How deer survive in the winter ❄️

 That's a very common experience in Pennsylvania—you're definitely not alone after that unfortunate run-in! It actually ties directly into what they eat.

It sounds like you saw them engaging in browsing and pawing, which are key winter survival behaviors for White-tailed Deer.

When the snow is on the ground, deer have a completely different diet than in the summer. They switch almost entirely to woody browse and rely on digging for fallen energy-rich foods.

Here is a breakdown of what deer find to eat in the snow and how they get it:

❄️ The Winter Survival Menu for PA Deer

1. Woody Browse (Twigs and Buds)

This is the most important part of a deer's winter diet in the big woods. Deer are "browsers," meaning they eat the leaves, twigs, and buds of trees and shrubs.

 * What they eat: They strip the ends of branches that are within their reach. Common and preferred browse species in PA include:

   * Maple (especially young saplings)

   * Oak (they'll eat the twigs, but prefer the acorns)

   * Sumac

   * Dogwood

   * Pine and Hemlock: These evergreen species serve as a crucial "survival" or "starvation" food when their preferred foods are scarce, and they often provide shelter in "deer yards" (dense conifer stands).

 * Why it works: Their four-chambered stomach is specially adapted to digest this tough, fibrous woody material, extracting what little energy it can.

2. Buried Energy Sources (Digging/Pawing)

Deer will use their hooves to paw through shallow snow to uncover things that fell to the ground in the fall.

 * Acorns and Mast: The high-calorie acorns and beechnuts (hard mast) are a huge energy boost. As long as the snow isn't too deep and icy, they will dig to find these.

 * Fallen Fruit: Apples and other fruits from late-bearing trees that may be partially frozen or hidden under the leaf litter.

 * Residual Crops: If fields border the woods, they will search for leftover agricultural products like standing corn or soybeans.

3. Greenery in Warm Spots

Even in the winter, some patches of green can survive, especially in certain areas.

 * Grasses and Forbs: If a patch of ground is cleared by wind, or in an area that gets a lot of sun, they may graze on dormant grasses or weeds.

 * Winter Food Plots: In areas managed for hunting, high-sugar crops like brassicas (turnips, radishes, kale) are planted. These plants actually get sweeter after a frost, making them highly palatable for the deer.

🦌 Winter Strategy: Energy Conservation

It’s important to remember that during winter, deer don't just find new food; they also slow down their metabolism (by up to 50%) and voluntarily restrict their food intake.

They enter the winter with a large layer of fat reserves (sometimes up to 30% of their body weight) built up during the abundant fall, and their main goal is to conserve this fat until spring. The snow you saw them in makes movement difficult, forcing them to burn energy, which is why they hunker down and limit their activity during severe weather.

Do you have any more questions about Pennsylvania's wildlife, or perhaps the safety tips for driving around deer, especially during those peak winter months?