Hunters and non-hunters alike often ask, “What do whitetail deer eat?” Well, whitetail deer are herbivores, just like cows. Whitetails have a four part stomach which allows them to eat a wide range of food types. During the spring and summer months whitetails will eat green plants, soy beans, oats, clover and just about any other green leafed plant the farmer plants.
As the seasons change, the whitetails primary food sources change. When the green leafed plants fade to brown, whitetails change patterns and will feed on acorns, nuts, berries, corn, and persimmons. These foods allow whitetails to begin to pack on the pounds that will help them gain the weight necessary to make it through the harsh winter. When winter hits, most of the mast crops have been eating by whitetails and every other forest creature. Again the whitetails feeding choices and patterns change. During the winter months whitetails will begin to feed on buds, twigs, cypress tress bark and other ever green plants.