Questions about feeding deer.

[Raven]

It's been a very very cold winter here in NH. We have about 2 feet of snow and it's frozen solid. A friend of mine up here told me that the fish and game wardens were encouraging people to feed the deer...now human food but deer corn covered with molases or deer pellets. So here are my questions:

Does this sound right?

If it is, where should I put the food and

Which food is better?

[RoeBear]

1. I'd say invite them in...

...your house. And then you'll have lots of deer pellets.

[Kahuna]

16. Snarf!

:P

[FlaGranny]

2. A very rich diet that would be.

Not that I know much about feeding deer, but I'd get some nice hay mixture with some alfalfa in it, but not 100% alfalfa, as that can be pretty rich too. If you want to give corn, go light on it. It might be too rich if they're not used to it. I'm used to horses, so I'm not certain about deer, but if you give horses very rich food when they are not used to it, they will "founder."

Edit: Deer pellets probably good.

[OhioStateProgressive]

3. deer are pretty easy

i mean if you know where they tend to eat...just spread alot of little piles of corn feed around...they will root around and find it, deer are survivors:)

[underpants]

4. I've found that "Here comes choo-choo" or "Airplane" methods work best

But getting the bib on them is a mother.

[bearfan454]

5. I feed deer corn year round in Tx.

50 lbs of corn is $4.00. It takes 6 to fill up the feeder. A full feeder will spin for one month on 5 seconds twice a day. I have 3 feeders. So, $72.00 a month to feed deer year round. They all have a lot of fat on them when we gut them.

[OhioStateProgressive]

7. is that those Yexas "caged in" hunting preserves?(nt)

[bearfan454]

8. No it isn't.

These are free ranging deer. I have 42 acres in West Tx I hunt.

[LWolf]

6. Don't feed them in your yard!!!

Unless you don't like to garden and don't care if any plants grow around the place.

My mom tells me that the USFS in her area encourages people to volunteer by setting up feeding stations in the forest. I don't remember what they feed them; something given to them or approved by the forest service.

[Redneck Socialist]

9. Don't do it!

Very bad for the deer. Your friend is wrong.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2004/News_2004_Q1/Dont_feed_deer_010504.htm

The link explains it pretty well. One thing I would add is that the deer's digestive system is adapted to certain types of feed depending on the season. Given the wrong food, hay for example, they will eat it, but not process any of the nutrients. The end result is they starve with full bellies.

[Hammie]

11. Your friend is wrong.

Deer really like Big Macs w/ fies. Super sized of course cause it winter and they're really hungry.

[FlaGranny]

14. Good information. I knew that

feeding them a diet rich in what they weren't used to wasn't good.

[havocmom]

18. Raven, please heed the advice from Redneck Socialist!

The wrong feed can be fatal.

Also remember that raccoons and other critters will likely show up. Havocdad warns that feeding the deer/raccoons may draw coyotes and other predators so be very sure of where you want to put any potential feeding station. I wouldn't want your dog to have to deal with a family of coyotes, or a bear later on when they start roaming around. Also, mountain lions are a consideration. As deer populations swell, lions have been moving back into areas long abandoned. Are there any in NH? Animals can be pleasant in small numbers but they are smart and opportunistic. Keep that in mind.

Also, feeding anywhere near roads is dangerous for obvious considerations. Basically, deer need to get food in the areas where deer would normally find browse in winter.

If you have apple trees, be aware, they are a deer magnet. They will eat the young trees if you are trying to get any started.

[bleedingheart]

10. Do not do this!

I am very serious. Unless you saw a headline in your local news urging people to do this I would ignore your friend's advice.

My neighbor feeds deer and those same deer have terrorized my yard and eaten my hydrangeas etc...
To top it off PA has too many deer and if some of them starve then it is just part of the natural cycle of things, but to lure them into a neighborhood or near your home is just not a good thing.

Also remember that deer carry disease and parasites that can be transmitted to your pets and to you. Lyme disease is one that we have to worry about even if we go out in the woods for a walk.

[Lefta Dissenter]

12. You don't have a problem with

CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) there, do you??? I don't think so, but if you DO, then don't feed the deer. It encourages them to congregate, and might aid in the spread of CWD.

That being said, there are feed mixes specifically formulated for deer. That, plus, as someone else said, a good alf/grass mix hay would be greatly appreciated!

[buckeye1]

13. Experiment with both.

Observe what happens. Put the food above the snow and below their reach. Just suggesting,I know nothing here. Good luck.

[IronLionZion]

15. put any feed far away from your house, like in the woods

or in a field somewhere

[havocmom]

17. NH Dept of Fish and Game FAQ on the matter:

<snip> Is it okay to feed deer during the winter?

No. It is not a good idea to feed deer. Feeding deer makes them vulnerable to predation and vehicle collisions, among other things. Fed deer tend to travel more in the winter going between feeding sites and exhaust their fat stores. Unfed deer tend to travel less, stay in natural winter deer yards, and conserve their resources to survive the winter -- the natural survival strategies that have served them for eons. Another concern of the Department is that feeding deer can make them more vulnerable to disease. We are aware of the threat that diseases, including Chronic Wasting Disease, can place on New Hampshire's deer herd, and feeding of deer creates the highest potential to spread the disease quickly if it shows up in the state. For more information on deer feeding, click to download "More Harm Than Good"* (PDF, 956KB).

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/faqs_wildlife.htm

Raven, we know you love all critters but please get good info beofre you do anything with wildlife. Havocdad spent time in Europe where they build a lot of feeding stations, but they are very careful about wildlife management. Sometimes well meaning efforts by people can be harmful. Please don't embark on a plan based on hearsay. Get good info first. It would seem likey that your state Fish and Game would take phone calls and get you good info on current conditions and recommendations.

Also, I have found licensed animal rehabilitators to be terrific sources of good, useable information that is generally applicable to what current situation is for criteers in an area. (Remind me to tell you about the nearly deowned bunny and the good help a rehabilator gave us.)

[Raven]

19. Thanks everyone! I won't be feeding them.

The NH fish and game info was very helpful. I guess I'll use the 50 pound bag of deer corn I bought as a doorstop! :-)

[fortyfeetunder]

20. Interesting comments

Deer sightings in my neighborhood have been more common (at least a couple a week) since we've had rapid development for a housing development and an elementary school. I see them mostly eating the clover and lawn grass, and an occasional tree. We also had evidence a black bear has been out and about.

Last week a blacktail deer was in my backyard eating whatever vegetation he could find. He certainly didn't look like he was starving. I don't leave any food out but in the winter if they want to trim my vegetation, fine...