During the year, feeding deer is an important practice for some hunters. Feeding can improve deer health, antler growth, and overall population numbers. However, it's important to understand both the benefits and potential drawbacks. It's also essential to know what to feed deer during each of the four seasons.
Certain foods are best for deer at different times of the year. Here is a guide for all four seasons:
Spring Deer Feeding Tips: Protein for Antler Growth and Fawning Support
At the start of spring, bucks are recovering from the rut and the previous winter. During this time, they need to rebuild muscle, which requires a healthy dose of protein. Bucks begin to grow new antlers and are nearing their fawning dates; both require increased protein intake.
When supplementally feeding in the spring, ensure your feeders or troughs contain feed with 17% to 20% protein.
You should also plan for a spring food plot. If planting annual plots, make sure each blend contains sufficient clover. Early spring mowing releases clover, creating a high-protein food source that can last into summer. It's also recommended to use mineral supplements alongside clover. These deer supplements should provide sodium, calcium, and phosphorus, ideally in a blend that is two parts calcium to one part phosphorus.
In the absence of good food plots or supplemental feed, consider fertilizing concentrated browse areas with generic fertilizer at a rate of 200 to 400 pounds per acre. This can significantly increase the quality of native forage. You can also make your mineral blend at home.
To learn what to plant in the spring, check out our blog.
What to Feed Deer in Summer: Nutrition for Bucks, Does, and Growing Fawns
Summer can be a challenging time for deer survival. In many regions, summer brings drought and extreme heat. Combined with the stress of nursing fawns and the threat of parasites, deer face tough conditions.
During this season, bucks are growing antlers and need protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Does need additional nutrients to recover from birth and to continue supporting their fawns. As fawns begin weaning toward the end of summer, they also require high levels of protein.
Summer is the best season for supplemental feeding. Your feeders should be accessible to fawns, as they are especially vulnerable. Ensure your feed is high in protein but does not exceed 20%. Replenish mineral supplements at least once during the summer.
The best way to keep deer fed in the summer is by planting seeds in the spring. Don't forget to provide water using a trough or similar source.
Fall Deer Feeding Guide: Boosting Energy for the Rut and Winter Preparation
In the fall, bucks prepare for battles and breeding, while does get in shape for pregnancy. Fawns begin storing fat for winter. To build this fat, deer require energy in the form of fats and carbohydrates.
Bucks rely on stored fat during the rut, when they spend less time feeding. If that fat runs out, they begin burning muscle, which weakens them ahead of winter. Does need fat to support pregnancy and survive harsh conditions. Fawns use fat to carry them through winter and maintain the muscle formed earlier in the year.
Naturally, deer obtain these nutrients from acorns, hard mast, and crops like corn, milo, sunflowers, and peanuts.
If you planted a summer plot, it will likely still provide food into early fall, possibly even beans or peas. If you're planting in the fall, consider a blend of grasses and legumes such as cereal grains, brassicas, and clovers.
In the event of a mast crop failure, supplemental feeding may be necessary. While protein is less critical in the fall than in the summer, transitioning from a high-protein diet to grains or hay must be gradual. Deer need time to develop the appropriate gut bacteria to digest a grain-heavy diet, especially in areas where grain is not naturally available.
Without this adjustment, deer may develop rumen acidosis, a potentially fatal condition caused by an excessive buildup of acids in the rumen (the first and largest chamber of a deer's stomach). Always introduce new foods gradually.
Winter Deer Feeding Strategies: Surviving Cold Weather with the Right Diet
In winter, deer aim to survive until spring. In southern areas, they work to restore fat lost during the rut. In northern regions, deep snow and cold temperatures make survival especially difficult. Deer rely on carbohydrates to maintain their body weight; growth is minimal during this time of year.
While you can plant in winter using a technique called frost seeding, it's only effective in late winter when the ground thaws during the day.
Leftover crops and woody browse make up the majority of a deer's winter diet. If accessible, your fall plots can also provide food. Removing snow and ice from these plots with a rake, bucket, or plow can reduce the energy deer spend searching for food. Fall blend plants like brassicas and radishes will likely have mature root vegetables by winter, which offer high levels of carbohydrates and simple sugars, making them highly attractive in late-season hunting.
Supplemental feeding is possible in winter, but it must be done with caution. Overfeeding starving deer with high-carb feed can shock their system and may even be fatal.
Deer require different nutrition at different times of the year. When feeding deer, make sure their food matches the seasonal needs. Always transition diets slowly, especially when introducing grain-based feed to avoid digestive issues like rumen acidosis. Planting food plots can reduce reliance on supplemental feed and support deer more naturally. Be sure to review local laws to ensure your practices are legal in your area.
Learn more about food plots by checking out our blog on planting a food plot.