During the summer, vine maple's abundant foliage is a preferred food of black-tailed deer and elk. Black-tailed deer show a high preference for this community during all seasons. Squirrels and chipmunks eat the seeds, frequently storing them in caches after removing the hull and wing.
Vine maple is eaten by both cattle and sheep.
Vine maple leaves and twigs are highly palatable to black-tailed deer and elk in the summer. Analysis of western Oregon and Washington vine maple browse indicates that this plant provides little nutrition during the winter. The high fiber content greatly reduces digestibility, which is probably why black-tailed deer will consume this maple during the winter only when more nutritious forage is unavailable. In the summer, crude protein averages 9 to 13 percent, and crude fiber 15 to 20 percent by dry weight. At this time vine maple is a key browse species for black-tailed deer and elk.