Deer are are herbivores, and deer consume a variety of foods, and prefer green plants in the Summer; acorns, fruits and nuts in the Fall. During the winter season the preferred food sources for deer become unavailable or scarce. That scarcity occurs just as deer need increased caloric intake to remain warm.
Though deer tend to pack on fat stores in the autumn in preparation for winter’s food scarcity and can significantly decrease their food intake (eating up to 40% less) during the months of November through March, they still need nutrition on a daily basis. The combination of caloric need and scarcity of preferred nutrition can drive deer to eat almost any plant-source in winter including bark, twigs, moss and evergreen foliage that they may not otherwise consume. Deer may also dig for grass and other roots under the snow. Important to farmers, deer may also eat winter grains such as wheat and rye, and other crops.
In addition to consuming unconventional food sources, winter conditions may drive deer to forage for food in areas, such as yards and landscaping close to occupied homes, that they would not visit in other circumstances. Deer may become bolder during the winter and show less fear of humans and human activity.
Deer being in closer proximity to humans and being more likely to destroy cultivated plants for their nutrition needs means that the winter season poses special problems for homeowners and farmers. In winter, protecting landscaping, crops and unique specimen trees that may be safe from deer damage in the summer becomes more important. Deer Repellent Packs are a product that works effectively to keep deer away regardless of the weather conditions. The packs are designed to physically stand-up to cold temperatures and wet conditions. The packs’ active ingredient (coyote urine) is an effective trigger of a deer’s natural fear of predators regardless of the season. Just as deer need nutrition the year around, so it is the case for their predators. Anytime deer are active, so are their predators and that means that deer are always on high alert to avoid areas that have the coyote’s scent.
The nutritional needs of deer change in the winter and so do their eating habits. The feeding patterns of deer in winter may be even more damaging to yards, trees and crops than it is during the warmer seasons. Keeping vigilant against deer encroachment in winter and using deer repellents specially design to withstand the harsh weather is the key to successful winter deer protection. 
