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Odd diet even for a deer

Popcorn

Popcorn

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On my way in to a meat hunt a few days ago I came across 2 doe in a big field of broom sedge. Both were feeding and were occupied with that. As I eased over to a tree to steady a long shot on i was looking to see what might be growing out there that they found desirable. I know its a tough year no doubt but I see nothing but broom sedge. I took my position and took my shot. When dressing the big doe out of mounting curiosity i opened her stomach to see what they were eating. Much to my surprise it was roughage, green roughage, looked again at the area and there were small shoots coming from the tufts of broom sedge and this doe had a belly full of it.
 
I have seen a lot of deer in it over the years but never seen them eating just traveling, brother shot a huge doe 1 year and it was full of poke berries, always thought they might be poisonous, reckon I am not going to eat none though
 
Popcorn said:
On my way in to a meat hunt a few days ago I came across 2 doe in a big field of broom sedge. Both were feeding and were occupied with that. As I eased over to a tree to steady a long shot on i was looking to see what might be growing out there that they found desirable. I know its a tough year no doubt but I see nothing but broom sedge. I took my position and took my shot. When dressing the big doe out of mounting curiosity i opened her stomach to see what they were eating. Much to my surprise it was roughage, green roughage, looked again at the area and there were small shoots coming from the tufts of broom sedge and this doe had a belly full of it.
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That's unusual. I've seen deer feeding in dead weed fields this fall. Don't know what bits they're eating, but it's something that is not very nutritious. And the deer look like that's what they're eating. Very undernourished.
 
mike243 said:
I have seen a lot of deer in it over the years but never seen them eating just traveling, brother shot a huge doe 1 year and it was full of poke berries, always thought they might be poisonous, reckon I am not going to eat none though
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My 81 yo father in law dries the berries and takes them like a supplement!! Looks to be about 10 a couple times a month. Says it purifies his blood. He still takes care of his 100 acre farm and buys and sells cattle all the time and helps keep book at the Carthage stock barn during sales
 
BSK said:
That's unusual. I've seen deer feeding in dead weed fields this fall. Don't know what bits they're eating, but it's something that is not very nutritious. And the deer look like that's what they're eating. Very undernourished.
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If we have a harsh January / February it's gonna be bad in drought areas. They will move into yards and start stripping bark. Protect your fruit trees
 
Popcorn said:
My 81 yo father in law dries the berries and takes them like a supplement!! Looks to be about 10 a couple times a month. Says it purifies his blood. He still takes care of his 100 acre farm and buys and sells cattle all the time and helps keep book at the Carthage stock barn during sales
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I've heard of people freezing and doing that. I've heard it drops BP?
 
Never seen them eating it before either. Did cut a stomach open the other day & expected see plot stuff but was full of green roughage that I couldn't identify. I drive about 5 miles on Natchez Trace between home & camp, the fields along it are full of deer grazing at all hours of day. Gonna be tough late winter.
 
Hardwoodmaterials said:
I shot a doe a few years ago and the angle of the shot busted her stomach. When I field dressed her I noticed something black and found an entire black garbage bag in her stomach.
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Could she be running drugs??? Or a reindeer stealing gifts?

Serious guess would be someone made an attractant/bait (that was really affective) and left the bag in the woods...
 
Son misread angle of shot today and busted gut. Got the deer ok.

He was hunting where he was because last week we found a patch of young red oaks under cedars with acorns heavy on the ground and obvious deer browsing on them in the area.

What a maze mess.
 

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