Spring is the Key to Deer Nutrition

At the end of winter, as day length increases, the whitetail’s physiology and behavior change markedly. Deer become much more active in March, and, given the opportunity, increase food consumption.

The rise in activity is presumably associated with an increase in thyroid function and rising metabolism. This springtime increase in deer activity typically occurs before green-up. Thus, an increase in metabolic demand, in the face of low-quality forage and depletion of body fat, forces deer to spend more time foraging to meet their nutritional needs.

For this reason, a prolonged winter can devastate malnourished whitetails. For more insights on how deer are built to survive, check out our top-selling Whitetail Behavior DVD.

View More BlogsView More Dan Schmidt Deer Blog - Whitetail WisdomView More Deer BehaviorView More News