What do deer eat when acorns are gone?
Late-season deer shift to woody browse (twig tips of maple, oak, dogwood, greenbrier), standing crops where available, brassicas, winter-active food plots like brassica/cereal mixes, and any remaining soft mast. Browse is the staple — most January diet across the whitetail range is twigs.
Twig browse keeps deer alive but doesn't pull them. Standing crops (corn, beans) and food plots that produce into winter (brassicas, cereal grains, kale) are the late-season concentrators. South-facing slopes with brushy regrowth are reliable browse zones.
Hunting strategy in December and January: stand setups on the highest-quality remaining food source, with quiet entry/exit on a known trail. Pair with state late-season rut date pages and current mast reports for the food picture.