Beautyberries

[RifleBowPistol]

I think this is a myth. I have them all over the place and you can tell nothing touches them. Even while in the stand, never seen a deer so much nibble on one.

We have beauty berries all around our property and around our house. When the beauty berries, have leaves on them the deer will go to town on the leaves. We will be sitting on the deck and see a beauty berry bush swinging like crazy, most of the time you can't see the deer, because the beauty berries are so tall and dense, you will just see beauty berry limbs thrashing around, swinging back and forth. Every time, I am going what the heck is that. Then I have to get up and get a better look. eventually I will see some deer around where the beauty berry is swinging back and fourth. So far, I have not seen them eating the berries, just the leaves. Right now, the bushes are covered with berries, every morning and evening, there are deer in the patches of beauty berries. Like I said, you really can't see the deer, just the movement. Now if you walk over to where the deer are feeding, they will go busting out of the area, making a bunch of crashing noise and some times jumping over small clumps of brush, at that point you can actually see the deer.

Definitely on our place, when the beauty berries have leaves, I would say those are the deer's favorite green stuff to eat. That or my wife's rose bush leaves or her roses, those are probably tops, for the deer. They also love the Bermuda we planted.

[SabineHunter]

I think this is a myth. I have them all over the place and you can tell nothing touches them. Even while in the stand, never seen a deer so much nibble on one.

Squiggy, you have many, many oaks and acorns on your place. American beauty is a secondary preference for deer. I hunted a pine flat that was loaded with the stuff and I always saw deer at SHNF.

[Greenheadless]

They are classified as a second choice food for whitetail deer.

Over browsing of them and other 2nd choice food is an indication of too high of a population and/or extremely poor range conditions.

[RifleBowPistol]

They are classified as a second choice food for whitetail deer.

Over browsing of them and other 2nd choice food is an indication of too high of a population and/or extremely poor range conditions.

That is probably true, we don't have much grass, or good grasses, because of the sand. Where we are, it's mainly sand, grass burrs, post oaks, blackjack oaks, black hickory, yaupon. Then the beauty berry.

Once I get the tractor fixed and make a trail back up into the property, there are two areas I want to clear out and find something that will grow, I may have to haul in some soil. In many areas, it is nothing but pure sand, like you would find on coast.

[JES]

When we hunted in Leon County the state biologist told us the deer will put on up to 25% of their body weight eating American Beautyberry. They hammered them at our place, which was just outside Marquez.

[GarGuy]

When we hunted in Leon County the state biologist told us the deer will put on up to 25% of their body weight eating American Beautyberry. They hammered them at our place, which was just outside Marquez.

They will get stupid fat on them I. Sept and early Oct.

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

2nd only behind acorns from everything I have seen.

[Charrison]

My dad lives in the FL panhandle and just sent me a few jars of Homemade beauty berry jelly. It's pretty good!

[Greenheadless]

That is probably true, we don't have much grass, or good grasses, because of the sand. Where we are, it's mainly sand, grass burrs, post oaks, blackjack oaks, black hickory, yaupon. Then the beauty berry.

Once I get the tractor fixed and make a trail back up into the property, there are two areas I want to clear out and find something that will grow, I may have to haul in some soil. In many areas, it is nothing but pure sand, like you would find on coast.

Deer don't eat grass (they might eat the seed pods, but not grass like a cow). I would suggest getting with your county extension service and/or your local biologist to put a plan together if you want to get serious about improving your property for wildlife.

Also, clearing under oaks can actually harm them, so be careful doing so. Btw, yaupon is also a second choice food source for whitetail.

[HighwayHunter]

I think oaks are a first choice browse and things like beauty berry are second choice. Saying that deer eating second choice browse are overpopulated or in poor shape I’m not sure is entirely true. I think if second choice browse is absolutely destroyed and there are no acorns, that may be a problem. Deer will eat what’s available. If a deer beds in a berry thicket, I doubt they would leave the thicket without taking a few bites.


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[Man]

The deer in Nacogdoches eat them. You can walk down the trails and see them all nipped away till you get above deer height. Ive tried them, but they just taste "green" like the wild passion fruits and other non flavorable wild fruits/plants.

[Greenheadless]

I think oaks are a first choice browse and things like beauty berry are second choice. Saying that deer eating second choice browse are overpopulated or in poor shape I’m not sure is entirely true. I think if second choice browse is absolutely destroyed and there are no acorns, that may be a problem. Deer will eat what’s available. If a deer beds in a berry thicket, I doubt they would leave the thicket without taking a few bites.


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I am not sure I said intermittent browsing of second choice was a sign of over population or they were in poor shape. I stated that if second choice was over browsed, it is a sign of overpopulation and/or bad range conditions.

We do a browse survey every couple years as part of our program, and this input helps us in our population strategy and management plan.

[kfd82]

https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/09/beautyberry.html

Did you know they were eatable?

The Ranger at Lake Fairfield SP did an interactive class last year and we made American Beauty Berry Jelly. It was really good!

[BigOh!]

They eat the Heck out of them at our place in Colorado co..

[HighwayHunter]

I am not sure I said intermittent browsing of second choice was a sign of over population or they were in poor shape. I stated that if second choice was over browsed, it is a sign of overpopulation and/or bad range conditions.

We do a browse survey every couple years as part of our program, and this input helps us in our population strategy and management plan.

Would that have anything to do with bedding patterns though and be dependent upon when the survey was done?


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