White-tailed Deer Management & Hunting
Foods that Whitetail Deer Eat
Deer Plant: Mistletoe (Phoradendron tomentosum)
Class: browse; highly preferred
Description: An evergreen parasitic shrub on other shrubs and trees. The species’ name refers to the dense hair-like covering on young leaves and stems. Most commonly found on Mesquite and Hackberry found in the central U.S. All parts of the plant are poisonous and can be fatal to humans and livestock, but are enjoyed by white-tailed deer.
Fruits are also eaten by some species of birds.
Mistletoe Photos:
Deer Plant: Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
Class: browse; highly preferred
Description: A large perennial shrub or small tree occurring in the understories of forests, drainages and stream bottoms. This browse plant has large leaves and showy red (immature) and black (mature) fruit. The Carolina buckthorn fruit is eaten by some species of birds, but white-tailed deer relish the leaves.
This species can be a prolific re-sprouter after a fire.
Carlina buckthorn photos:
Deer Food: Texas sophora (Sophora affinis)
Class: browse; highly preferred by deer
Descritption: Texas sophora is found growing as a small tree or shrub uncommon on rocky limestone slopes, drainages and along streams and rivers. Sophora fruits mature in the fall, remain attached into winter, and resemble a string of beads. Texas sophora is a legume, the seeds are reported to be poisonous, but deer love to browse Texas sophora leaves, twigs, and buds.
Texas sophora Photos:
