There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat oats?
The answer is yes – deer love to eat oats year-round. Deer are attracted to oats because they’re highly digestible, highly nutritious, and tasty to them.
In fact, oats are one of the most highly-ranked forage foods for deer.
Considering that a single deer can eat several pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating oats can really do some serious damage to your crop!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your oats, and keep your field healthy and beautiful all season long.
Why Do Deer Eat Oats?
As we covered, deer will eat as much oats as possible when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Deer like plants that are well-watered and fertilized, and oats checks every box.
Oats also contains a lot of digestible fiber which attracts deer
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of oats in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
Crops like oats contain water, sugar, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that your newer oats fields are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like oats based on opportunity.
In fact, people specifically choose to grow oats for food plots to attract deer.
If you’re not convinced, leave some oats out or plant some, and wait to see what happens!
What Kind Of Oats Will Deer Eat?
There’s plenty of speculation if deer will only eat oats right from the field, or if deer will eat whole oats, dried oats, or rolled oats.
Deer will eat any type of oats available to them, even Quaker Oats!
Give it a try and see for yourself by leaving some oats out for deer in your area.
When Do Deer Eat Oats?
Deer eat the most oats during late fall and winter during the colder months, and also like eating oats in the early growing phase, about two months following oat germination.
If you’re looking to plant oats for a deer food plot, the best time to plant them is early to mid-September, giving them enough growing time before the colder months hit.
Using Oats On Deer Food Plots
You can plant oats purposely to attract deer as part of a food plot and will almost certainly see success in this strategy!
Ideally the deer in your area will already be used to having oats in their diet.
If not, hold off on introducing a high-protein food like oats hay because it can interrupt their normal food search patterns and make them completely reliant on that oats hay as their new winter food source.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Oats?
Most folks investigating whether deer eat oats are trying to find ways attract them.
If you’re in the other camp and want to protect your oats from deer, we’ve got some great options for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting oats 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 Oats Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, oats will regrow stems out of the crown after being initially eaten by deer.
After they reach full length of about a foot tall you’ll have trouble regrowing it without seeding again.
If deer happen to munch down your oats, continue regular care of your plants including watering and fertilizer as necessary until they’re back to good health.
Are Oats Good For Deer To Eat?
Most grasses and hay are not good for deer because they’re not very digestible, but oats are an exception!
Oats are highly digestible for deer, and are an excellent source of protein and fiber.
Feeding deer oats provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Iron
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.
A 2007 study showed that zinc can assist in growing larger antler sizes in white-tailed deer.
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 A content from deer eating oats 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 oats for the potassium content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
Do Deer Eat Oats? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat oats?
The answer is yes, whenever they can!
Deer will eat all the oats they can get, especially during late fall and winter when the oats are the most tender.
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: