How food plot forages meet the seasonal nutritional demands of deer

By Matt Tarr, Whitetail Stewards, Inc.

Forages that are most nutritious and palatable in the SPRING are important for:

• helping all deer recover from winter stress
• providing pregnant does with nutrition needed to support developing fetuses through the third trimester and to begin producing milk
• providing bucks with nutrients needed to begin growing antlers

Forages that are most nutritious and palatable in the SUMMER are important for:

• providing does with nutrients needed for producing milk
• providing nutrients needed by growing fawns
• supporting further antler development in bucks

Forages that are most nutritious and palatable in the FALL/WINTER are important for:

• providing nutrition for weaned fawns that are still growing
• providing energy deer need to prepare for winter
• replacing energy lost during the rut

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