White-tailed deer in Virginia have an adaptable diet that changes with seasons and available resources. Their feeding habits are influenced by the nutritional content and digestibility of plants in their diverse habitats, from forests to suburban areas.
Natural Forage
Deer in Virginia primarily eat natural plant materials. Their diet includes tender leaves (forbs) and woody twigs and shoots of shrubs and trees (browse). Favored browse examples are maple, oak, and sumac twigs. They also consume herbaceous plants and grasses during warmer months.
Acorns and other nuts are a significant food source from late summer through winter, providing energy and nutrients. These mast crops help deer build fat reserves for colder seasons. Deer also forage on fruits and berries like wild grapes, blackberries, and persimmons, which offer sugars when ripe.
Seasonal Dietary Shifts
The diet of white-tailed deer in Virginia changes throughout the year, driven by plant availability. In spring, deer seek succulent new growth, including fresh forbs and tender shoots of trees and shrubs. This vegetation is rich in protein and supports the energy demands for fawn rearing and antler growth.
As summer progresses, their diet includes more forbs, ripe fruits, and accessible agricultural crops. In fall, deer rely on hard mast like acorns and hickory nuts to accumulate fat reserves for winter. During winter, when deciduous vegetation is dormant, they subsist on woody browse, evergreen foliage like honeysuckle, and any remaining mast.
Agricultural and Garden Consumption
Deer frequently venture into human-modified environments, finding readily available food in agricultural fields and home gardens. In agricultural settings, corn and soybeans are attractive crops, offering significant caloric and protein content. Alfalfa and clover fields also provide lush forage, especially during spring and summer.
In residential gardens, deer browse a wide array of plants. Ornamental plants like hostas, impatiens, and daylilies are often targeted. Various garden vegetables, including beans, peas, lettuce, and ripe tomatoes, are also consumed.
Harmful or Unsuitable Foods
While deer are adaptable, certain foods can be toxic or detrimental to their health, whether natural or human-provided. Common ornamental plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, and yews contain compounds poisonous to deer, which can cause severe illness or death. Some wild plants, such as bracken fern, can also be harmful.
Feeding wild deer human-provided foods like bread, pastries, or excessive corn can cause serious digestive issues. Deer have a specialized four-chambered stomach, not equipped to process highly processed or carbohydrate-rich human foods. This can disrupt their gut microbiome and lead to acidosis, a potentially fatal condition.
Even a single slice of bread can be harmful, and too much hard corn can cause indigestion. Pet food, high in protein and fats, can also cause digestive upset. Therefore, avoid feeding wild deer to prevent harm to their natural foraging behaviors and overall well-being.