There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat, especially when it comes to common flowers and plants. One common question is: do deer eat blueberries?
The answer is yes – deer love to eat blueberries throughout the year. Deer are attracted to blueberries because of their sweet taste and nutrition they provide.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating blueberry bushes can really do some serious damage to these plants!
Why Do Deer Eat Blueberries?
As we covered, deer will eat every part of blueberry bushes (berries, shoots, leaves, flowers, and stems) whenever they can.
But why do they do this?
Deer like sweet foods and plants that are well-watered and fertilized, and blueberries check every box.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of blueberry plants in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
Plants like Blueberries contain water, sugar, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that newer blueberry bushes are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender and the thorns aren’t as hard.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like blueberries based on opportunity.
They’re planted in the ground and grow easily in many areas, so they’re easy for deer to access.
In fact, blueberry bushes are increasing in popularity for hunters who want a deer food plot but don’t have access to farming equipment.
This is because blueberries are relatively easy to grow and attract deer so well.
Check out this video of a deer eating blueberries right out of someone’s garden:
If you’re not convinced, leave some blueberries out or plant some, and wait to see what happens!
What Kinds Of Blueberries Do Deer Eat?
We’ll have homeowners ask: do deer eat blueberry plants, blueberry bushes, or another specific type they have on their property.
The short answer is, yes, deer will eat all types of blueberries including highbush, lowbush, hybrid half-high, and rabbiteye blueberries.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Blueberries?
Some farmers and hunters encourage deer to browse their blueberry bushes as part of food plots or other attractants.
If you’re in the other camp and want to protect your blueberries from deer, we’ve got some great options for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting blueberries from hungry deer: their habits, your scent, repellent options, and when you plant them.
Deer will eat nearly anything if they’re hungry enough, so your main goal is making your garden as least inviting to deer as possible.
Check out our guide on how to keep deer from eating plants where we cover 25 quick and easy tips for keeping hungry deer out of your garden.
Will Blueberries Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, blueberries are rather hardy, since each year new shoots come out from the crown near the base of the plant.
These shoots grow fast the first few years of the plant’s life, then they’ll start to bring fruit.
Each year the new shoots will bear fruit, and branches will come off of them.
If a deer attacks your blueberry bush, just wait it out – the blueberry bush will keep new shoots coming.
Continue to water and fertilize the blueberry bush until it’s back to good health.
Are Blueberries Good For Deer?
Blueberries contain highly digestible fiber and a good bit of carbs, so it attracts deer easily.
In addition to being a great source of energy, deer eating blueberries provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamins A, C, and K
- Manganese
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
For example, vitamin C will help protect deer against scurvy and vitamin assists in deer immune system function.
Manganese assists deer in growth, respiration, and reproduction.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Blueberries For Deer
Vitamins A, D, E, K, and calcium are fat-soluble, so they can be stored in the deer’s fat and liver to be used later as needed.
This means that calcium content from deer eating blueberries can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins In Blueberries For Deer
Vitamin C, B Vitamins, niacin, folic acid, and potassium are all water-soluble, which means they cannot be stored, so they must be replaced continually.
So a deer that eats blueberries for the vitamin C content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
Do Deer Eat Blueberries? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat blueberries?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat blueberries whenever they can, especially when the plants are young because the plants and shoots are very tender.
Once a blueberry bush is mature, deer will still eat the berries and leaves from them ravenously.
Have any observations to add to the discussion? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here:
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here:
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