Because of the necessity to offer a lot of cut browse for fawns in rehabilitation, it is important to be especially mindful of the toxicity warnings around browse—especially regarding cyanide poisoning and maple toxicity—but potentially others as well. Sugar maple browse is ranked as a highly preferred food by deer, and if you search the database listing of this site you will see it listed as such. But there are serious toxicity risks associated with sugar maple browse, so beware. Read more HERE about maple toxicity.
The first table is for browse preference. When I use the term “browse” I am referring to the small twigs, branches, in some cases even bark of a shrub or tree, along with any green leaves buds or flowers that are still attached.
The second table is for “greens preference” in which I am referring to non-woody parts of plants— the leaves, stems and all above-ground parts of the plant.
Tables for Nuts/Seeds and Fruits preferred by deer are also included.
Popularity rating:
Highest 5 Star= Favorite food!
4-Star= Preferred
3-Star= Eaten
2 Star= Eats Somewhat
Lowest 1 Star= Nibbles or Survival Food of Last Resort
Browse
| White-Tailed Deer Browse Preferences | Genus, Species | Popularity | Is there a Toxicological Caution for this Food? |
| maple, sugar | Acer saccharum | Favorite | YES |
| pawpaw | Asimina triloba | Favorite | |
| dogwood, flowering | Cornus florida | Favorite | |
| dogwood | Cornus spp. | Favorite | |
| persimmon, common | Diospyros virginiana | Favorite | |
| teaberry, eastern (wintergreen) | Gaultheria procumbens | Favorite | |
| willow, black | Salix nigra | Favorite | |
| blueberry, lowbush | Vaccinium angustifolium | Favorite | |
| blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | Favorite | |
| maple, red | Acer rubrum | Favorite | YES |
| maple | Acer spp. | Favorite | YES |
| birch, yellow | Betula alleghaniensis | Favorite | |
| hackberry, common | Celtis occidentalis | Favorite | |
| hackberry | Celtis spp. | Favorite | |
| sweet fern | Comptonia peregrina | Favorite | |
| dogwood, alternate-leaf | Cornus alternifolia | Favorite | |
| hawthorn | Crataegus spp. | Favorite | YES |
| ash | Fraxinus spp. | Favorite | YES |
| holly | Ilex spp. | Favorite | YES |
| yaupon | Ilex vomitoria | Favorite | YES |
| honeysuckle, Japanese | Lonicera japonica | Favorite | |
| sweet bay | Magnolia virginiana | Favorite | |
| oak, Shumard’s | Quercus shumardii | Favorite | YES |
| oak | Quercus spp. | Favorite | YES |
| sassafras | Sassafras albidum | Favorite | |
| rose | Rosa spp. | Preferred | |
| snowberry | Symphoricarpos spp. | Preferred | |
| witch hazel, American | Hamamelis virginiana | Preferred | |
| spruce | Picea spp. | Preferred | |
| hemlock | Tsuga spp. | Preferred | |
| locust, black | Robinia pseudoacacia | Eaten | YES |
| fir, balsam | Abies balsamea | Eaten | |
| fir, Fraser | Abies fraseri | Eaten | |
| fir | Abies spp. | Eaten | |
| maple, box elder | Acer negundo | Eaten | YES |
| maple, striped | Acer pensylvanicum | Eaten | YES |
| maple, mountain | Acer spicatum | Eaten | YES |
| alder, speckled | Alnus incana | Eaten | |
| alder | Alnus spp. | Eaten | |
| serviceberry | Amelanchier spp. | Eaten | YES |
| sarsparilla, wild | Aralia nudicaulis | Eaten | YES |
| devil’s walkingstick | Aralia spinosa | Eaten | YES |
| spikenard | Aralia spp. | Eaten | YES |
| birch, river | Betula nigra | Eaten | |
| birch, paper (white birch) | Betula papyrifera | Eaten | |
| birch, gray | Betula populifolia | Eaten | |
| birch | Betula spp. | Eaten | |
| beautyberry | Callicarpa americana | Eaten | |
| hornbeam, American | Carpinus caroliniana | Eaten | |
| hickory, pignut | Carya glabra | Eaten | |
| pecan | Carya illinoinensis | Eaten | |
| hickory | Carya spp. | Eaten | |
| hickory, mockernut | Carya alba | Eaten | |
| chinquapin, Allegheny | Castanea pumila | Eaten | |
| chestnut spp. | Castanea spp. | Eaten | |
