Deer eating mountain laurel

[Yotehntr]

So my buddy killed a nice buck in an area with a lot of laurel. After dressing it, we opened up the stomach contents, to see what he was eating and found some browse and a good amount of laurel. Some of leaves were still intact enough to identify. I always thought deer ignored laurel as a food source, any thoughts?

[DXT]

I’ve always known mnt laurel as “starvation food”, a last resort when needed.

[Yotehntr]

I was always under the same impression. I actually couldn’t believe it at first, since I never really came across that much sign of it being browsed. No acorns left, in the areas we’ve been hunting, so manymaybe not much to eat.

[wardy]

Horrible acorn year in my hunting area. Last years crop was unreal. Reds are often biennial

[Yotehntr]

Update on post - did more research and looks like it’s tea berry, that they’re eating. Leaves look a lot like laurel

[Yotehntr]

Here’s pic

[DXT]

Update on post - did more research and looks like it’s tea berry, that they’re eating. Leaves look a lot like laurel

That makes sense, I wish they would eat that damm laurel,LOL it’s impenetrable in certain areas.Good job figuring that out Matt, very good to know what they are eating when there are no nuts.

[LouieM]

I remembered this post today while field dressing and I checked the stomach of the buck and looked like the same leaves. I noticed the tea berry around too before we shot him and pointed out to my wife and referenced this post. Not the best pic but it was mostly leaves

[Yotehntr]

That’s interesting. Something to keep a look out for, when the acorns are scarce.

[DXT]

It also looks like that deer was eating moss and lichen.