Winter - Food Plots and other Encouragement

bluemike807

bluemike807

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Just curious - what do folks do in winter, assuming they have their own property or access to an isolated enough spot - to encourage and help the local deer?

Do you put out the same things you'd use in season (apples, grain, etc)?
I've read that salt licks are appreciated, but apparently only at certain times of year. I also read somewhere that water softener salt tablets are like deer crack, and obviously give them a whack of minerals in one easy to eat session.

What're peoples experiences, come winter?
 
There are a few things I do this time of year. I cut soft maples in the swamp for firewood...the deer love the buds. :)

If snow is deep and food sources are all depleted (corn harvested), cutting cedar trees for fence posts is also appreciated by the deer.

Replenish your salt pits..deer will use it more towards spring, but its good to get it out early.

And keep a eye-out for sheds. ;)
 
food plots and salt

Pretty lucky to own a good chunk of land I have a mineral block and some cobalt down for the critters next to a bush dug out, would love to plant a food plot but it is almost 100 bones per acre, anything out there cheaper to plant was thinking peas and corn and just leaving it there biologic at UFA per acre $92.00
 
Well - Here in Central Ontario, many folks put out bales of hay. The practice is controversial. There are several folk that do it near my place. Last night, while driving back from our camp I came face to face with the largest wolf I've ever seen. He was trotting down the road toward the feeding station.
 
Feeding deer in the winter is controversial because it usually causes more problems than it solves. (see link)
h ttp://www.animalrangeextension.montana.edu/Articles/Wildlife/deer_tough_love.htm (take out the space after the h)

"Feeding deer hay or corn can kill them, because they cannot always digest it. Deer digestion involves protozoa and bacteria that help break down food.
Different micro-organisms help digest different types of vegetation. If a deer has been feeding on aspen or willows, it has built up the micro-organisms that digest only this kind of vegetation.
If this same deer suddenly fills its stomach with corn or hay, it may not have enough of the corn- and hay-digesting micro-organisms in its stomach to digest the food.
A deer can starve to death with a full stomach."
 
I have heard they cut down trees when they are starving true or false so they can eat the browse???
 
CROWCA said:
I have heard they cut down trees when they are starving true or false so they can eat the browse???
Click to expand...

Sorry, too many "they's" to determine whom you are talking about....so I will answer both scenarios. ;)

I've seen deer breaking down Staghorn Sumac, 8-10' cedar trees and smaller soft maples, to eat the tops off.

And I cut firewood throughout the winter, deer love the buds...they don't have to be starving.
 
I have 22 acres of alfalfa/broam. I only cut it once, so in the winter there is a good 14" stand of alfalfa for them. Strangely, they won't come to alfalfa until they've finished off any grain crops in the area. They particularily like peas and canary seed.
 
I my area the deer feed primarily on cedar brush. If the Winter has been particularly cold or heavy snow on the ground, I'll cut some cedar down for them. The rabbits seem to like it as well, as my trailcams show them eating it. This Winter has been fairly mild so no help for our deer has been necessary yet.
 
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