It has been a prolonged and bitter winter in most of Europe. How many of you feed the big game in your hunting areas and what do you feed? Do you find that it makes a big difference to winter survival?

In the UK, many highland estates feed deer (particularly stags) to keep them on their ground and help them through the winter. Down south, relatively few stalkers actually feed their deer. This season I have been stalking some ground in Kent where hay and silage is provided during the winter and despite the availability of wild grazing the fallow deer are heavily concentrated in the feeding areas.

The rules are different from country to country and here in The Fatherland also among the individual German States. We'd feed alot more but are legally restricted where our lease is located.

Now, take a Ski vacation to Austria and you will see "Deer Yards" (Feeding Stations) which are often adjacent to Ski Lifts. Yes, for sure a banquet will keep your winter Deer close-by and returning for a free feed.

In Norway we use carrots for deer and moose, the roe deer also love apples..

Winter feeding makes a huge difference in some areas.
Specially if the winter is long one year.

One thing I would do in England, specially in the southern half, is to grow clover in some smaller field or parts of fields dedicated for the deer and other wild life.
The best is to mow down the clover 2-4 times during the summer to optimize the quality and attraction of it.
The animals can then get decent to great quality food there all year.

This is the easiest and cheapest way to feed the deer all year.
Some types of brassicas can be great, but are more expensive and labor intensive.

If you are going to winter feed them by putting out silage, carrots, apples or other types of food, it is very important to spread out the food in different "piles" so all deer get access to it and not only the strong and dominant ones.