There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat, especially when it comes to common foods like fruit. One common question is: do deer eat pears?
Yes, deer love to eat pears throughout the year. Deer are attracted to pears because of their sweet taste and the nutrition they provide.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating pears can do some serious damage!
Why Do Deer Eat Pears?
As we covered, deer will eat as many pears as possible when they’ve got the chance, including the pear tree leaves, buds, and flowers.
But why do they do this?
Deer like sweet foods and plants that are well-watered and fertilized, and pears check every box.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large number of pear trees 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 pears contain carbohydrates, water, sugar, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that newer pears are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like pears based on opportunity.
They hang off trees and drop to the ground when ripe, so they’re easy for deer to access.
In fact, pears are increasing in popularity for hunters who want a deer food plot but don’t have access to farming equipment.
This is because pear trees are relatively easy to grow and attract deer so well.
If you’re not convinced, leave some pears out or plant some, and wait to see what happens!
What Kinds Of Pears Do Deer Eat?
We’ll have homeowners ask: do deer eat bradford pears or another specific type they have on their property.
The short answer is, yes, deer will eat all types of pears including bradford pears, asian pears, callery pears, pineapple pears, prickly pears, and wild pears.
How Do You Keep Deer From Eating Pears?
Some farmers and hunters encourage deer to browse their pears as part of food plots or other attractants.
If you’re in the other camp and want to protect your pears from deer, we’ve got some great options for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting pears 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 Pears Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, pear trees are pretty hardy, so you should be able to restore them if they’re eaten or damaged by deer.
If they happen to eat a lot of the leaves that surround the spurs, you can leave those alone and the spurs will usually recover.
If they’ve fully stripped a branch or damaged a branch, you can prune it completely or prune it at the point just above the damage and it should bounce back.
Are Pears Good For Deer?
Pears are sweet and a great source of carbohydrates and fiber, so they attract deer easily.
In addition to being a great source of protein, deer eating pears provide them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Magnesium
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.
Deer need calcium for bone, teeth, and antler growth and health as well as other bodily functions like milk production and metabolism.
Magnesium is great for antler growth, increasing body weight, and has immune system benefits for deer.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Pears For Deer
Calcium is fat-soluble, so it can be stored in the deer’s fat and liver to be used later as needed.
This means that calcium content from deer-eating pears can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins In Pears For Deer
Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means it cannot be stored, so it must be replaced continually.
So a deer that eats pears for the vitamin C content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
How To Feed Deer Pears
Most people asking if deer like pears are concerned with keeping deer away from their pear trees.
If you are trying to feed deer pears in your backyard and attract them, then this next section of our guide is for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer pears: the size of the portion, your scent, and how many deer you’re feeding.
Make sure to place the pears on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.
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 Cut Pears For Deer To Eat?
Chances are that it’s not worth it for you to cut pears for deer.
You could leave your scent on them, plus the deer’s teeth are designed to be able to eat food that’s best for them.
Pears are generally pretty soft as well.
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 pears 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 pears and also washing your hands with antimicrobial soap.
Alternatively, you can put a few drops of apple cider vinegar on your hands when handling the food you’ll be giving to the deer.
Another easy option is to use gloves when handling pears 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 the chronic wasting disease or other communicable diseases from each other.
Do Deer Eat Pears? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat pears?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat pears and pear trees whenever they can, including the fruit, flowers, blossoms, buds, leaves, and sometimes even the branches.
You can attract deer to your backyard by leaving pears out for them, being sure to not leave your scent on them.
Alternatively, there are many options you have when it comes to keeping deer away from your pear trees which we’ve outlined above in this guide.
Have any observations to add to the discussion? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Check our our other helpful deer guides while you’re here:
