It is commom knowledge that deer need food, water, shelter and space for survival. When a casual observer sees the countryside with abundant trees and plants it may appear that deer have plenty to eat. But that is not necessarily the case. First, some plants are not edible. Second, some plants are not palatable. And lastly, some are only availalbe at certain times of the year. White-tailed deer use three major plant groups as food.
They are: 1) forbs, which consists of broadleaf herbaceous weeds, 2) browse, which consists of leaves and tender twigs of woody plants, and 3) grasses. Deer flat-out prefer forbs, but these plants are normally available only in certain seasons and if rains do not come at the right time, they may not be available at all. Continue reading “White-tailed Deer Food Preferences”