Deer Habitat

1. Chestnuts - American or Chinese
2. Persimmons
3. Pears
4. Apples/Crabapple
5. Acorns

Deer prefer chestnuts over acorns because chestnuts are sweeter, lower in tannins, and easier to digest. Acorns, especially from white or red oaks, can be bitter and tougher to chew, while chestnuts are softer and higher in carbohydrates, providing more energy. This makes chestnuts a more palatable and energy-dense food source, especially in the fall when deer are building fat for winter.

Deer have a diverse diet, including fruits, nuts, leaves, shrubs, grasses, and even tree bark. As opportunistic feeders, they adapt to whatever is available throughout the seasons. To provide year-round nourishment for deer, explore our All-Season Bundles, featuring tree varieties with staggered drop times for consistent food sources all year long.