| New Jersey Tea | Ceanothus americanus | Eaten | |
| buttonbush | Cephalanthus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| redbud, eastern | Cercis canadensis | Eaten | |
| leatherleaf | Chamaedaphne calyculata | Eaten | |
| bunchberry | Cornus canadensis | Eaten | |
| dogwood, gray | Cornus racemosa | Eaten | |
| dogwood, red-osier | Cornus sericea | Eaten | |
| hazelnut, American | Corylus americana | Eaten | |
| hazelnut, beaked | Corylus cornuta | Eaten | |
| olive | Elaeagnus spp. | Eaten | |
| olive, autumn | Elaeagnus umbellata | Eaten | |
| beech, American | Fagus grandifolia | Eaten | |
| ash, white | Fraxinus americana | Eaten | YES |
| ash, black | Fraxinus nigra | Eaten | YES |
| ash, green | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Eaten | YES |
| huckleberry, blue | Gaylussacia frondosa | Eaten | |
| huckleberry | Gaylussacia spp. | Eaten | |
| honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos | Eaten | |
| possumhaw | Ilex decidua | Eaten | YES |
| inkberry | Ilex glabra | Eaten | YES |
| mountainlaurel | Kalmia latifolia | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, Bell’s | Lonicera bella | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, Amur | Lonicera maackii | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, Morrow’s | Lonicera morrowii | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, bush | Lonicera spp. | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, tatarian | Lonicera tatarica | Eaten | |
| magnolia | Magnolia spp. | Eaten | |
| bayberry | Morella spp. | Eaten | |
| mulberry, red | Morus rubra | Eaten | |
| gum | Nyssa spp. | Eaten | |
| gum, black (black tupelo) | Nyssa sylvatica | Eaten | |
| sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | Eaten | |
| spruce, white | Picea glauca | Eaten | |
| spruce, black | Picea mariana | Eaten | |
| pine, jack | Pinus banksiana | Eaten | YES |
| pine, red | Pinus resinosa | Eaten | YES |
| pine, pitch | Pinus rigida | Eaten | YES |
| pine | Pinus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| pine, white eastern | Pinus strobus | Eaten | YES |
| pine, Virginia | Pinus virginiana | Eaten | YES |
| cottonwood, eastern | Populus deltoides | Eaten | |
| aspen | Populus spp. | Eaten | |
| aspen, quaking | Populus tremuloides | Eaten | |
| oak, white | Quercus alba | Eaten | YES |
| oak, bear | Quercus ilicifolia | Eaten | YES |
| oak, northern red | Quercus rubra | Eaten | YES |
| buckthorn, common | Rhamnus cathartica | Eaten | YES |
| buckthorn | Rhamnus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| laurel, great | Rhododendron maximum | Eaten | YES |
| sumac, fragrant | Rhus aromatica | Eaten | YES |
| sumac, winged | Rhus copallinum | Eaten | YES |
| sumac, smooth | Rhus glabra | Eaten | YES |
| sumac | Rhus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| sumac, staghorn | Rhus typhina | Eaten | YES |
| currant, prickly | Ribes lacustre | Eaten | |
| currant | Ribes spp. | Eaten | |
| blackberry, Himalayan | Rubus armeniacus | Eaten | |
| blackberry, thornless | Rubus canadensis | Eaten | |
| blackberry | Rubus spp. | Eaten | |
| willow, pussy | Salix discolor | Eaten | |
| willow | Salix spp. | Eaten | |
| elder, red | Sambucus racemosa | Eaten | YES |
| elderberry, American black | Sambucus nigra | Eaten | YES |
| greenbrier, saw | Smilax bona-nox | Eaten | |
| greenbrier, roundleaf | Smilax rotundifolia | Eaten | |
| greenbrier | Smilax spp. | Eaten | |
| mountain ash, American | Sorbus americana | Eaten | YES |
| mountain ash | Sorbus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| snowberry, common | Symphoricarpos albus | Eaten | |
| white-cedar, northern (arborvitae) | Thuja occidentalis | Eaten | |
| basswood, American | Tilia americana | Eaten | |
| poison ivy, eastern | Toxicodendron radicans | Eaten | YES |
| hemlock, eastern | Tsuga canadensis | Eaten | |
