deer feed
 

looking for something to help deer in snowy winter months and to also find sheds. is there any types of block or food you can recommend that the deer will hit? also i don not have a feeder so this will be put on the ground and one of things i worry about is moisture. was thinking about the big and j products. thanx for any info

I live in the North where the snow is deep and the winters can be long. I generally only feed later in the winter once I see they are getting stressed (emergency feed).

I feed with alfalfa and once you start you have to continue to feed till they leave the area in the spring. I guess from what our local DNR states is that once you start feeding deer their digestive system changes and they cannot switch back to natural food (wood fiber).

I guess another issue about feeding early in the season is you prevent the deer from migrating to their yarding areas (Northern thing). If you feed them in the early part of the winter and the snow gets deep. If you stop feeding it may be too late for them to get to the yard which is essential for their winter survival.

So basically if you start feeding, you have to feed all winter.

where do u find alfalfa? tractor supply?

They like alfalfa in the winter, they like most anything high auger. Just because the like it doesn't mean it is good for them.

I favor low quality feed, whole Oats $120 a ton, Even cheaper (by weight) is a rolled bale of late hay. Young hay is favored by most people, ripe/late (already has seeds) mixed Oats and Rye hay is even cheaper (usually the last to sell).

One of those cheap Home Depot plastic tarps with rope eyes, spread as a lean-to between some trees works well to keep most of the snow and rain off the feed.

One good thing about a pile of Oats, in the late winter-early spring pull the tarp off the pile of Oats and let them sprout. Deer will hit them hard. Sprouted Oats are full of good stuff.

You could always try some free homemade deer feeder plans too and build one. You can always find some scrap wood laying around home and recycle the wood this way too.

Buy some cheap 4 or 5 or 6 inch circumference plastic PVC pipe a 45 degree bottom along with a cap for the bottom You can glue it all together then add a cap for the top that You don't glue at all so it's removable and works as a cover top to keep out the elements.Spray the white or blue pipe with Camo paint,screw it to a Tree or use a ratchet strap...fill it up and see how the Deer like it.