Brownville's Food Pantry For Deer

09/07/2026

Good Morning Everyone!
Just like that, summer is winding down and we are 100 days away from Deer Pantry Season 18! We hope you’ve all had an awesome off-season so far.
It’s been another very dry summer across Maine, and we’re currently in a moderate drought. Apples have started falling, and the acorns won’t be far behind. We’ll be out collecting them with our “Bag-a-Nut” over the next few weeks and hope to hit our 1,000-pound goal.
A lot of people ask how we keep the acorns fresh all winter. We store them in burlap bags and kiln-dry them at a local firewood processor. The low moisture content prevents mold and keeps them fresh and crunchy until spring.
The food plots have been reseeded with clover, ryegrass, and forage r**e. Even with limited rain they’ve been thickening up nicely and should be a welcome treat for the deer.
A buck has been hanging around most of the summer, and we’ve noticed more deer activity in the last couple of weeks — unusual this early. The mallard family we’ve been watching has spread their wings and learned to fly, and the young turkeys are getting hard to tell from the adults. It’s always fun watching how quickly the different species change.
Activity is starting to slow, and with the first frost approaching many species will be heading south. In the coming weeks we’ll be building all-new troughs, taking down many dead trees, and improving the roadside viewing area.
Maine hunting season is right around the corner, so please refrain from posting pictures of current deer visiting the pantry to limit their exposure until the season ends on December 5th. Photos of past-season deer are always welcome — we love seeing them!
Thank you to everyone on the fan page for keeping the countdown going and sharing wildlife photos. If you’re not a member yet, please join the awesome community that has fun all year long @
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1cRyBpNZvm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
We’re looking forward to the deer returning and oats hitting the troughs on December 16th. It’ll be here before you know it!
Thank you all for your continued support. Have a good one, stay safe.

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07/05/2026

We hope everyone had a good one and stayed safe this Fourth of July!

06/14/2026

Good Afternoon Everyone!
What an awesome “jump day”! 🦆 Seven ducklings successfully hatched and followed Mama into the great unknown. Witnessing their natural instincts from day one has been absolutely incredible.
We’ve already started looking forward to Wood Duck Season 2027! This season taught us so much — from their unique habits and calls to their preferred bedding material. We’ll be making camera improvements over the coming months and can’t wait for their return to “Paradise Pond.”
A huge thank you to everyone for sharing in this wildlife journey with us, and to all the wonderful folks on our fan page who’ve been capturing and sharing such beautiful photos and videos.
Have a good one, stay safe.

From Shell To Pond: The Wood Ducks Journey (Box 2, 2026)

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06/13/2026

Good Morning Everyone! Our first duckling just hatched in Box 2 at 1:42:22! Mama duck’s excited calls are cracking us up — she’s just as pumped as we are! 🐣🦆
The fluffy babies dry off, rest up, then will leap right out of the box tomorrow morning to follow Mom to the water. She’s gonna have her hands full the next 24 hours. It’s one of nature’s cutest moments!
Stay tuned for the whole brood’s big jump — it’s the cutest show in town! 💛

https://www.youtube.com/live/82I3Swu9FWE?si=vikyk3ICi75EeWI7 #

06/12/2026

Good Morning Everyone! Today could be the day!!! Come join the hatch watch party @ Duck Box 2 🐣

Welcome to Brownville's Food Pantry For Deer. We are a wildlife san...

06/05/2026

Good Evening Everyone! Our dedicated mama hen is holding strong with these brutal temps in duck box 2, and we’re officially on egg watch! With 10 eggs in the nest, hatch day is estimated around June 12th — though she could surprise us anywhere between the 10th and 14th. Two of the eggs were dropped in late by a visiting hen, so they may not make it, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for all 10! 🤞
If you haven’t been tuned into the 24/7 live stream on our YouTube channel, it’s almost time — things are about to get exciting!
It’s been a busy and beautiful stretch out here lately:
🪿 The geese have moved on for the season — we’ll miss them!
🦝 A sneaky raccoon has been making nightly visits (he knows where the good stuff is)
🦌 A deer has been stopping by off and on after dark
🐦 Birds and squirrels have been absolutely loving the buffet — the feeders have been hopping!
🦆 And of course, multiple wood, mallard and merganser ducks have been keeping things lively on the channel
Stay tuned — ducklings could be here before we know it! 🐣 Thank you all for tuning in and enjoying the wildlife with us!

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05/13/2026

Good Morning Everyone! Wood duck box 2 is NOW LIVE!! She had 9 eggs total but ended up loosing one this morning to a Maganser that jumped in the nest. The Wood Duck immediately followed her in and kicked her out. The commotion likely cracked the egg so she disposed of it. So eight eggs total! So cool to watch! Estimate hatching to be around June 10-14. Thank you all for tuning in and enjoying the wildlife with us. Have a good one, stay safe.

Welcome to Brownville's Food Pantry For Deer. We are a wildlife sanctuary located in Central Maine. What started as a Deer Pantry back in 2008 has grown into...

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day! Momma Duck was fending off another hen hoping to share the nest. She wasn’t having it! At least 6 eggs total so far. Wood ducks are know to share nests with each hen laying anywhere from 6-16 eggs, one each morning. It could be a full house if she doesn’t start incubating soon! Duck box 2 is the only one with eggs out of the 4 houses available. Hoping to have the duck box 2 streaming 24-7 by mid week. Fingers crossed we have some chicks hatching and can capture their first jump into the pond. Going to be awesome to see! Hope all the mothers enjoyed their day and thank you all for enjoying the wildlife with us!

05/06/2026

Good Morning Everyone! Three eggs so far! A wood duck typically lays around 10 to 12 eggs in a nesting box, one every morning, though dump nests with multiple hens can have way more, like 15 to 30-plus. 
The eggs take about 28 to 32 days to hatch once incubation starts, which begins after the last egg is laid. 
All the ducklings usually pop out within a day of each other. So likely mid June we’ll have some ducklings!
Hoping to have the camera live streaming soon on our channel. The duck box cams are totally wireless and don’t offer the standard RTSP stream option. Fingers crossed the solar panel keeps the power up and can live stream 24/7. Will be testing soon. If it doesn’t work out I’ll make sure to keep everyone updated with video posts and pics through the process. Ryan and I will be stocking the pond this afternoon (around 1:30) with 75 brook trout and will be on the PTZ cam. Thank you all for your support and enjoying the beauty of nature with us! Have a good one, stay safe.

05/05/2026

First Egg!!

77 likes, 11 comments. "First Wood Duck Egg!!"