| elm, american | Ulmus americana | Eaten | |
| elm, slippery | Ulmus rubra | Eaten | |
| elm | Ulmus spp. | Eaten | |
| farkleberry | Vaccinium arboreum | Eaten | |
| blueberry, velvetleaf | Vaccinium myrtilloides | Eaten | |
| blueberry, Blue Ridge | Vaccinium pallidum | Eaten | |
| viburnum, mapleleaf | Viburnum acerifolium | Eaten | |
| viburnum | Viburnum spp. | Eaten | |
| grape | Vitis spp. | Eaten | YES |
| birch, sweet | Betula lenta | Eaten | |
| gum, water | Nyssa aquatica | Eaten | |
| aspen, bigtooth | Populus grandidentata | Eaten | |
| elm, winged | Ulmus alata | Eaten | |
| chokeberry | Aronia spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| chestnut, American | Castanea dentata | Eaten Somewhat | |
| partridge pea | Chamaecrista fasciculata | Eaten Somewhat | |
| tuliptree | Liriodendron tupilfera | Eaten Somewhat | |
| hophornbeam, eastern | Ostrya virginiana | Eaten Somewhat | |
| bittersweet | Celastrus spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| sugarberry | Celtis laevigata | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| hazelnut | Corylus spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| huckleberry, black | Gaylussacia baccata | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| gallberry, large | Ilex coriacea | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| holly, American | Ilex opaca | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| walnut, black | Juglans nigra | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| juniper, common | Juniperus communis | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| juniper | Juniperus spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| redcedar, eastern | Juniperus virginiana | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| tamarack | Larix laricina | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| larch | Larix spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| thistle, Russian | Salsola kali | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| elderberry | Sambucus spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| buffaloberry | Shepheria canadensis | Nibbled/ Survival Food | |
| squashberry | Viburnum edule | Nibbled/ Survival Food |
Greens
| White-Tailed Deer Greens Preferences | Genus, Species | Popularity | Is there a Toxicological Caution for this Food? |
| honeysuckle, bush | Lonicera spp. | Favorite | |
| pokeweed | Phytolacca americana | Favorite | YES |
| raspberry, red | Rubus idaeus | Favorite | |
| wineberry | Rubus phoenincolasius | Favorite | |
| blackberry | Rubus spp. | Favorite | |
| greenbrier | Smilax spp. | Favorite | |
| dandelion, common | Taraxacum officinale | Favorite | |
| poison ivy, eastern | Toxicodendron radicans | Favorite | YES |
| clover | Trifolium spp. | Favorite | YES |
| pinwheel | Lechea spp. | Favorite | |
| lespedeza, sericea | Lespedeza cuneata | Favorite | |
| hemlock, eastern | Tsuga canadensis | Favorite | |
| clover, Korean | Lespedeza stipulacea | Preferred | |
| pine | Pinus spp. | Preferred | YES |
| wintergreen | Pyrola spp. | Preferred | |
| bluestem | Andropogon spp. | Eaten | YES |
| broom sedge | Andropogon virginicus | Eaten | YES |
| aster | Aster spp. | Eaten | |
| sedge | Carex spp. | Eaten | |
| woodfern | Dryopteris spp. | Eaten | |
| rye | Secale cereale | Eaten | YES |
| corn | Zea mays | Eaten | YES |
| baneberry, red | Actaea rubra | Eaten | YES |
| brome, fringed | Bromus ciliatus | Eaten | YES |
| brome, smooth | Bromus inermis | Eaten | YES |
| brome | Bromus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| bittersweet, Oriental | Celatrus orbiculatus | Eaten | YES |
| bindweed, field | Convolvulus arvensis | Eaten | YES |
| orchardgrass | Dactylis glomerata | Eaten | YES |
| wheatgrass | Elymus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| cottongrass | Eriophorum spp. | Eaten | |
