What Can You Feed Deer

As nature is replaced by suburbia, many woodland creatures find themselves foraging for food in backyards instead of back woods. Deer are among those cute woodland creatures that regularly wander through people's back and front yards looking for food, especially in the winter time. If you would like to help them out or just get a better look at their natural beauty, there are several food items you can leave out for them to eat including fruits, vegetables and oats.

Fruit

Since deer are vegetarians, their diets consist of all things green and leafy. This can extend over into the fruit category. Deer regularly chow down on apples and oranges that people leave out for them. The deer actually prefer the fruit and little bumped and bruised, so if you have dropped your fruit recently, leave it for the deer instead of throwing it out.

Deer Food

If you are feeling adventurous, you can venture down to your local farm animal feed store and pick up a salt lick for cattle. Deer also love salt There are also special corn bars you can buy to leave out for deer. You could also buy deer corn. However, the Austin Wildlife Rescue says deer corn is not good for deer; it is more like deer candy. The Rescue organization recommends goat or sheep pellets as an alternative since the pellets provide more protein and fewer carbohydrates.

Vegetables

Deer love vegetable gardens. If you want to keep them out of your garden, steer them away with cut up or shredded carrots. The deer love bite-sized shredded vegetables that are easy to get to.

Oats

Oats are a natural part of a deer's diet and a good source of fiber. If you want deer-grade oats instead of people-grade oats to leave out, check out the same store where you bought the deer corn. It should be on the same aisle.

Natural yard products

Deer forage naturally for vegetation like acorns and clover. If you have oak trees and three-leaf groundcover like clover, the deer will come.

Resources

• Deer Corn Cautions