Wildlife on my property - Birds, Squirrels & Deer

Again, we just (3 months ago) bought a house & 5 acres waaay out in the country near the largest lake in our parish (county). I have lots of Hickory trees on our property. These trees produced thousands of Hickory nuts this year. (another story but all the nuts are rotten, so they arent eating those)
In addition to these hickory nuts, we have quite a number of squirrels & occasionally, deer pass through. I have bought bird seed/food/varieties, walnuts, unshelled whole peanuts & corn on the cob for the wild life... and occasionally, 3 pair of red birds & some finches will stop by for food but , we arent getting any of the other birds to take the food. We put out bird bath with water & they dont bath or drink from it that we see, although I am sure they do, since we just got our first rain other than a stray light shower since we have been here.
As for the squirrels & deer, the corn, peanut & walnuts havent been touched. I have put it on the ground & in squirrel feeders with no luck. I mean not even one kernel or peanut is missing.

Any idea's? Comments? Suggestions?

 

They love sunflower seeds and squirrels also like acorns.

 

That's funny, we try to discourage the squirrels from the feeders as much as possible since they will empty a feeder in no time.

You are competing with mother nature right now for food and water. As that diminishes they will come!

We only start feeding as the snow flies!

 

Maybe they don't like processed food. Try an organic brand.

 

Yes ma'am. The bird food we have does have sun flower seeds in it. Its a mix/variety. We had some other feed in there in which we had no luck either. I will try some sunflower seeds by itself.
We do have various oak trees which also produce abundant acorns of two varieties. The small round acorns & the medium size long acorns. I havent really noticed if they are eating the acorns or not but I'll check.

We have bird feeders & squirrel feeders. They arent eating from either one.
We have the squirrel feeders that have the glass jar on it & the one where you just stick an ear of corn on a screw.
I think its a possibility but, it seems like a variety of foods would be attractive to them. I do know they like corn & nuts. They chew into the hickory nuts but, again, they are rotten.

Nothing processed about the food I am giving them. Its just corn on the cob right out of the shuck. Peanuts are still in the hulls. Raw food. I really dont think squirrels or birds out here in the sticks are used to having organic foods out in the wild. Raw, natural foods are what they have always eaten. I could be wrong though...

 

Out here it's against the law to feed the wildlife with the exception of bird feeders. Something about keeping them wild and not becoming dependent on humans feeding them. Not to mention attracting unwanted critters. YMMV

 

We have way too many squirrels. Not only do they eat all our hickory nuts, this year they also picked our apple trees bare. To make matters worse my lawn is literally pockmarked with holes where the squirrels have buried their plunder.

I too feed birds only when the snow flies. I don't think it's necessary at any other time. The only exception is hummingbirds which we feed as long as they're around.

I put up another birdhouse yesterday afternoon. This morning this guy was perched atop the birdhouse, probably waiting for his breakfast to arrive.

 

Hmm, since Dixie lives in Louisiana, I don't think there's much chance of snow!

I know squirrels can be destructive, but they're also fun to watch, IMO. I don't mind them coming around, but then again, I'm an animal lover.

 

Squirrel = bushy tailed tree rats. IMO They are no fun to watch as they are digging up a lawn that you have tended all year.

 

And you have bird problems?

https://www.doityourself.com/forum/a...1&d=1508883569

 

Deer passing up corn?!?! As others have posted, there must be a ton of other things to eat. Deer around here will suck up corn like a Hoover. It's easy to go through 100# a week.

 

Tolyn, see what I'm sayin'? I cant figure out why nothing is eating the goodies I am putting out. Generally speaking, its not making sense.

I guess they are just not taking any chances with the new owners just yet.

This is a pic I got out there about a week ago.

 

Nice deer!

They will come around. Do you have any dogs/outdoor cats? Wildlife and dogs/cats tend to not mix well.

 

Oh yes, we have two dogs. One we just got. The big, bad, fierce, killer we have had for 8 years is pictured below....

This is my pride & joy right here. She is a miniature Schnauzer.


The neighbor does have a couple of bigger dogs & there is a neighborhood cat around.

 

Congrats, Dixie, on a new place with room! Can i ask, what part of LA are you? (Used to live in Shreveport, school in BR.)

In our experience the best way to attract deer is to spend a lot of time, effort, and money on a flower garden. :-) Maybe the scent of dog urine is keeping your deer away?

 

It all depends on the current food supply. If there is lots of natural food supply then they will stay away from people habitat. When the weather gets cold or snow begins to fall they will get food where ever it is.

 

I am in Monroe (actually West Monroe). About 100 miles east of Shreveport & 80 miles west of Vicksburg, Ms.

 

Be careful what you ask for. The deer in this photo are just two of many that visit our yard nearly every day. We have had as many as a dozen in the yard in the winter when we ground feed the birds. They can be very destructive. The pots/plants under this pear tree are probably $150 worth of impatiens and coleus. We semi tolerate them mostly because my wife finds them "so cute." Personally, I used to find them tasty but these guys are almost tame and my hunting days are way behind me.

You should be aware that many places have local laws about feeding some species of wildlife. Where I live it is deer and bears.

 

You're getting a ton of good advice/comments...I agree that right now Mother Nature is piling up lots and lots of foodstuffs for all the wild critters in preparation for winter...hold onto your feedstuffs until winter hits and food is more scarce and I bet you have a whole lot of takers.

 

I never intentionally feed the wildlife and they come around. More so now than the first few years I lived here. I have two outside dogs and that should stop the deer from coming too close but I think over time they realize there is no real danger. It's not uncommon to see deer near the oak or fruit trees .... and they think the garden is their own personal buffet

Giving them time to get used to you being around might be all it needs.

 

A visitor from yesterday AM. In the summer we sit out on the deck in the evening and listen to the pack yipping at the moon.

 

That's some wildlife that I do NOT want around my place...lol

Thanks for posting the pic, CW.