K
Kat
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This may be a stupid question, but when there is deep snow covering a cut corn field, will deer bother digging through it to feed, or will they just stay in the woods and browse? Thanks.
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JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
I'm sure the deer will dig through the snow. It must be a fairly protected corn field as most of the corn fields in my area blow clean in the middle with the snow drifting into the ditch and fences. Thus the deer won't have to dig so much to find the corn. In the timbers, the wind can't move the snow as well so the deer will come out of the timbers to feed in the corn. Granted they can still browse above the snow line in the timbers but the snow does hide some browse. Plus, corn seems to be a high energy food source to help in the cold, high benefit for less effort. I'll continue to hunt the corn fields.
Daver
PMA Member
Two things comes to mind...
Even when there is deep snow there is usually enough wind to make some spots bare, or not nearly as deep, so the deer can still access the corn, etc, in a given field.
With the snow piling up last night I saw deer up on their feet actively feeding at least three separate places on the way home from work last night. Two of those places were right in the ditches along the interstate. I could see them actually pawing the snow away to get to the grass/clover below.
Even when there is deep snow there is usually enough wind to make some spots bare, or not nearly as deep, so the deer can still access the corn, etc, in a given field.
With the snow piling up last night I saw deer up on their feet actively feeding at least three separate places on the way home from work last night. Two of those places were right in the ditches along the interstate. I could see them actually pawing the snow away to get to the grass/clover below.
BJohnson
Well-Known Member
Went for a brief one hr. sit this AM after the snow had stopped. Sat between a bottom with standing corn and a big bedding area on top. Only saw two fresh tracks from the bedding area to the bottom from sometime last nite after the snow had stopped. Sat from 7:00 (I could see my colors on my site at this time) to about 8:00 (I had to get to work) and did not see anything up on their feet
I will try this area again maybe tomorrow PM. The snow is deep at about 10-12 inches so I thought the standing corn would really be the ticket.
hillrunner
PMA Member
I have 4 acres of unpicked corn , it was an absolute deer magnet last night. Around 20 came in during shooting hours and many more overnight according to the tracks. The deer were all back in the trees by 1st light thismorning. I have also been seeing some real good movement in the evenings by an alfalfa field. Mature buck movement still seems to be very little during shooting hours.
K
Kat
Guest
It is pretty protected, it's inbetween two ridges and it also has two very tall (10 - 15') terraces running through it so most of it gets pretty deep snow. You can see the field in my avatar but here is a better picture from last year. I'm thinking I should stay back in the timber to be in bow range, but I'll see how many tracks I can find.
SaskGuy
Active Member
If the food underneath the snow is good stuff, they'll paw through it. We have about 18 inches of snow right now and they are pawing through it to get to the alfalfa, almost looks like mini mine fields they've been so dug up. Left out bales can be a jackpot too when the snow piles up, the ones left out around here won't be there for long b/c 50 deer can do serious damage to a 1500lb round bale.