There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat rice?
The answer is yes – deer love to eat rice year-round. Deer are attracted to rice because it’s packed with energy they need and is usually easy for them to access. You need to exercise caution when feeding deer rice due to the high amount of carbohydrates in this food.
Considering that a single deer can eat several pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating rice can really do some serious damage to your crop!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your rice along with the benefits of using rice to attract deer.
Why Do Deer Eat Rice?
As we covered, deer will eat as much rice as possible when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Deer like plants that contain nutrients they need and are accessible nearly year-round, and rice checks every box.
Rice is also naturally sweet, and deer love sweet foods.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of rice plants in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Riceell University.
Crops like rice contain carbs, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that your newer rice fields are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like rice based on opportunity.
In fact, people specifically choose to grow rice for food plots to attract deer.
If you’re not convinced, leave some rice seeds out or plant some, and wait to see what happens!
Can Deer Eat Rice?
So while deer definitely do eat rice, can or should they?
The short answer is yes they can, but in moderation.
The long answer is a little complex, but we’ll break it down.
Deer are ruminants, meaning that they have four stomach compartments.
One of these is the rumen, which acquires nutrients quickly from plant-based foods by fermenting it before it is digested.
Rice is packed with energy in the form of carbohydrates at a higher concentration than most foods that deer can access.
Deer eating too much rice can “overload” the deer’s system with glucose (or energy), which is the product that comes from both carbs and fiber in rice.
Additionally, rice absorbs water, so if a deer eats too much rice in a drought situation or where there are not accessible water sources, it can dehydrate the deer.
What’s The Best Type Of Rice To Feed Deer?
If you’re looking to attract deer for hunting season or for animal watching, rice bran is the best type of rice for deer.
Deer much prefer rice bran over whole rice or rice meal.
You can simply spread the rice bran out on the ground or keep it in a covered feeder to keep it dry.
Be advised that rice bran will mold or rot easily once it gets wet, so get as much cover as you can.
When Do Deer Eat Rice?
The time of year when deer will hit rice really depends on which part of the country you’re in.
The more nutritional stress deer are under, the more likely they are to eat rice.
In the deep South, you’ll usually see deer eating rice starting in early winter, around November and December.
In the Midwest and northern climates, deer will start eating rice in mid to late October and in the months beyond.
Planting Rice For Deer Food Plots
You can plant rice 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 some rice in their diet.
If not, hold off on introducing a high-carb food like rice because it can interrupt their normal food search patterns and make them completely reliant on the rice you’re planting as their new winter food source.
What Kind Of Rice Do Deer Eat?
Although a deer’s favorite rice is rice bran, they’ll eat almost any kind, including wild rice, field rice, whole rice, and cooked rice.
Feeding Deer Rice Bran
If you’re looking to attract deer to your property during winter, feeding deer rice bran is a great option.
Just spread it out or put it in a feeder that has cover from weather so it doesn’t get wet, and you’re ready to go!
You’ll find that feeding deer rice bran will work extremely well in areas that are low in phosphorous, because the high phosphorous levels of rice bran will attract them.
Do Deer Eat Cooked Rice?
Deer will eat nearly anything if they’re hungry enough, so deer will eat cooked rice.
It’s not as good for them as rice bran or field rice, so don’t feed cooked rice to deer often.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Rice?
Most folks investigating whether deer like rice are trying to find ways to attract them.
If you’re in the other camp and want to protect your rice crops from deer, we’ve got some great options for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting rice 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 Rice Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
As long as the growing point of the rice is not damaged, your rice will continue to grow.
Rice grows just like grass does after being mowed down, so if the deer make a buffet out of your rice field, don’t sweat it.
Your rice will grow back in time after usual tending and care.
Is Rice Good For Deer?
Rice is good for deer in small quantities because of the high level of energy it provides them, so you don’t want to overfeed deer with rice.
Feeding deer rice provides them with critical macronutrients like protein and plenty of carbohydrates, plus some much-needed digestible fiber.
Rice also provides deer with the following vitamins and minerals:
- B Vitamins
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Iron
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
A 2007 study showed that zinc can assist in growing larger antler sizes in white-tailed deer.
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
Zinc can be fat-soluble, so it can be stored in the deer’s fat and liver to be used later as needed.
This means that zinc content from deer eating rice 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 rice for the potassium content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
Not to mention, rice contains 1g of protein and 1g of carbs from fiber, all which are beneficial to deer.
Do Deer Eat Rice? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat rice?
The answer is yes, whenever they can, but ideally in moderation.
Too much rice can be harmful for deer.
Deer will eat all the rice they can get, especially during spring when they’re hungry during winter.
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:
