There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat peanuts?
Yes, deer love to eat peanuts and peanut plants. Deer like eating because of the taste and nutritional value they provide.
There’s a bit more to learn about deer eating peanuts which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.
Why Do Deer Eat Peanuts?
As we covered, deer will eat peanuts when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Well, for one, deer are browsing animals, meaning they’ll eat almost anything they come across if they’re hungry enough.
They love leafy greens that are well-watered and fertilized, which makes peanut plants a prime target for deer.
Your peanuts are most susceptible to deer when there are fewer other food choices around for them, and especially when the plants are young and the plants are tender.
Deer will eat the nuts, leaves, stems, and blossoms of peanut plants whenever they can.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like peanuts based on opportunity.
Check out this deer eating all the peanuts they can right in someone’s backyard:
If you’re not convinced, leave some peanuts out for deer to eat (or plant some), and wait to see what happens!
Are Peanuts Deer Resistant?
No, peanuts are not deer resistant at all.
Deer are attracted to peanuts because of the leafy greens, taste, and nutrients they provide.
Deer will pass up other favorite foods like corn to get to peanuts!
Do Deer Eat Peanut Plants?
Deer love eating leafy greens like peanut leaves and peanut blossoms from peanut plants.
They’ll even eat the peanut itself once they’ve chowed down on everything above ground!
Do Deer Eat Peanuts In The Shell?
Yes, deer will eat peanuts shelled or unshelled, they simply don’t care.
Deer just love the taste of peanuts and will eat them any way they can.
Planting Peanuts For Deer Food Plots
Many hunters plant peanuts in their food plots with a lot of success.
Ideally the deer in your area will already be used to having peanuts in their diet.
If not, hold off on introducing new foods like peanuts because they can interrupt their normal food search patterns and make them completely reliant on the beets as their new winter food source.
When Do Deer Start Eating Peanuts?
Deer will start eating peanuts as early as they germinate, but usually start hitting peanuts much harder between fall and early winter.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Peanuts?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting peanuts 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 My Peanuts Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
So a hungry deer snuck in your garden and had a feast on your peanuts. Will they grow back?
Peanuts are perennials, meaning that they’ll grow back each year.
Unless a deer rips the entire plant out of the ground, your peanuts should grow back with time and regular care.
Are Peanuts Good For Deer To Eat?
Peanuts contain highly digestible fiber, water, and a good bit of fat and protein, so they attract deer easily.
Feeding deer peanuts and peanut greens provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin E
- Folate
- Manganese
- Phosphorous
- Magnesium
- Thiamine
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
Magnesium is great for antler growth, increasing body weight, and has immune system benefits for deer.
Manganese assists deer in growth, respiration, and reproduction.
Phosphorus also aids deer in body and antler growth.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins 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 vitamin E content from deer eating peanuts can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins 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 peanuts for the potassium content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
Can I Feed Peanuts To Deer?
Feeding deer foods like peanuts occasionally is fine, as it is viewed as a treat and the deer will really enjoy it!
Feeding wild deer peanuts regularly poses a few problems, however.
Here’s why you shouldn’t feed peanuts to deer often.
Deer Need To Rely On Nature For Food
If you feed deer continuously, they may start relying on that food source, which will cause them to stop foraging in nature for foods that they need to survive.
Natural Foods Are Naturally Better For Deer
Feeding deer foods like peanuts can alter their diet significantly, depending on what you’re feeding them, increasing the chance of malnourishment.
Deer Should Have A Healthy Fear Of Humans
Second, it reduces a deer’s natural fear of humans, which can shorten their lifespan or put them in danger.
You May Attract Other (Unwanted) Wildlife
Putting extra food out for deer can also attract predators like coyotes, wolves, or mountain lions to the area, which put the deer (and potentially you) at risk.
You Can Increase The Transmission Of Diseases
If you have lots of deer in your area, think twice about putting out food continuously for them.
If you bring deer together at the same feeding site, it can increase their risk of contracting chronic wasting disease or other communicable diseases from each other.
How To Feed Peanuts To Deer
Most gardeners and veggie growers want to keep deer away from their peanuts.
If you have extra peanuts or are looking to see if you can feed peanuts to deer in your backyard, this next part is for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer peanuts: the size of the portion and your scent.
Make sure to place the peanuts on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.
If you’ve got a winter food plot with peanuts growing in it, the deer will eat them right out of the ground.
If deer are not normally around your area in winter, don’t feed them leading up to winter as they will not migrate where and when they should.
This will lead to the deer relying on you as their food source and can result in starvation.
Should I Remove Shells From Peanuts For Deer To Eat?
Deer are used to eating hard nuts with shells, so peanuts are no problem for them even with the shell on.
Don’t Leave Your Scent On Deer Food
Deer have a keen sense of smell that allows them to smell human scent farther than bloodhounds can, and can smell up to six different scents at once.
Deer won’t eat food like peanuts if they have a strong human scent on them, so you should take care to minimize your trace.
You can do this by rinsing the peanuts and also washing your hands with antimicrobial soap.
Alternatively, you can put a few drops of apple cider vinegar on your hands when handling food you’ll be giving to the deer.
Another easy option is to use gloves when handling peanuts for deer to eat.
Consider The Amount Of Deer You’re Feeding
If you have lots of deer in your area, think twice about putting out food continuously for them.
If you bring deer together at the same feeding site, it can increase their risk of contracting chronic wasting disease or other communicable diseases from each other.
Do Deer Eat Peanuts? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat peanuts?
The answer is yes!
Deer absolutely love peanuts and will eat as many peanuts and peanut greens as possible whenever they get the chance.
Deer will eat all varieties of peanuts.
Fortunately there are many methods you can use and combine to keep deer away from your peanuts if you need to.
Try a few and see what works best for you.
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:
