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Author Topic: Deer and Hedge Apples  (Read 446 times)

Offline bctgrad

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Deer and Hedge Apples
« on: February 05, 2011, 06:19:00 PM »
I've always heard that deer don't eat hedge apples, only squirrels do.  But on a hike today I found several that look like the one in the picture below.  The snow around them was churned up with deer tracks and they sure look like the deer were eating them.

Do deer normally eat hedge apples or does this have something to do with all the snow we have?

Brian

 

Offline Coonbait

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2011, 06:23:00 PM »
They sure eat the ones on my property! It seems that they have to be at the rotting stage before they touch them though. Maybe when other foods are gone they eat whats available, not sure.
GLENN

Offline SEMO_HUNTER

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2011, 06:28:00 PM »
I think your blue heeler did it while you weren't looking.

Seriously, I don't think the deer cull much this time of year and will eat whatever they can find to survive. Especially when there's a heavy snow on the ground like we have now, these are the times that nature culls the sick and the weak from the herd.

Animals eat some strange things that seem out of the norm when times are tough.
~Varitas Vos Liberabit~ John 8:32

Online Burnsie

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2011, 06:49:00 PM »
They eat them once they start getting soft and mushy.
"You can't get into a bar fight if you don't go to the bar" (Grandma was pretty wise)

Offline JamesJamison

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2011, 07:08:00 PM »
I agree, when nothing else is available, they won't pass them up.

Fox squirrels seem to love them anythime though.

Offline wingnut

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2011, 07:08:00 PM »
Yep they eat a bunch of them once they start breaking down.

Mike
Mike Westvang

Offline ksbowman

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2011, 07:12:00 PM »
Like Burnsie said when they get soft and mushy they also get sweeter. They always have a high sugar content, but when they start breaking down my cattle think they're candy. Bad part is cows  only have lower teeth and I had a bull choke to death on them. Horses and deer with both uppers and lowers can chew them up with no problem.
I would've taken better care of myself,if I'd known I was gonna live this long!

Offline John Scifres

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2011, 07:35:00 PM »
I've seen them eat them when they are fresh off the tree also.  I've also seen a video of a deer eating eggs and one where it was eating a chick. Deer are weird  :)
Take a kid hunting!

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Offline SEMO_HUNTER

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2011, 07:44:00 PM »
Yep, all animals defy "Weird" at some point, just when you thought you knew it all and had them all figured out. Something new comes along to leave you scratching your head once again.   :knothead:  

 
~Varitas Vos Liberabit~ John 8:32

Offline Stump73

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2011, 08:28:00 PM »
Had to take a second look, thought I was looking at a picture of my blue heeler. Very intelligent dogs
BigJim Thunderchild 54" 52# @ 28"
BigJim Thunderchild 56" 42# @ 28"

Offline bctgrad

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2011, 08:39:00 PM »
Thanks for all the replies, I knew the squirrels weren't doing all the damage that I saw.

Brian

Offline RLA

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2011, 08:52:00 PM »
They eat them around here when they get soft enough, they also seem  to like the seed pods off the honey locust tree alot! Good lookin Heeler.

Offline JAG

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2011, 01:20:00 AM »
You stole my wife's Heeler!
Late in the season have noticed deer foling with them.
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Offline ishoot4thrills

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Re: Deer and Hedge Apples
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2011, 06:17:00 AM »
Make a bow out of that there osage/hedge apple tree and shoot them deer with it next season. That'll show those deer!   :rolleyes:    :biglaugh:    :p
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