There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat morel mushrooms?
Yes, deer love to eat morel mushrooms. While morel mushrooms 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 morel mushrooms which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.
Why Do Deer Eat Morel Mushrooms?
As we covered, deer will eat morel mushrooms when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Well, for one, deer love the taste of morel mushrooms. Their nutty taste are exactly what deer are looking for.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like morel mushrooms based on opportunity.
Morel mushrooms grow at the edge of forests where deer feel safe, so they’re easy for them to get to.
They’re also more resistant against disease and insects, which deer prefer.
If you’re not convinced, leave some morel mushrooms out for deer to eat (or attempt to grow some), and wait to see what happens!
Are Morel Mushrooms Good For Deer?
Feeding deer morel mushrooms provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Calcium
- Iron
Deer need calcium for bone, teeth, and antler growth and health as well as other bodily functions like milk production and metabolism.
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 calcium content from deer eating morel mushrooms can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
How To Feed Deer Morel Mushrooms
There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer morel mushrooms: the size of the portion, your scent, and how many deer you’re feeding.
Make sure to place the morel mushrooms on the ground where it’s visible and can be easily reached by deer.
If you’ve got a winter food plot with morel mushrooms 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 Cut Up Morel Mushrooms For Deer To Eat?
If possible, cube pieces into 1″ or 2″ chunks to make it easier for the deer to eat morel mushrooms.
Morel Mushrooms are high in fiber which can be tough on deer to digest in large quantities.
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 morel mushrooms 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 morel mushrooms 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 morel mushrooms 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 Morel Mushrooms? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat morel mushrooms?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat morel mushrooms if they’re available, and they can actually benefit from the vitamins and minerals found in these peels.
Just be sure to take care with your scent, the size of the portion, and how many deer you’re feeding when placing morel mushrooms out for them.
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:
