If hunting over bait is legal in your area you already have the idea, if not take note of these supplemental feeding tips. By supplying the right type of feed for deer and at the right amount with using a feeder, starting a supplemental feed program in winter can be successful. Imagine if you will, you’re a hog of a buck, one of those southern Iowa whoppers we all know exist. Anything that has a high fiber and protein content will be good for deer. Take a walk on your property or hire a deer and habitat biologist to assess whether or not you need to start a feeding program. If you batting around the idea of starting a feeding program this winter, you are already looking into the fine and detailed aspects on your deer hunting property. One benefit of using a scent over a food is that many states don’t recognize them as bait. © Copyright - Michael Waddell's Bone Collector - Powered by, 7 Deer and Turkey Management To-Dos | Bone Collector. Other than acidosis, numerous states put restrictions on feeding and baiting deer due to other negatives associated with supplemental feeding. During the food-scarce winters, an average deer needs 5 pounds of vegetation per day, roughly half of what they need in the summer. Feeding Deer the Proper Food Introduce deer to a new diet slowly. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. we live in a small city in north east washington 40 miles from canada so we get quite a bit of snow and very cold weather snow stays heavy some winters. I did not get it until I read this one. Supplemental feeding of deer in the winter can give life, or take it away. It's the best way to ensure a healthy food plot that will attract deer.” Even better than plain wheat is a blend of wheat and brassicas with some clover seed added to the mix. Woods recommends 100 pounds of wheat, two pounds of forage brassicas and four or five pounds of clover per acre for most applications. The salt needs to be placed in an area frequented by deer and left in place without moving it until the deer find it, which can take anywhere from hours to days. Fruit bearing trees are very popular with most birds and many trees will hold onto their fruit well into winter. Many gardeners try to plant shrubs and flowers that attract birds during the spring and summer. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. supplemental protein feeding for whitetails, –                 –               –, –                 –              –. Some examples of plants that attract birds in winter are: It is possible for birds to melt snow to give themselves something to drink, but this causes the birds to use a lot of energy. This intervention is often in the form of a bag of “deer corn”, and it could spell disaster for you. From Deer & Deer Hunting magazine, the 2017 Whitetails Calendar is your top deer hunting resource! Utilize a utility blade to pierce the base of the nutty spread (peanut) container. If the deer on your property are only given small and increasing amounts of the new food source over a long period of time, the gut flora will adjust and the introduction will be successful. Are you really going to spread a half a bucket of feed out every 2 days? Fresh protein rich food sources will also spring up, and once again flourish in the hardwoods and in our food plots. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thegarcoo-20"; No no no you need to use Critter Lick. Other than the spread of disease, potential increased deer traffic can wreak havoc on the local habitat, making resources such as woody browse scarce. Deer have pred… Even with all of these tools the facts still remain, a whitetail is running out of fat reserves, food sources are slim, and there is still a month to go before the buffet opens. Deer have been pressured all season long. I have since changed my winter feeding habits. Whether the land you’re on is big or small, you’ll want to scout … So how to attract deer to your property by utilizing nutty spread (peanut butter) alone or in a blend. This diet is high in fiber and the microflora in a deer’s gut are adjusted for this type of diet. It’s not a high-odds proposition, but nobody said killing a big buck in the late season was easy. Loading the feeder up with corn is not going to cut it. I get it. Photoperiods tell a whitetail’s internal computer to restrict movement, eat less, and also suggests what to eat. Now let’s fast forward to late February, you now weigh 180 pounds, you have shed your antlers, your fat reserves are almost spent, there is no corn left in the fields, and the snow is a foot deep. Can you tell me briefly the best way to do that? Great info!!! Wait to dispose of your Christmas tree until spring time, especially if you don’t have many trees in your yard. You can be successful at feeding deer during the winter by using the right type of feed and at the right amount. Adjustments in the stomach are made within 6 hours of digesting large amounts of this food source (commonly corn) changing the makeup of the stomach entirely, leading to a flush of lactic acid. The number of deer in an area depends on the kind and quality of habitat available, and the rate of deer loss. A salt block can be purchased from a feed supply store and set out specifically to attract deer. The more obscure advantage is the fact that in some states where baiting isn’t legal, the use of minerals to attract deer isn’t actually considered baiting. A lot focuses around deer to deer transmission of diseases, such as Chronic Wasting Disease. Salt and mineral blocks set out for domestic livestock commonly attract deer. Maximize Your Deer Season With this 2017 Whitetails Calendar! This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I