and less abundant than summer foods. Whether an individual deer is able to survive the winter depends largely on the deer's physical health going into winter, the severity and duration of winter, the amount of quality food available, and the amount of energy the animal uses.
Some deer, especially fawns and older deer, may die in any winter regardless of severity. Deer mortality among these age groups increases as the winter severity increases. These animals usually have insufficient amounts of stored energy (body fat), or are unable to find and compete with other deer for available food. The majority of deer, especially adult does, will survive even the harshest winter without the need for supplemental feeding. Occasional severe winters and deer losses are normal occurrences in northern areas of our state. In severe winters, most mortality occurs in March or April as their body fat is depleted.
How and Where to feed
Winter feeding does very little to help the regional deer herd survive the winter because most of the herd (as much as 70%) is inaccessible to feeding. However, it can benefit individual deer if done properly. If you intend to feed, you must DO IT RIGHT, OR DON'T DO IT AT ALL! Careful consideration should be given to feeding efforts prior to implementation. If done improperly, you can do more harm than good.
Feeding tips:
try to feed near sheltered areas with conifer cover that are out of the wind
feed away from areas of high human use, dogs, cars, and snowmobiles
supply feed at a rate of 2 pounds per deer per day
resupply feeders when 90% of food is eaten
put food in several places to avoid competition among deer for food
use trough or box type feeders placed on the ground to avoid waste and fecal contamination
Keep feeding deer until the snow melts in spring. Also, be aware that feeding can attract fairly high numbers of deer, and can result in surprisingly high expenses. Feeding deer in or near your yard can also attract and concentrate deer where they may also browse on much of your, or your neighbor's, ornamental trees and shrubs.
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.
When to feed
Deer can be fed all winter if done for recreational purposes. If the intent is to save deer in a severe winter, the most cost effective approach is to start feeding in late February and continue through snow melt or until deer have dispersed to summer habitats. During March and early April is the time of winter when most deer that succumb to winter stress are likely to die. This is the time when supplemental feeding can benefit deer most, and will insure that you do not run out of interest and funding at a critical time of the year for deer.
Note: The winter feeding recommendations above are now illegal in Wisconsin due to the current CWD problem.
Edited by - 1sagittarius on 11/28/2002 09:50:30
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/...r/wintfeed.htm
Winter Deer Feeding in Wisconsin
Deer are adapted to winter
Deer adapt physiologically and behaviorally to survive the rigorous winters in our northern forest habitats of Wisconsin. From late December to late February, deer activity, movement, and feeding decrease. At this time they are utilizing their body fat reserves acquired on their summer and fall range. This is especially important since natural winter foods (browse) are less nutritious and less abundant than summer foods. Whether an individual deer is able to survive the winter depends largely on the deer's physical health going into winter, the severity and duration of winter, the amount of quality food available, and the amount of energy the animal uses.
Some deer, especially fawns and older deer, may die in any winter regardless of severity. Deer mortality among these age groups increases as the winter severity increases. These animals usually have insufficient amounts of stored energy (body fat), or are unable to find and compete with other deer for available food. The majority of deer, especially adult does, will survive even the harshest winter without the need for supplemental feeding. Occasional severe winters and deer losses are normal occurrences in northern areas of our state. In severe winters, most mortality occurs in March or April as their body fat is depleted.
How and Where to feed
Winter feeding does very little to help the regional deer herd survive the winter because most of the herd (as much as 70%) is inaccessible to feeding. However, it can benefit individual deer if done properly. If you intend to feed, you must DO IT RIGHT, OR DON'T DO IT AT ALL! Careful consideration should be given to feeding efforts prior to implementation. If done improperly, you can do more harm than good.
Feeding tips:
try to feed near sheltered areas with conifer cover that are out of the wind
feed away from areas of high human use, dogs, cars, and snowmobiles
supply feed at a rate of 2 pounds per deer per day
resupply feeders when 90% of food is eaten
put food in several places to avoid competition among deer for food
use trough or box type feeders placed on the ground to avoid waste and fecal contamination
Keep feeding deer until the snow melts in spring. Also, be aware that feeding can attract fairly high numbers of deer, and can result in surprisingly high expenses. Feeding deer in or near your yard can also attract and concentrate deer where they may also browse on much of your, or your neighbor's, ornamental trees and shrubs.
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.
When to feed
Deer can be fed all winter if done for recreational purposes. If the intent is to save deer in a severe winter, the most cost effective approach is to start feeding in late February and continue through snow melt or until deer have dispersed to summer habitats. During March and early April is the time of winter when most deer that succumb to winter stress are likely to die. This is the time when supplemental feeding can benefit deer most, and will insure that you do not run out of interest and funding at a critical time of the year for deer.
Note: The winter feeding recommendations above are now illegal in Wisconsin due to the current CWD problem.
Edited by - 1sagittarius on 11/28/2002 09:50:30
12-10-2002, 08:11 AM
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: sandy creek n.y. USA
Posts: 9
RE: feeding deer in winter
Well Borealboy,It has been my experiance over the last 50 years ya don't mess with mother nature.As farm hunter has stated fall those trees that need thing or even sell off some logs and let the logger do it for ya. Also would be a good idea to put in some food plots, corn, clovers, beans,there are some mixed seeding you can purchase I do suggest ya do some home work to see what foods the deer are getting in your area and try to stay as close to that as you can.
Thats my two bites worth.
OLDRUTTINBUCK
OLD RUTTIN BUCK
LM NAHC
NWTF MEMBER
HHH MEMBER www.hhh-usa.org
TEACHING GRAND KIDS HUNTING SKILLS
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Thats my two bites worth.
OLDRUTTINBUCK
OLD RUTTIN BUCK
LM NAHC
NWTF MEMBER
HHH MEMBER www.hhh-usa.org
TEACHING GRAND KIDS HUNTING SKILLS
HUNTTOEATEATTOHUNT
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