A YEAR IN THE EYES OF A DEER
Spring
During the spring time months the deer are recovering from the harsh winter months when food and other minerals can be somewhat scarce. Leaves, grasses, and fresh chutes begin to grow and provide these deer with much needed nutrients after many months of very little food that holds little nutritional benefits. During the early spring and summer months deer will flock to greenbrier, strawberry bush, ragweed, beggar lice and pokeweed as they become available along with 750 other types of growth. In this time the does are in the later stages of the gestation period and they are preparing to drop their fawns. Minerals are important in these times because they provide the doe’s not only with the necessary nutrients and minerals to help with the gestation period but they also help with the lactation period as well. Minerals can significantly increase the amount of milk a lactating doe creates during these time periods. During this time the mature bucks create bachelor groups and they spend their time feeding, developing antlers, and establishing a level of dominance within their groups. Minerals are especially important in these times to provide those bucks with the necessary building blocks to build a healthy rack.
Summer
Since the winter can make it harder for deer to find food, during the spring and the summer months a deer focuses most of its time storing fat for the rut and for the harsh winter months yet to follow. A deer usually eats more foliage and leafy greens during these seasons while they are readily available. The spring and summer months are crucial months for deer growth and development. This is when the minerals will work best because that’s when its truly needed for the development of antlers and to help with overall heard health. Deer antlers take a lot of energy to grow as you would imagine. They are primarily bone and higher levels of calcium and phosphorus are needed during this time frame as this stage takes up a large amount of available nutrients and energy in a deer’s system. With their vegetarian diet many deer don’t get as much calcium as they truly need to produce a large rack in some areas which is where mineral sites can help out.
Fall
During the fall months the antlers will harden and the bucks will rub the velvet off their antlers. Around this time the bucks will split up from their bachelor groups as the breeding season otherwise known as the rut starts up. They will start chasing doe’s who are ready for breeding and will challenge other bucks who enter their area and try and lay claim to the does. This can be a high stress time for bucks and they don’t spend much time eating during the rut, it’s all about the chase. This is without a doubt the best time of the year for buck hunting as their primary focus is on the doe. Mineral site success may diminish during these months because the minerals simply aren’t needed as much at this time of the year as they are in the prior months. Antler’s are already developed and the does are done raising their young. Deer can often be found feeding on acorns at this time of the year. Acorns only consist of about 10-15% of protein however they are loaded in carbs which is important for packing on the pounds to withstand the harsh winter months. They are also highly digestible. Deer prefer white oak acorns over red oak because they are more palatable. Red oak acorns contain more tannins which give them more of a bitter taste. Once acorns start to fall they can make up for 80% of a whitetails diet. Sometimes its best to follow the food if you want to find the deer.
Winter
During the harsh winter months its hard for deer to find good quality food. During this time plant growth is slowed to a screeching halt. Deer will eat what they have available whether that be woody browse, briers, bushes, acorns, and even what little corn or crops are left on ag fields after harvest. Deer don’t just survive on protein, it’s a vital part of their diet. Its important to keep in mind that protein and other minerals may be hard to come by at this time of the year. A blackberry plant for instance has around 22% crude protein in the spring but it drops to a much lower level in the winter months and only contains about 12% protein. They found that deer can live over a month without food and they need very little to survive during the winter which helps with this.