| cottongrass, Tussock | Eriophorum vaginatum | Eaten | |
| fescue, red | Schedonorus rubra | Eaten | YES |
| fescue | Schedonorus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| cranesbill, Bicknell’s | Geranium bicknelii | Eaten | |
| geranium, wild (cranesbill) | Geranium spp. | Eaten | |
| sunflower, Maximilian | Helianthus maximiliani | Eaten | YES |
| cowparsnip, common | Heracleum maximum | Eaten | YES |
| hawkweed, orange | Hieracium aurantiacum | Eaten | |
| hawkweed | Hieracium spp. | Eaten | |
| St. Johns wort, common | Hypericum perforatum | Eaten | YES |
| lespedeza, shrub | Lespedeza bicolor | Eaten | |
| lespedeza | Lespedeza spp. | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, Bell’s | Lonicera bella | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, Amur | Lonicera maackii | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, Morrow’s | Lonicera morrowii | Eaten | |
| honeysuckle, tatarian | Lonicera tatarica | Eaten | |
| lupine, sundial | Lupinus perennis | Eaten | YES |
| lupine | Lupinus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| maidencane | Panicum hemitomom | Eaten | YES |
| panicgrass | Panicum spp. | Eaten | YES |
| bluegrass, bulbous | Poa bulbosa | Eaten | |
| bluegrass | Poa spp. | Eaten | YES |
| knotweed, Japanese | Polygonum cuspidatum | Eaten | YES |
| knotweed, giant | Polygonum sachalinense | Eaten | YES |
| knotweed (smartweed) | Polygonum spp. | Eaten | YES |
| cottonwood, eastern | Populus deltoides | Eaten | |
| aspen (poplar) | Populus spp. | Eaten | |
| oak, northern red | Quercus rubra | Eaten | YES |
| rose, multiflora | Rosa multiflora | Eaten | |
| blackberry, evergreen | Rubus laciniatus | Eaten | |
| goldenrod, Canada | Solidago canadensis | Eaten | YES |
| goldenrod | Solidago spp. | Eaten | YES |
| hemlock, Carolina | Tsuga caroliniana | Eaten | |
| hemlock | Tsuga spp. | Eaten | |
| cattail | Tyhpa spp. | Eaten | YES |
| cattail, broadleaf | Typha latifolia | Eaten | YES |
| mullein, common | Verbascum thapsus | Eaten | |
| panicgrass | Panicum spp. | Eaten | YES |
| switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | Eaten | YES |
| cordgrass | Spartina spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| ragweed, common | Ambrosia artemisiifolia | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
| ragweed | Ambrosia spp. | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
| tick-trefoil | Desmodium spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| strawberry | Fragaria spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| wild lettuce | Lactuca spp. | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
| ricegrass | Oryzopsis asperifolia | Eaten Somewhat | |
| plantain | Plantago spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| dropseed grass | Sporobolus spp. | Eaten Somewhat | |
| wheat | Triticum spp. | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
| cowpea (southern bean) | Vigna unguiculata | Eaten Somewhat | |
| sunflower | Helianthus spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| bermudagrass | Cynodon dactylon | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| timothy | Phleum pratense | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
Nuts and Seeds
| White-Tailed Deer Nut and Seed Preferences | Genus, Species | Popularity | Is there a Toxicological Caution for this Food? |
| oak, willow | Quercus phellos | Favorite | YES |
| oak | Quercus spp. | Favorite | YES |
| hickory, mockernut | Carya alba | Preferred | |
| oak, white | Quercus alba | Preferred | YES |
| pine | Pinus spp. | Preferred | YES |
| corn | Zea mays | Eaten | |
| hickory | Carya spp. | Eaten | |
| chinquapin, Allegheny | Castanea pumila | Eaten | |
| castanea spp. | Castanea spp. | Eaten | |
| hazelnut, American | Corylus americana | Eaten | |
| hazelnut | Corylus spp. | Eaten | |