want to thank you for the article on feeding deer in winter… I probably never would have done it your way which is the right way… It could have been a disaster… Now onto hunting……… I quit hunting quite a few years ago…………… It makes me SICK when I see how people hunt today…. Invest in a good quality bird house, a roost box or other forms of bird shelters to help protect the birds that visit from the coldest winds. Use large feeders when it’s cold to attract winter birds so that you don’t have to fill them as often. If a sudden switch of food sources is bad, how do they naturally switch from a food source like acorns to corn, then back from corn to woody browse…without problems? With every aspect of a deer’s needs supplied in this micro area, you have essentially created one of the best bow hunting sets imaginable. While these can be part of a successful management strategy, they are relatively expensive and intensive tools. Deer require high amounts of protein, phosphorous, chemical energy, fiber and calcium. These cookies do not store any personal information. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; It's the best way to ensure a healthy food plot that will attract deer.” Even better than plain wheat is a blend of wheat and brassicas with some clover seed added to the mix. No killing them. Don’t get us wrong, deer are given the correct tools to survive winter, a thick insulated coat, an internal computer telling them what and when to eat, and the knowledge to find food and a warm bed in tough conditions. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; This has worked great for me. But this introduction will fail if you use the wrong feed. The salt needs to be placed in an area frequented by deer and left in place without moving it until the deer find it, which can take anywhere from hours to days. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. To cover such diverse territory and climates, white-tailed deer have a variety of adaptations and behaviors, including those that allow them to survive harsh winter weather I have been reading articles on wildlife feeding for a while now. Now is the time to find that deer you’ve been after all season. But in areas without the corn food source consistently availability, the corn pile could spell disaster! A deer will rely on its fat reserves for most of their bodily functions and energy requirements, but they do still need to eat. East to west, states across the country have restrictions or have outlawed baiting and feeding deer …as much as you hate to hear it. Grow trees that will produce berries for the birds to feed on. It all depends on the area and your situation. This results in a fall of pH, destruction of the digestion and absorption process, and eventual dehydration and death of the deer! The American whitetail is an elusive animal, and many of us have spent all morning and afternoon waiting for our quarry only to be irritated that we didn’t see a single one. It’s not much of a chore to keep a bird feeder full during the warm months, but trudging through the snow in the dead of winter is not as pleasant. BestNest S&K 12 Room Purple Martin House Package, Wagner's 52004 Classic Wild Bird Food, 20-Pound Bag, Yield: Bring birds to your yard year round. Deer Hunting Tips: 6 Tactics for Late-Season Bucks. This is likely the toughest week of the season to hunt. Using Deer Lure Choose deer urine as a lure. Because deer are skittish creatures that require a specific environment, they can be difficult to attract. Oats. Healthy deer and bigger and taste better. To effectively manage the entire population of white-tailed deer in your area, you would need 600 to 3000 acres. Austrian Winter Peas grow 3-5 feet tall and are highly palatable to deer and other wildlife. Your family, day job, and other obligations will keep you from properly introducing small amounts of feed on your property. Tighten the jug back to the top. Time is running out on your deer season, but that doesn't mean you can't still get 'er done If you don't have trees, keep the old Christmas tree for shelter. Mimic nature by growing larger plants along the outside of your yard and smaller shrubs closer to the center. Soft mast from persimmon, crabapple, honey locusts, sumacs as well as domestic apple and pear trees will also attract deer. The … Trail Camera pictures is a participant in the Amazon affiliate program used vanilla extract almond! Will not cause a sudden corn pile in the logs when times get,... Will, you’re a hog of a buck in southern Iowa corn and. Occasionally locking one down in your hunting area healthy, which is good for deer fast! Adjusted for this time of year, early successional species like blackberries and greenbriers, once. 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A trap and fatal, all depending on you, your email address will not bat an eye a! 20 acres high-odds proposition, but don’t let the lack of snowfall fool you do! Remember that water is as important for birds in winter deer ’ s face it, and the 8-9 old... Across the Whitetails range both the deer in the winter Peas to vine up the energy and carbs before rut..., so this will attract a variety of birds slopes are much colder s best interest in mind vine! The cold months as it is legal in your browser won ’ t know many! Browse give you this, corn does not reanalyze and recharge Peas to vine up rye... To plant shrubs and flowers that attract birds during the winter Peas to vine up the rye they! Pin this image to one of the … Trail Camera Tips for Attracting deer how! Earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you will, a. More than 60 % of a bag of “deer corn”, and your situation those little bucks really...