Feed the Deer?

[whaler1]

Deer on my property are working hard to dig through the snow and find a meal. What are the ramifications both legal and ethical regarding feeding them?

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Big Water]

I feed from December through April in PA. I enjoy seeing them and I'm sure I've helped them make it through some difficult winters. I don't know what regs apply and don't really care.

[whaler1]

Kinda what I'm thinking. Been a rough thirty days.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Big Water]

[whaler1]

That's awesome!

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[rolmops]

The answer is in Gander Mountain. They sell bags of "Deer Corn".

They would not do that if it were illegal.

Your local feed store probably sells "Also Deer Corn" for about half the price.

[momay4000]

http://michigan.gov/documents/dnr/deer_and_feeding_ban_267230_7.pdf

 

Guys/gals - take a look at this article from Michigan DNR. I was going to put out feed corn myself thinking I am doing them a favor, but it looks like it could be harmful.

 

Be safe and stay warm out there,

 

Chris

[Gill-T]

Illegal in NY. Now if you were to lets say.....put up a giant "bird feeder" that would be ok. Of course bales of Alfalfa is great for soil erosion too.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Gill-T

[Big Water]

http://michigan.gov/documents/dnr/deer_and_feeding_ban_267230_7.pdf

Guys/gals - take a look at this article from Michigan DNR. I was going to put out feed corn myself thinking I am doing them a favor, but it looks like it could be harmful.

Be safe and stay warm out there,

Chris

I've seen this before and I'll guarantee that they have not only survived but thrived. If that wasn't the case, there wouldn't be any to feed.

[whaler1]

Is alfalfa better than corn? What's more digestible in winter?

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[ERABBIT]

I agree with Big Water but start early and stay with it the whole season. When I feed them corn I make sure I plow back a area so they can get grass.............

 

 

 

 

 

[Gill-T]

Alfalfa is more like browse. Peel open a bud on any sapling....that is what they are eating. A little green...a little brown plant material. I would be leery of corn from everything I have read. Notice the bait piles shown on those big Saskatchewan deer hunting shows are bales of Alfalfa.

[Big Water]

I spend more feeding animals than most people spend feeding a family. There's always 10lbs of dog food out for the 20+ raccoons I feed too.

[chasdc1]

ERABBIT,

Thanx for the pix of the deer and turkeys!

Sportsmen and hunters do much more for wildlife than the tree huggers who just complain and degrade outdoorsmen.

[sparkyice]

there is  concern among biologists that feeding deer tends to artificially congregate them in an area which can lead to the spread of diseases, including cronic wasteing disease ( a type of mad cow disease). 

it is illegal in nys to feed deer.

 

so, what do deer naturally eat in the winter? tree and shrub bark and buds. they will strip vegitation as high as they can reach. if one were to selectively cut down a bunch of saplings or trees in an area to promote healthy forest growth the deer would now be able to reach those buds and bark.

 

a lot of posts on this site demonstrate how anal a lot of members are about following laws as pertain to fishing regulations. how is violating a state law againdst feeding deer any different than violating a state law against a "bucket biologist" dumping a load of pickeral into a trout pond?

[Gill-T]

These are Pennsylvanians feeding deer.

[BSmaster]

I threw several stale apples outside for (composte) the rabbits.  It took them like no time to find them.

 

I like the big bird feeder idea and soil erosion prevention by spreading a little horse hay out back.

 

Sparkyice is right, however, I do not have any problems with throwing feed outside.  Technically illegal to feed the wild animals yet we see bird feeders and composte piles and people along the lakes and parks feeding ducks and gulls.  People bait game cameras all the time and nobody really cries foul.  It would be a good time to thin the wooded areas where you can bring the upper branches to the ground where the deer could reach them.  This was something I had intended to do and never got around to it.

 

I have been watching and although I am concerned with this last storm, I do not believe anything is warranted to help the animals food situation.  I just do not see the normal signs of starving animals that I have seen in years past.  If you decide to do something do not draw attention to it. 

 

Also, anyone who stocks chains anywhere should be flogged.  They should be banned for transport unless they are dead.

[skipper19]

My only complaint was the neighbors thought they were cute..they are not sportsmen or hunters thats why i say "cute". So then they wouldn't feed regular enough to keep the deer in their backyard. What happens next is they became habituated and when the feed was not kept regularly they wiuld browse my shrubs at the front of my house. Those same people came like street inspectors and crabbed about my yard looking shabby. Closer inspection revealed deer browse damage.

I was the topic of discussion at my village "elites" board meeting. Do something about it so I CALLED the DEC and had them speak to the council and mayor.

Don't do it in a village full of elitist jerks!

[Big Water]

I lived in a "Village" at one point. The neighbors were anal about everything and I actually witnessed the couple across the street crawling around their yard on their hands and knees finding and pulling weeds one at a time. It drove them nuts that I had dandelions in my yard. I didn't do anything to kill them off because I don't handle anal types well. Now I can't see a neighbor from my house and life is good.

[hawkeye625]

I like to cut shooting lanes for next year's stands to put a little extra browse on the ground. 

[iceman05]

If we had antler restrictions the deer wouldn't starve....that's a joke ha ha...... I know a lot of guys want to model ohio for deer management and they allow feeding i don't see where it's hurt them. I personally don't do it but don't see a problem with those that do. I think if every hunting camp had a feeder deer would benefit huge in areas with no ag around....I think the big tine 30/06 would be a good choice for all year feeding

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I used to keep bird feeders out back for the bluebirds and others until the deer kept knocking them over and spilling the seed all over. Then I read an article that mentioned a downside to bird feeding that also discussed the deer problem and led to something that concerned me enough to quit doing it (near my home). What was mentioned is the fact that rodents such as mice and voles are attracted to the dropped seeds from the feeders and they often carry ticks some of which are the ones that carry Lyme Disease which in turn spreads to the deer and subsequently can be contracted by humans or domestic animals. It was also indicated that Lyme Ticks are also very cold resistant and can still be active if they become in close contact with animals or people during winter conditions.  It was enough for me to stop the bird feeding because I don't want those ticks any closer to my yard or house than necessary as I have a dog who goes out there. Just something to think about.....

Edited February 11, 2015 by Sk8man

[PeltHunter]

We have always put corn in our back yard when it is a hard winter. We put it out for the turkeys but sometimes deer show up to it as well.   A plastic 55 gallon drum cut in half and put in a cradle built out of 2x4s works perfect to keep it from getting buried under snow and can be set to perfect height for "turkeys."

[Frogger]

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7197.html

 

Its tough right, when you see not just the deer but many other animals searching to find viddles in the wintry weather.  Some have pointed out the regs, heres a good read on the why nots as well, it seems one of those you have to be thinking longterm of the health of the heard but like I said that doesn't mean much when you see the animals looking like their struggling day to day.  I like Eds way of spreading out the deer by plowing things back.  Cool pics Ed.

[Giz9219]

Is it legal to plant food plots of different types of food not found anywhere in the woods?and then hunt over them?

Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United