| witch hazel, American | Hamamelis virginiana | Eaten | |
| oak, swamp chestnut | Quercus michauxii | Eaten | YES |
| oak, swamp white | Quercus bicolor | Eaten | YES |
| oak, scarlet | Quercus coccinea | Eaten | YES |
| oak, southern red | Quercus falcata | Eaten | YES |
| oak, bluejack | Quercus incana | Eaten | YES |
| oak, turkey | Quercus laevis | Eaten | YES |
| oak, overcup | Quercus lyrata | Eaten | YES |
| oak, chinkapin | Quercus muehlenbergii | Eaten | YES |
| oak, pin | Quercus palustris | Eaten | YES |
| oak, chestnut | Quercus prinus | Eaten | YES |
| oak, northern red | Quercus rubra | Eaten | YES |
| oak, Shumard’s | Quercus shumardii | Eaten | YES |
| oak,post | Quercus stellata | Eaten | YES |
| oak, black | Quercus velutina | Eaten | YES |
| oak, southern live | Quercus virginiana | Eaten | YES |
| thistle | Carduus spp. | Eaten | |
| redbud, eastern | Cercis canadensis | Eaten | |
| thistle, Canada | Cirsium arvense | Eaten | |
| thistle | Cirsium spp. | Eaten | |
| honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos | Eaten | |
| beech, American | Fagus grandifolia | Eaten | |
| three-awn | Aristida spp. | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
| Oriental lady’s thumb | Polygonum cespitosum | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| knotweed (smartweed) | Polygonum spp. | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
| buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | Nibbled/ Survival Food | YES |
Fruits
| White-Tailed Deer Fruit Preferences | Genus, Species | Popularity | Is there a Toxicological Caution for this Food? |
| crabapple/ apple | Malus spp. | Favorite | YES |
| pokeweed | Phytolacca americana | Favorite | YES |
| raspberry, red | Rubus idaeus | Favorite | |
| wineberry | Rubus phoenincolasius | Favorite | |
| blackberry | Rubus spp. | Favorite | |
| grape | Vitis spp. | Favorite | YES |
| wintergreen | Pyrola spp. | Preferred | |
| barberry | Berberis spp. | Eaten | |
| dogwood, flowering | Cornus florida | Eaten | |
| dogwood, gray | Cornus racemosa | Eaten | |
| dogwood | Cornus spp. | Eaten | |
| persimmon, common | Diospyros virginiana | Eaten | YES |
| olive, russian | Elaeagnus angustifolia | Eaten | |
| olive | Elaeagnus spp. | Eaten | |
| holly, Carolina | Ilex ambigua | Eaten | YES |
| possumhaw | Ilex decidua | Eaten | YES |
| holly, American | Ilex opaca | Eaten | YES |
| holly | Ilex spp. | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, Bell’s | Lonicera bella | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, Amur | Lonicera maackii | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, Morrow’s | Lonicera morrowii | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, bush | Lonicera spp. | Eaten | YES |
| honeysuckle, tatarian | Lonicera tatarica | Eaten | YES |
| devil’s tongue | Opuntia humifusa | Eaten | YES |
| pricklypear | Opuntia spp. | Eaten | YES |
| Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| sumac, fragrant | Rhus aromatica | Eaten | YES |
| sumac | Rhus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| rose, multiflora | Rosa multiflora | Eaten | |
| rose | Rosa spp. | Eaten | |
| palmetto, cabbage | Sabal palmetto | Eaten | |
| palmetto | Sabal spp. | Eaten | |
| elderberry | Sambucus spp. | Eaten | YES |
| elderberry, American black | Sambucus nigra | Eaten | YES |
| palmetto, saw | Serenoa repens | Eaten | |
| nightshade, climbing | Solanum dulcamara | Eaten | YES |
| nightshade | Solanum spp. | Eaten | YES |
| poison ivy, eastern | Toxicodendron radicans | Eaten | YES |
| blueberry, lowbush | Vaccinium angustifolium | Eaten | |
| blueberry, velvetleaf | Vaccinium myrtilloides | Eaten | |
| blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | Eaten | |
| viburnum, mapleleaf | Viburnum acerifolium | Eaten | |
| viburnum | Viburnum spp. | Eaten | |
| hawthorn | Crataegus spp. | Eaten Somewhat | YES |
END
