[DEJ]

The Acorn is THE preferred deer food in the Eastern US. Where Oak trees are abundant, and acorns crops are heavy, the deer will be there. Given a choice between traveling great distances between bedding/security cover and feeding areas, or simply hanging out in a secure area with all the food you could eat, there's little reason for the deer to put themselves in potential danger by going elsewhere for food that is not quite as tasty, full of fats and starch, and so easily obtainable. In years of heavy acorn crops, deer may never even venture into that apple orchard - opting to hang tight on ridge tops and deep within deciduous forests feeding on acorns.

The acorn is low in protein content, but very high in fats and carbohydrates. They are easily digestible, their nutrients are readily absorbed, and they are processed and passed through the body quickly. Because these little nuts are so easily digestible, deer eat lots of them per day, which also gets them the protein content they need to be healthy. On a bumper year, deer can gain a lot of weight in just two weeks, while fawns and yearlings gain muscle, mass and bone while foraging on acorns. By late October, the deer has a thick slab of fat underneath the coat, and along the inside of the paunch.