There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat hickory nuts?
Deer rarely eat hickory nuts, but will eat them if they need to. While hickory nuts are not a major part of their diet, they provide vitamins which are critical to deer’s survival.
There’s a bit more to learn about deer eating hickory nuts which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.
Why Do Deer Eat Hickory Nuts?
As we covered, deer will not eat hickory nuts as their first choice, but will do it if there are no other easy sources of food around.
Why is this?
Well, for one, hickory nuts have a hard shell that can be tough for deer to crack, so deer are more likely to eat the buds or stems on a hickory tree rather than the nuts.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like hickory nuts based on opportunity.
Hickory nuts fall on the ground and are easy to get to, so deer will eat them as a last resort if it’s a matter of survival.
If you’re not convinced, leave some hickory nuts out for deer to eat (or plant some), and wait to see what happens!
Do Deer Like Hickory Nuts?
Deer are not particularly fond of hickory nuts, but will eat them if necessary.
This is usually because it’s a matter of survival and other food resources are scarce around fall and winter.
This is likely due to hickory nuts having a hard shell that can be tough for deer to crack.
Pig nut hickory trees produce nuts with the thinnest shells, so those are the type of hickory nuts that deer prefer the most.
We wouldn’t suggest specifically growing hickory trees to attract deer, but if you already have them they won’t be a deterrent.
Are Hickory Nuts Good For Deer?
When deer consume hickory nuts it provides them with a high amount of protein along with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Folate
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Magnesium
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
Deer need calcium for bone, teeth, and antler growth and health as well as other bodily functions like milk production and metabolism.
Potassium is great for deer because it helps maintain good pH balance and aid in proper digestion.
Magnesium is great for antler growth, increasing body weight, and has immune system benefits for deer.
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 A content from deer eating hickory nuts 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 hickory nuts for the potassium content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
How Do Deer Eat Hickory Nuts?
There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer hickory nuts: the size of the portion, your scent, and how many deer you’re feeding.
Make sure to place the hickory nuts on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.
If you’ve got a hickory tree, the nuts will naturally fall on the ground and the deer will go after them, usually after all other food resources have been depleted.
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 Shell Hickory Nuts For Deer To Eat?
Chances are that it’s not worth it for you to spend time specifically shelling hickory nuts for deer.
You could leave your scent on them, plus the deer’s teeth are designed to be able to eat food (or crack shells open) for food that’s best for them.
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 hickory nuts 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 hickory nuts 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 foods 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.
Can Deer Eat Hickory Nuts? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat hickory nuts?
The answer is no.
Deer will eat hickory nuts if they’re available, and they can actually benefit from the vitamins and minerals found in them.
You’ll typically only ever see a deer eating hickory nuts if it’s a matter of survival for the deer.
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:
