Winter Feeding Deer

[BCWV]

I've been feeding the same deer whole corn for 4 years on my place. Every year the same old doe and her little ones stay here and winter out. As the natural feed gets less more deer come with them. Now, the fawns from previous years are here with their young. We have 10 to 14 head every evening. The home deer will come to meet me when I go to feed them.
 Then in the summer I growl about them eating my garden.

[Killdeer]

The heavy snows have done a number on the trees and shrubs here, breaking many and sending their tops to the ground. Free food, and the deer have been feeding on them. So, tough conditions bring their own relief to the creatures of the woods.

But if there is not enough food in the habitat for the number of deer, then there are too many deer for the habitat. We must remember that the deer have evolved to survive where they are, without reliance on humans to take care of them. That is the stark, beautiful reality that makes them WILD, and not cattle. They must be allowed to remain wild, to keep them strong and independent, and able to go on being what they were created to be when we have overpopulated ourselves into oblivion.

Artificially raising the deer population for our hunting pleasure is detrimental and demeaning, for the environment, the deer, and ourselves.

Killdeer

[BCWV]

Well, I don't feed the deer to be able to hunt them. I also have bird, squirrel and rabbit feeders.
 My family and I like to watch the wildlife and my wife has named some of the deer and squirrels that we watch out the window while eating our breakfast on the weekends.
 I bowhunt every chance I get, but not here. I'm not baiting.

[Steve Kendrot]

Yeah killdeer! You really captured what for me is the most compelling reason NOT to feed deer. Feeding deer reduces them to mere livestock.  Add to that the compelling biological reasons it is bad for deer and the environment and it makes no sence at all.

[George D. Stout]

So what happens when they clean up the food plots and won't move on to natural browse.  In deep snow they can quickly overbrowse an area and can starve without moving on.  Unless you plan on feeding them until the snow is gone, you are better off to listen to the biologists....they know a heck of a lot more than we do about such things.

And, those of you who live in Texas aren't accustomed to big mountains and three feet of snow....or how deer react under such circumstances.  And, in Pennsylvania, we aren't allowed to hunt over feeders either....it's a whole nother' country up here boys.

[Whip]

Killy said it so eloquently (as usual) and expresses exactly my own feelings on feeding.  I know it is cool to have deer coming up in your backyard and to be able to see them close up.  But the reality is that is not natural.  I also do believe the biologists when they say that feeding can actually harm the deer because their systems aren't built to handle it if the feeding is suddenly cut off.

[smoke1953]

A good portion of there feeding is 4 ft. and higher above the ground.  Plenty of good browse.

[Killdeer]

BCWV, I was responding to Kyle's original question, and in no way was I casting judgment on you, nor anyone else's decisions regarding the subject.

An opinion was asked, and I gave mine. I understand the warm fuzzies associated with sharing wildlife viewing with one's family, and how happy it makes one to see their children discover the feeling of wonder that accompanies seeing the creatures of the wild.

Nuts and bolts are what they are, though, and they are not necessarily pretty.

I respect the way you run your household, it bespeaks a caring heart. Please do not take what I say as a condemnation of your decision.

Killdeer  

[BCWV]

Killy, I missunderstood your post. Thanks for clearing it up. No worries at all.
 I, also am stating my opinion and do not think that it's the only way. I agree in part with many post on this subject but only posted because it seemed that I was hearing that if I fed deer corn it would kill them. In some instances it may be so but wanted to show another result.
 I agree that feeding wildlife can and sometime will cause problems. I think it's cruel to start feeding and then quit. We keep feed in all of our feeders until the animals quit coming in late spring to early summer.
 We don't have a problem with chronic wasting here but this also can be a concern. At this time,I see no difference in my squirrel, bird,  rabbit or deer feeding.
 I just wanted to try to make my post clear and will now keep my mouth shut on this topic.
 We've had more snow last night and I need to fill my feeders before I go to work.
 Brad
 PS to Killy
 I hope to look you up at ATAR this year.

[Kyle Lancaster]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts/facts on this subject.

Thank you,
Kyle

[Warden609]

Well said Killdeer.

[Deadsmple]

I personally believe in letting nature take it's course. If my local deer herd gets hit hard by a tough winter then so be it. For me, less deer in my area means a tougher season, and that's a good thing because I live for the challenge.

[TxAg]

I realize things are done quite differently up north, and I don't disagree with it.

However, if it were me, I'd feed, feed, feed. That's just me being honest. Good luck whatever you decide.

[Ssamac]

I agree with Killdeer. I understand we are not talking about baiting here, but it somehow or other makes the deer less wild. I then I would not hunt them.

As far as touching nature especially for children, I like to take my boys (I only have boys but if I had girls I'd take them too) out to the woods to see nature where it lives. Kids spend too much time watching the TV and computer "window" and need that outside as much as possible.

IMHO
Sam

[DIAMONDBACK]

I live up north where where winter feeding has been going on for quite sometime.From what I have seen,the deer in my area benefit from it if done properly.By that I mean feed the deer grain that is made for them,once you start,you cant stop in a month,try too feed as far away from heavy traffic as possible.VT13 stated about a town in NH that the road kill is high,I live by it,people feed very close too town,the deer bounce from house to house,cross the main road.There are less people feeding now,a bag of feed is allmost $10.00,gets expensive.The deer that have been fed are in much better shape than the deer that are in a tradional deer yard,any body can see that,is it right or wrong too feed? tuff question

[jr1959]

I agree with George, talk to the local wildlife biologist.  If you do feed them, keep feeding until things start to green up.

[painthorse]

I have never thought about feeding deer because this part of the country is a natural food plot.
I would say if you feed them keep doing it until spring.
Personally I would not feed them.Deer have survived winters more harsh than this one and will continue to survive long after we are gone.

[Sam McMichael]

I have some questions about all this. With the unusually harsh winter being the perceived  cause for lack of food, this naturally seems to indicate that under more normal conditions there is enough food to support the herd, doesn't it? If so, does feeding the deer over the winter really tend to overpopulate the herd, or does it merely keep the tough conditions from under populating the herd? Perhaps, the potential for spread of disease through use of feeders is a just concern, but does not a food plot artificially congregate the deer and introduce this same threat? Yet there seems to be no great concern stated regarding this. I did like the idea of cutting some trees to provide a more natural food source.
   
In my personal situation, none of this is too serious, because Georgia winters are just not  devastating to the deer.I don't feed them, but do keep a small food plot. There are a lot of good posts on this thread with  better thought out conclusions than mine. I have often been concerned about how wildlife survives the northern winters, but since deer were thriving since before man arrived on this continent, I guess they have figured out a few of these problems. I have enjoyed hearing the various opinions stated here.

[aroflyte]

Illegal to feed in Illinois. Possible spread of chronic wasting disease.

[Shawn Leonard]

It is illegal in New York State to feed as well. This came about as CWD is and was being spread. I agree that if it gets real tough on the deer cut some natural browse in a few areas to help them  out but do establish food stations for a bunch of reasons already mentioned! Shawn