| | They are a browsing species, capable of eating a huge variety of grasses and leaves and other vegetative matter, which they digest in their four-chambered ruminant stomach. Deer like to eat acorns, berry brambles, yew, sweet ground covers and scores of other plants; if necessary they will also eat poison ivy, twigs or tree bark. | | They are a browsing species, capable of eating a huge variety of grasses and leaves and other vegetative matter, which they digest in their four-chambered ruminant stomach. Deer like to eat acorns, berry brambles, yew, sweet ground covers and scores of other plants; if necessary they will also eat poison ivy, twigs or tree bark. |
| − | In spring and summer they feed on green leaves, herbs, weeds and grasses more than on browse species. The reverse is true in fall and winter. Deer are browsers and eat a great variety of vegetable matter, including fresh green leaves, twigs, lower branches of trees, and various grasses. They are particularly fond of [[blackberry]] and [[raspberry]] vines, [[grapes]], [[eggplant]], [[mistletoe]], [[mushroom]]s, and [[fern]]s. They eat so carefully they can even consume the fruit of [[cactus]]. | + | In spring and summer they feed on green leaves, herbs, weeds and grasses more than on browse species. The reverse is true in fall and winter. Deer are browsers and eat a great variety of vegetable matter, including fresh green leaves, twigs, lower branches of trees, and various grasses. They are particularly fond of [[blackberry]] and [[raspberry]] vines, [[grapes]], [[eggplant]], [[mistletoe]], [[mushroom]]s, and [[fern]]s. They eat so carefully they can even consume the fruit of [[cactus]]. |