CherokeeHunter

I know this has probably been asked a million times but I just have to ask. I know that to be successful in the late season you focus on feeding areas. For the area that I am hunting, the corn fields were picked back in the beginning of september if not sooner, and probably about the beginning of october the browseline in the woods appeared to be picked clean over night. I don't have any mast producing trees near where I hunt so acorns and such are not available. So what are the deer eating? Now it's only the beginning of December and the winter really hasn't started yet. So what are the deer gonna eat until spring? Will they completely abandon this area to seek out other food sources? I had a doe and 3 fawns come in to less than 10 yards today, so I know that just like the last few years they still can be found on this property. But in order to see more deer and hopefully harvest a buck, I need to find the food. Thanks for your help in advance.

thundermug

bark, limbs, twigs, lichen, mushrooms, briars, practically anything that grows in the woods.

FOOLPROOF?
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Wingbone

They may not be feeding on anything you've got. Deer will travel a long way, at least a couple of miles, to get to good food in late season. If, however, you've got good cover, they'll come back to it when they're done. My experience is that a deer's routine gets very predictable in late season. Once you find out where and when they are going, you can almost set your watch by it.

model722

I know that around here once the snow sticks they'll eat what ever they can find. They eat pine tree branches, any branch that they can get to, they'll dig in the snow also to find food. they will be moving around alot more to find the food that they need

cball

Deer also eat leaves,ferns,weeds(goldenrod,joe pie weeds) tender green briars and the ends of branches..I'm seeing deer fooling around blackberry ,raspberry bushes too...

Toby from MO

Alfalfa, What you guys are explaining is exactly why my hunting gets better as it gets later into the season. Bring on the cold weather, bring on the snow and most of all bring on the combines. No more corn, beans or mylo out in the fields but my alfalfa is still there and boy do they come.

Winter wheat is also another good late season food source for whitetails.

Toby

cball

Alfalfa and clover is imporant but when its covered up with 12 - 14 in. of frozen snow the deer can't get to it... I was out to the farm today ,there were tracks through the fields but the deer were feeding in the woods...