Deer Food for Spring

Deer have numerous food choices in spring, once plants begin to wake up from their seasonal sleep. To attract them, you need to offer items they prefer over what they can forage in the wild.

  1. Local Wild Plants

    • Plants like Carolina snail-seed are options that deer seek out on their own and highly prefer. Securing seed for such plants may be difficult, but they have the chance to attract and feed far more deer than many choices for which seed is readily available.

    Ryegrass

    • Ryegrass has good protein levels and is resistant to many common plant diseases. It can be planted in the fall for good spring coverage.

    Clover

    • Several strains of clover, such as alsike, crimson and arrowleaf, offer good spring deer feed when planted in the fall (and can be planted in the spring as well). They tolerate poor soil and create some of their best growth by June.

    Alfalfa

    • When deer have a choice of corn, soybeans or alfalfa, they choose alfalfa. The seed can be planted in spring or fall, and the plant adapts to most regions.

    Trees

    • Planting trees can also offer feed for deer in the spring, when deer like to browse the tender buds and new growths. White cedar, white pine, maple, dogwood and sumac are all popular with deer; trees can be a steady source of feed without the constant maintenance that other feed plots require.