Do deer eat Granny Smith apples?

Asked by: Rick Maile

Choosing varieties of apple trees can be a bit overwhelming. All attract deer, but some more than others. In my experience, sweeter varieties such as Red Delicious are more attractive to deer than sour trees, such as Granny Smith.

What type of apples Do deer like best?

Some good apple tree varieties that work well for most of the country include Liberty, Enterprise, Dolgo, and Chestnut. Just make sure you find one that will be hardy to your specific planting zone.

Is it OK to feed apples to deer?

Apples and other low-hanging fruits are a delectable, high carbohydrate treat for many deer. Unlike tree leaves, lichen, mushrooms, grasses, and seeds that make up a deer’s diet; apples have sugar.

Can deer eat whole apples?

Waste apples and potatoes are palatable to deer and contain ample calories, but are not a healthy stand-alone diet. Fruits and spuds are high in water and too low in protein and fiber for wintering deer. If deer cannot access high quality natural forages around your feeder, they will not thrive.

What is the best thing to feed deer?

Feed deer fruits that are found in their natural habitat (apples, grapes, and carrots are all great). Do not feed them citrus or acidic fruits or vegetables. What type of corn should deer be fed? Corn is very hard for deer to digest, so it is recommended to not feed them corn at all.

What should you not feed deer?

Do not feed hay, corn, kitchen scraps, potatoes, lettuce trimmings or any animal proteins from animals rendered into feed. Deer may actually starve when fed supplemental foods during winter if they have a full belly of indigestible foods.

How do you bait a deer with apples?

Let’s say you’re using apples. Take an apron with a big pouch on it when you go to bait and load the pouch with apples from the bushel basket. Put a few next to a rub and then cut a couple in half and add it to the whole fruit you just strategically placed.

What happens when deer eat apples?

Deer enjoy apples but have difficulty digesting them. In fact, if deer exclusively eat apples there’s a good chance the animal will starve to death. Apples do not provide deer the full nutrients it needs to be healthy and often interfere with their seasonal diets during winter.

What is the cheapest thing to feed deer?

An inexpensive way to feed deer is with corn. Deer love corn and many hunters rely on it for supplemental feeding. That being said, corn is not an excellent source of protein, which is essential for antler growth and the nursing of fawns.

Do deer like apples or corn better?

Apples attract deer, in which are going to pull the bucks. As for bucks like them only. NO way, they all like them, but I wouldnt say they like them more than corn. If you put corn and apples together in a bait pile, the apples will be eaten by deer first, then the corn.

Can deer eat apples in winter?

Deer eat woody browse in the winter. This can be leaves, berries, saplings, bulbs, or buds. In wintertime, they will take their pickings from the ground. They can also have some lush forage such as kale, radish, turnips, apples, or cabbage if it is available.

Are carrots good for deer?

Carrots have proved to be among one of the best vegetables to feed these deer with. They contain vital nutrients such as beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, Potassium, and antioxidants.

What can you not feed deer in the winter?

“The worst thing we can do for deer in a tough winter is shock their system by providing a new food, particularly a high-energy food such as corn or high-protein food such as alfalfa hay that they are not used to,” said Kip. “In most cases, it ends up being worse for the deer than if they had not been fed.

What is the best thing to feed deer in the winter?

In these areas, corn, soybeans, grains, and brassicas can all be highly sought after and extremely nutritious. Corn and grains are full of carbohydrates, while soybeans provide a lot of carbohydrates and fat. These are both great for the unique nutritional needs for deer in the winter.

Is corn bad for deer in winter?

Although corn has poor protein, it has high carbohydrates. Whether it’s planted in a food plot, or fed at a feeding site, corn can be a great benefit to whitetails during winter. Most deer managers are more than willing to plant their plots in the spring and summer.

Why you should not feed deer?

Supplemental Feeding Can Harm Deer

attract predators and increase risk of death by coyotes or domestic dogs. spread disease among deer. cause aggression, wasting vital energy reserves and leading to injury or death. reduce fat reserves as deer use energy traveling to and from the feed site.

Why do deer sleep in my yard?

Deer will sleep in your yard when there is a food source nearby. They don’t like to travel far to find food sources, meaning you likely have something they enjoy eating near your property. Deer will stay alert even when lying down, and they may sleep in your vegetable garden as well.

Should you feed wild deer in your backyard?

If you feed deer in your backyard or at a park, you could be harming them instead of helping them. Bringing deer together at feeding sites increases their risk of contracting communicable diseases, such as chronic wasting disease, from other deer.

Are salt licks good for deer?

All hooved mammals love salt, so licks made only of salt do a fine job of attracting deer. Licks with added flavors, minerals and nutrients can be even better, especially if you find one the deer in your area really love.

What is whitetail deer favorite food?

Food they absolutely love are: pecans, hickory nuts, beechnut acorns, as well as acorns. Fruits such as apples, blueberries, blackberries, and persimmons are also appealing to deer and satisfy their appetites.

Will Peanut Butter attract deer?

Deer love peanut butter, so it is an excellent bait. You can use peanut butter alone or in a mixture to lure deer into an area for hunting or just to enjoy watching them. Peanut butter is much cheaper than most commercial deer attractants and works as well or better.

Is cracked corn or whole corn better for deer?

Registered. The cracked corn will be just fine. I saw a deer nibble on a turd once so that’ll be an upgrade.

Why should you not feed deer corn?

Eating a large amount of corn can affect the deer’ digestive process and cause a flush of lactic acid in their stomach. In most severe cases, this leads to the dehydration and death of the deer. Improper supplemental feeding in deer can cause acidosis.

Can deer eat scratch grain?

Deer will definitely eat sweet feed. Sweet feed can consist of a variety of things, but at its most basic is simply grains, such as oats or corn, bound together by molasses. It has a very strong aroma that deer can smell from far away, and it’s a delicious sweet treat.

Can deer smell shelled corn?

They use their nose to smell danger, other deer, and food and pick up a scent from approximately half a mile away, including the corn used as bait. Some footage shows the deer has picked up and followed the smell of corn pile baits for up to a couple of miles away.

How far can a deer smell you?

1/4 mile away

ANSWER: Under normal conditions, a deer can smell a human that is not making any attempt to hide its odor at least 1/4 mile away. If the scenting conditions are perfect (humid with a light breeze), it can even be farther.

Can deer smell apples?

What we found was that most adult deer had no trouble locating apples under 1½ feet of snow, providing there was no ice crust. We also discovered that fawns are able to find the apples, probably because of the apple’s strong sweet odor.