Winter Survival: What’s on the Menu for Deer?

Winter presents unique challenges for deer: crops are picked, leaves have fallen, and most green vegetation is long gone. But deer are incredibly adaptable, thanks in part to their digestive system, which acts like a natural furnace to help keep them warm.

Unlike in summer, when high-energy forbs and lush vegetation dominate their diets, deer in winter turn to woody browse—buds, twigs, and shoots of trees and shrubs. The digestion of this fibrous material generates internal heat through rumen fermentation, providing both energy and warmth at a time when deer need it most.

So, what exactly do deer eat when the landscape looks barren?

Natural Food Sources in Winter

Deer are selective foragers, adapting their diets to whatever is available, even in the harshest months. In winter, their diet shifts heavily toward woody browse and remaining mast, supplemented by what little grasses or forbs they can find. Here’s a rough breakdown of their winter menu:

• Woody Browse (50-80%)

  • Buds, twigs, and shoots from trees and shrubs comprise the bulk of their diet.

  • Examples: maple, oak, dogwood, sumac, greenbrier, and blackberry briars.

  • Why it’s crucial: Woody material is rich in fiber, and its digestion generates heat, helping deer conserve energy and stay warm.

• Mast (10-30%)

  • Hard Mast: Red oak acorns persist into winter due to their higher tannin content.

  • Soft Mast: Persimmons, crabapples, and locust bean pods provide bonus calories when found.

  • Fact: White oak acorns germinate in fall, but red oak acorns remain edible into winter, making them critical for late-season nutrition.

• Grasses and Forbs (5-10%)

  • Cool-season grasses and protected forbs persist in south-facing slopes and field edges.

  • Agricultural residues like standing soybeans or corn offer excellent late-season energy.

• Other Sources (Variable, 0-10%)

  • In extreme conditions, deer may turn to bark, lichen, and mushrooms to survive.

Challenges Deer Face in Winter

Winter forces deer to balance food scarcity, energy conservation, and the stress of staying warm:

1. Nutritional and Food Availability Stress

   • High-density herds and heavy snow can quickly deplete available forage. Overbrowsed areas compound the problem, leaving deer nutritionally stressed.

2. Energy and Thermal Stress

   • Cold temperatures force deer to burn fat reserves for warmth, making thermal cover—like conifer stands, dense brush, or patch cuts—critical for reducing energy loss.

Habitat Management Solutions

When winter stress is high, thoughtful habitat management can make a significant difference:

• Short-Term Fix: Felling Trees

  • Felling desirable trees like maples or oaks during heavy snowfall immediately puts buds and browse within reach, providing an emergency food source.

• Long-Term Fix: Patch Cuts on South-Facing Slopes

  • Patch cuts encourage young forest regeneration, offering tender browse and thermal cover. They create diverse food options and sheltered movement corridors adjacent to early successional habitats or fields.

The Role of Food Plots and Supplemental Feeding

While habitat management should be the foundation of your strategy, food plots, and supplemental feeding can provide added support:

• Food Plots

  • Crops like cereal grains (wheat, oats, rye), brassicas, and standing soybeans or corn provide high-energy nutrition when natural forage is limited.

• Deer Pellets

  • Pellets are a "nice-to-have" option for landowners who can afford them. They offer balanced nutrition during harsh winters. However, the need for supplemental feed is minimal with proper habitat management.

Bringing It All Together

One of the best ways to increase winter forage availability is to reduce the herd size during hunting season. A balanced deer-to-habitat ratio ensures that food sources are not overbrowsed, reducing nutritional stress for the entire herd.

I covered this concept in more detail last week in Herd Management 101: The Role of Doe Harvest.

Pairing herd management with a diversity of habitat types—like patch cuts, edge feathering, and early successional growth—ensures ample forage and cover year-round.

Closing Call to Action

Winter is the perfect time to start planning improvements for your property, whether enhancing forage, creating better cover, or balancing your deer herd. My 2025 consulting schedule is filling up quickly, so don’t wait—reach out today to secure your spot and ensure your property is ready for next season.

To all the hunters out there, good luck for the rest of the season! May your efforts bring success in the field and healthier wildlife populations for years to come.

Let’s give your property an edge. Click to get in touch!