White-tailed deer are primarily browsers. They typically eat very little grass, with most studies estimating grass comprising no more than 7 to 9% of a deer’s diet in any season. Browse consumption is important to deer, but learning to read browse utilization can be important to your overall deer management program. Browse is defined as the leaves, twigs, and buds of woody plants. Browse is the bread and butter of a white-tailed deer’s diet on almost every landscape, but the importance of browse becomes particularly important during the winter months.

Why? Well, winter is the most nutritionally stressful time of the year for deer. Not only does a deer require massive amounts of energy to regulate its body temperature during the coldest part of the year, but food in many cases is not readily available. This is especially true at northern latitudes where extreme winter conditions prevail. In the southern part of the white-tailed deer’s range, winter temperatures are simply mild inconveniences. However, prolonged periods of cold weather at southern latitudes can take its toll on deer populations in this area simply because deer densities are higher. There may be more browse in southern forests, but there are also more deer! (more…)

Deer Plant: Hackberry / Sugarberry (Celtis spp.)

Class: browse; preferred

Description: A small to medium-sized tree with a spreading irregular crown found on moist soil in stream and river drainages, and a common invader along fence lines. Hackberry leaves are dark green above, pale with prominent raised veins below and are rather thick and stiff. The common name and variety name refer to the dense network of veins in the leaf.

Fruit is eaten by many species of birds and some mammals, including white-tailed deer. The leaves and twigs are browsed by both deer and livestock, so have a good handle of livestock stocking rates in areas where deer management is important.

Hackberry / Sugarberry Photos:

Deer Food: Grape (Vitus spp.)

Class: browse; preferred by deer

Description: There are many species of grape throughout the white-tailed deer’s range, but all species seem to serve as good sources of deer forage. In areas with high deer populations, grape leaves will not be found within the reach of a deer, but foliage can be found higher in brush and tree canopies. Common grape species include mustang, post oak, and muscadine. (more…)

Deer Food: Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia)

Class: browse; moderately preferred by deer

Description: Cedar elm is a medium to large-sized tree with drooping branches that form a narrow to rounded crown. The plant occurs on moist soils in bottomland, upland, and even limestone sites where found. The stems may have corky wings, but do not confuse cedar elm with winged elm.

Unlike winged elm, cedar elm leaves are thicker, has the smallest leaves of the elms and is one of the few with fruit, called samaras, maturing in the fall. In addition, the top part of cedar elm leaves have a sand paper-type roughness. In the fall, leaves will turn yellow-gold in color.

White-tailed deer are fond of all elms, especially cedar elm. Where moderate to high deer populations exists, this browse plant will typically show heavy use.

Cedar Elm Photos:

Deer Food: Elbowbush (Forestiera angustifolia)

Class: browse; moderately preferred by deer

Description: A perennial, small rounded shrub occurring in open fields, brushy prairies and limestone outcrops. The stems of elbowbush are often looping and appear almost vine-like in many instances.

The fruit may be eaten by some birds and mammals, but white-tailed deer use foliage for browse where this plant is found. Elbowbush’s shrubby growth form provides good cover for deer and other wildlife.

Elbowbush Photos:

Deer Food: Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Class: browse; highly preferred by deer

Description: An introduced (from Asia) woody, twining or trailing evergreen vine occurring on moist soil of bottomlands and uplands along streams, fence rows and timber edges. Japanese honeysuckle is often introduced into “wild” areas because it is used as an ornamental around dwellings. It has showy and fragrant flowers in addition to evergreen foliage.

Fruit, flowers, leaves and stems are used by many birds, mammals and insects. Deer love honeysuckled leaves and the fresh-growth of stems. Honeysuckle is a high quality forage with protein contents ranging from 9 to 20 percent and a digestibility of 75 percent. Protein content is dependent upon season and soil fertility with the highest levels reported during the cooler months of the year — when deer need food.

Japanese honeysuckle Photos:

Deer Food: Texas oak (Quercus texana)

Class: browse; highly preferred by deer

Description: Texas oak is type of red oak and typically a medium to small tree that rarely grows over 75-feet in height. It usually grows about 30 to 50-feet with spreading branches. Texas oak is found on alkaline limestone and neutral to slightly acid gravels and sands.

There are hybrids of Texas oak and Shumard Red Oak (Quercus shumardii). Texas oak is smaller, more often multi-trunked, and more drought tolerant than Shumard oak. The foliage of each turns bright shades of vivid red and orange in autumn. The leaves of both trees are relished by white-tailed deer and receive heavy browsing pressure where these species are found. In areas with an abundance of deer, seedlings are unable to grow because they are eaten immediately.

The bark is dark gray to black with platelike scales, although sometimes it is light gray and smooth.

Texas oak Photos:

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: