Anybody else noticed deer feeding in..............

[Mark Christianson]

.....peoples yards?

OK, yes that is general. But in the last 2 weeks I have noticed something.

On at least 6 seperate occasions(actually more probably), I have been driving down roads and deer are in peoples yards chowing away.

The common denominator is these yards have all had oak trees.

OK, its not wierd that deer are there eating, but these deer are eating in yards, when they are coming out of adjacent woodlots that contain mainly oaks already. Why would they be in yards eating, when there are acorns all over the woods?

I have heard that if you fertilize around oaks(with tree spikes at least) that it can make the acorns more desirable.

I wonder if these acorns that the deer are feeding on, are more tasty because of lawn fertilizers being applied to the lawns.

Anyone else heard of fertilizers impacting the taste of acorns?

[Sarge]

Well its proven what ferts can do for fruits and veggies, I have no idea about nuts, but if nothing else it could improve yields. And lot of times you can find more mature oaks in private yards than adjoining parcels, that have been logged in the last seventy years, bigger trees=more acrons.

But take a look again, what else do you see in common with these situations? One theory I have for this happening can be said in one word GREEN. Whats the last thing green in the fall and the first thing green in the spring? alfa fields, waterways, food plots, and lawns. In lawns its not so much the grasses but the clovers and legumes just about every lawn has. Even down here in farm country, with all the corn and bean waste laying in the fields after picking, I see deer munching on the Green.

Turkeys can pattern the same but for slightly different reasons. I could be way off for what you are witnessing, but its pretty common many places year round.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm with you on this one sarge... nice post.. I think it has to do with a combination of acorns and greens...but more to do with the greens...

[Gissert]

Biglakeba$$-

Funny you mentioned that.

I have a neighbor who lives just up the hill from my place. Directly across the twp road from their house is the woods that I hunt in. This woods is primarily a mature oak woods, yet I have seen a doe with two fawns and a single doe in their yard quite often this fall, munching grass and acorns.

There is an alfalfa field about a third of a mile away that I have seen them in too.

[Mark Christianson]

Hey Gissert

The area I am talking about is mainly up in your neck of the woods too.

I should have mentioned that there is alfalfa nearby as well, hence the reason Dad and I were wondering what the deer found so interesting in the yards. Like I said, its been several occasions in the last couple weeks that the deer have been in these spots(actually the yards).

Good points Sarge. Maybe there is just something a bit more tender and to the deers liking in the yards. More so, than just acorns.

Maybe my next food plot is going to be sod! The heck with these high priced specialty food plot seeds.

[The Grebe]

My buddie has deer in his yard all the time, he lives out in Maple Grove. They come to eat up his garden and to eat the apples from his trees. He has counted 8 in his yard at one time. He sets up his trail Cam and gets pics of all kinds of stuff...had an 8 point buck in there last week.

That is just one property in a very large community, just think of all the deer that are close to the first and second ring suburbs and right in the city, for that matter!

Any area that has even a little habitat, usually has deer, Theodore Wirth, Crystal air port, Camden Park, Bassetts Park, anywhere there is a travelway, be it a railroad tracks, creek, river, chain of lakes, or what have you, deer will be there! They will eat anything that you grow for them, fruits, veggies, ornimentals, does'nt matter, they learn quick and eat hardily!

[bigbucks]

My sister & brother-in-law in Brooklyn Park have deer in their yard eating apples every night this time of year & they're on a corner completely surrounded by houses. The neighbors across the street from them have a 20 acre swamp behind them, which is where they come from.

My brother lives in Moundsview & sees them in his backyard or front yard occasionally. He does live close to some sort of refuge, but no apple trees & no oaks.

[Mark Christianson]

I can totally understand deer in yards around the metro.

I am talking specifically about deer in farm areas that I have seen doing this lately.

[The Grebe]

I live in Brooklyn Center and my boys went to BC high school. One day my middle son comes steaming into the house, red as a beet, covered in sweat and all out of breath...had this desperate look on his face, hair poking out in every direction! I thought the school bully was hot on his heels?

"Whats the matter?" says I. He told me that he was walking home from school (7th grade) and a great big dog started running after him....right on the Dupont bridge!

I started wondering, "Hummmmm?" Most dogs can out run most 7th graders if they are intent on doing so, but still it piqued my curiosity. I hopped in the truck and took a little drive, to see what I could see....you have probably already guess it, it was a big doe that some how got tangled up and wound up on Dupont avenue. Probably came up from the river? I spotted her in a back yard.

I supposed that my son looked back and seen the doe running toward him and thought it was a dog comming after him, when all it was doing was trying to get off the bridge, going in the same direction he was! He had seen lots of deer, but it did'nt dawn on him...one look and he started booking and never looked back!

The Yeti lost 2 pants sizes on that particular burst for home and had blood blisters on his knees from knocking together in the process!