Acorns, forbs and woody browse in wildlife habitat
As the leaves turn and colder weather moves in, food availability begins to shift dramatically for Ohio’s whitetail deer. Fall and winter are the most demanding seasons for deer survival, and the way a timber stand is managed can make the difference between strong body condition and nutritional stress.
Designing wildlife habitat with the seasonal diet of deer in mind — especially during fall and winter — requires a blend of forbs, mast (like acorns), and woody browse. These three forage categories support whitetail deer as they prepare for and endure the most nutritionally challenging time of year.
Fall: Acorns and energy before the cold sets in
In the fall, deer focus heavily on high-energy foods to build fat reserves for the winter and fuel the rut. This is when hard mast, particularly acorns from oak trees, plays a vital role.
White oaks produce sweeter acorns that deer prefer, but they drop earlier and spoil quickly.
Red oaks drop later and provide food well into late fall, often overlapping with early winter.
To maximize mast production:
Identify and favor productive oak trees in timber stand improvement (TSI) work.
Remove low-value or competing trees to improve light and nutrients for mast-bearing species.
Maintain a mix of white and red oak species to stagger food availability through the fall.
Acorns are not a reliable annual food source — they fluctuate year to year — so fall habitat design should also prepare for mast failure by ensuring alternative forage.
Late fall and early winter: Residual forbs and transition forage
Though often associated with spring and summer, forbs — broadleaf herbaceous plants like goldenrod, ragweed, and clover — continue to provide value into late fall.
Some cold-hardy forbs remain palatable well into the early part of winter.
Residual growth from earlier in the year may still be available in open areas or forest edges.
Maintaining these plants requires:
Periodic sunlight exposure through thinning or patch clearcuts.
Limited competition from grasses, which often outcompete forbs in unmanaged areas.
Minimal disturbance during their active growth seasons.
While forbs diminish as temperatures drop, they provide a critical dietary bridge between mast and woody browse.
Winter: Woody browse becomes the lifeline
By mid-winter, when mast is gone and forbs have died back or been buried in snow, deer turn to woody browse — the buds, twigs, and young stems of shrubs and saplings.
This is often the most overlooked but essential food source in winter habitat design.
To ensure browse availability:
Encourage natural regeneration of desirable species like maple, sumac, sassafras, dogwood, and viburnum.
Use hinge cutting to bring fresh growth down to deer height (below 6 feet).
Create or maintain thicket-style bedding areas, which provide both cover and accessible food.
Protect young regeneration from over-browsing by managing deer density and rotating disturbance areas.
Winter browse doesn’t match the nutrition of summer forage or fall acorns—but it keeps deer alive when nothing else is left.
Conclusion: Wildlife habitat that works through the cold months
Fall and winter present serious nutritional challenges for Ohio’s whitetail deer. Mast may boom or fail, snow may cover the ground for weeks, and the quality of winter browse determines body condition entering spring.
A well-managed forest can meet these seasonal needs by:
Producing acorns in fall
Retaining late-season forbs where possible
Supplying abundant woody browse throughout winter
Habitat that feeds deer after the hunting season ends helps ensure the next season starts strong—with healthier does, larger fawns, and better antler development in the months ahead.
- Minimum: 10 wooded acres or 50 mature trees.