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Deer and Corn

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
What do you guy's make of this?

A deer's digestive system is a very finely tuned physiological process. Just the right combination of microorganisms, enzymes and PH enables a deer to digest on normal winter diet of woody vegetation. when offered a sudden supply of corn a deer's digestive system doesn't have time to adjust to high carbohydrate diet, the results can be acute acidosis followed by death within 72 hours they can appear normal and well fed. its just they cannot digest corn, within 6 hours corn alters the environment in the rumen. it turns the rumen acidic and destroys the microbes needs for normal digestion. not all deer die immediately from acidosis. its affects very with age and health of the deer individual. some may simply slow down, get clumsy, and become easy prey to speeding traffic and hungry coyotes. it takes a deer two to four weeks of feeding on a new food source to establish population of microbes necessary to digest the new food. it can happen in just a few days during a snowstorm and healthy individuals might survive in short term often succumb to complications weeks later.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
We'd see alot more of it if it was a legitimite concern. Has anyone one of us witnessed it?

I've read about it before, etc.. Just never found facts to back it up
 

Diablo54

Senior Member
7,082
126
Outside
Just like deer getting diseases from eating from the same pile. That's bs. All animals lick each other especially deer.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I've been feeding deer for years and have tracked multiple deer through 2-3-4 seasons. Deer that ate seemingly nothing but shell corn from November into March. I'm yet to see any sign that a deer has died or been effected by my feeding.

The only way I could see this happening is in an area where deer have no access to corn. If a deer stumbled on to 100 pounds of shell corn and gorged itself for a few days, I can imagine it would have some effect. However deer in farm country are simply not dying from eating corn.
 

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
I thinks it's more likely a problem in places like the mountains of PA or WV if all of a sudden a deer eats a bunch of corn when they hadn't been eating anything like it, especially in winter.
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
The only way I could see this happening is in an area where deer have no access to corn. If a deer stumbled on to 100 pounds of shell corn and gorged itself for a few days, I can imagine it would have some effect. However deer in farm country are simply not dying from eating corn.

This was my thought too.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Nice to see coonskinner writing In complete and coherent sentences for once
 

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
Yeah, I would say that it could happen on a rare occasion. Like Sam said, areas such as Pa. And WV. Where corn isn't apart of their daily diet it might occur. A fellow told me several years ago that he was hunting a thicket, and happened across a very large buck on its side and appeared that it couldn't get up. He shot it and field dressed it. The bucks stomach was packed full of corn. I told him " what are you complaining about"! Lol. This is the only case that I've heard.
 

jlane

Junior Member
523
0
dunn nc
yep, corn will kill deer, i pour it out, big buck comes in to eat, a stick comes from my bow ,passes thru, deer dies, i,m a happy happy camper. so it,s confirmed deer dies because of corn (lol)
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,629
234
Licking Co. Ohio
yep, corn will kill deer, i pour it out, big buck comes in to eat, a stick comes from my bow ,passes thru, deer dies, i,m a happy happy camper. so it,s confirmed deer dies because of corn (lol)

I was thinking the same thing reading through the posts. Plenty die around here because of corn. They don't live long enough to digest it.....