Deer Feed Calculator
Deer herd supplemental feed by day, month, and bags.
What it does
Winter herds gather where food runs. Supplemental feeding can carry local deer through hard months, but amounts, rules, and disease risk all need weighing first.
The tool above multiplies deer by rate by days. Eight deer at a normal 2.5 lb each need 20 lb a day, or 600 lb over a month in 12 bags. The metric match is 9.1 kg a day toward 272 kg.
Pressure sets the rate. Light fall feeding runs 1.5 lb, normal winter 2.5 lb, and hard cold with deep snow 3.5 lb, all as supplement to browse, never the whole diet.
Corn alone misleads. Straight corn lacks protein and minerals and risks acidosis when deer gorge, so mixed rations and steady schedules beat dump piles.
Rules gate everything. Many states ban baiting and feeding in disease zones, with fines past the feed bill, so check the agency before filling.
How to use
- Pick imperial (lb) or metric (kg).
- Enter deer count.
- Pick pressure: normal suits the default.
- Enter days: 30 suits monthly buys.
- Read daily first, then monthly.
- Read bags and check local rules.
Formula
- deer
- Deer visiting feed.
- season
- Light, normal, or hard season.
- days
- Days to cover.
Rates are light 1.5, normal 2.5, hard 3.5 lb per deer daily. Metric converts at 0.453592 kg per lb with the same bag count.
Worked example
Example: 8 deer, 30 days
Imperial defaults: 8 deer, normal feed, 30 days. These are also the default values, so the page opens on this answer.
- Herd: 8 deer, normal pressure.
- Rate: 2.5 lb per deer per day.
- Daily: 8 x 2.5 = 20 lb.
- Month: 20 x 30 = 600 lb over 30 days.
- Bags: 600 / 50 = 12 bags.
- Tool shows 20 lb per day, 600 lb, 12 bags (50 lb).
Reference table
| Herd | Daily | 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 lb | 300 lb |
| 8 | 20 lb | 600 lb |
| 12 | 30 lb | 900 lb |
| 8 metric | 9.1 kg | 272 kg |
Limits
- Supplement math only. Browse carries herds.
- Bans override any plan.
- Disease zones need agency rules.
- Corn heavy diets risk acidosis.
Common mistakes
- Feeding where banned.
- Corn only with no ration plan.
- Irregular dumps that gorge herds.
- Feeders that mold in rain.
- Ignoring CWD zone rules.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
4 deer normal, 30 days?
4 x 2.5 = 10 lb per day. Over 30 days that is 300 lb. Bags are 300 / 50 = 6 bags.
12 deer hard winter, 14 days?
12 x 3.5 = 42 lb per day. Over 14 days that is 588 lb in 12 bags.
Questions
Feed for a month?
Multiply deer by rate by days. Here 8 x 2.5 x 30 = 600 lb.
How much per deer?
Light 1.5 lb, normal 2.5 lb, hard winter 3.5 lb per deer daily of supplemental feed.
How many bags?
Divide monthly by 50. Here 600 / 50 = 12 bags.
Corn only?
Supplemental only in this plan. Browse and mast carry wild herds; corn alone unbalances diets.
Legal everywhere?
Yes. Check local baiting and feeding bans first, since many states restrict both.
CWD areas included?
No. Disease zones need agency rules, not feeder math.