Hickory nuts?

["KJ"]

Has anybody ever seen a deer eat hickory nuts? I've read many times that they will eat them often, but I've never seen any indication of it in the woods. And really I don't see how they could pop the things with just there mouths, but maybe they use there hooves some way to bust em.

[12 pointer]

naw, I don't think their teeth are that tough. And their hooves sure would not assit.

[hunteatsleep]

I have seen them eat them before, they hull them out and chomp on them like acorns, you can hear then chomp on them for a good distance, I have only witnessed this once in my 12 years of deer hunting

[bowhunter269]

I've heard they will eat them, but like you I've never seen it.

[Luckybuck]

I have read many articles that said they were an important part of deer's diet but I have never seen them eat the nuts, only leaves and bark getting salt from the tree...yes, hickory trees produce natural salt.

[Thunder Head]

I have never seen deer eat them.
I have seen wild hogs eat them. You can hear them cracking them from 50 yards. It freaked me out the first time.

[huntsalone]

i have seen this one time. and yes it is very noisy

[River Rat]

I have read many articles that said they were an important part of deer's diet but I have never seen them eat the nuts, only leaves and bark getting salt from the tree...yes, hickory trees produce natural salt.

Hope this is true our lease is loaded with hickory trees.