GOT DEER FOOD? Need help/advice:)

[killa-bud]

well,the more you feed the less they have to eat,instead of five deer with a small amount of food,there will be ten with even less,less land,more deer looking for food....more deer hit by cars....are you really helping,or just prelonging the inevitable?


in ny its illegal to feed deer,unless your feeding them shit that grows in the area,like you could cut shrubs and stuff for them to eat,they say try to clear some snow,so they can digg for stuff

 

[Feyd]

Domesticate them, grow out a beard... have the misses make you a big red suit and hat, make a sled...


you see where I'm goin with this..

 

[9Lives]

Here..every hunter takes care of his forest.

Think of the deer as a low maintanance cow . If there is too many..better for you!

 

[Verite]

I think what Verite meant was if you start feeding them, more will come and that will lead to a greater chance of car/deer accidents.

How are they trapped where they are? Deer can move many miles in a day and have been known to frequent Cities looking for food. Are these deer fenced in or something?

I also dont pretend what its like to not be at the top of the food chain. Being at the top takes the role of being responsible. Unless you are caging the deer on your own property [ also illegal, ask the DNR ] theres no reason for the deer to not be able to follow their own instincts to migrate freely.

You dont feed wild animals for some of the same reasons you dont let visitors feed animals at the zoo. Most zoo animals are not domesticated pets, they are caged wild animals. The last thing you want is an unpredictable wild animal becoming accustom to human interaction.

This is also the primary reason that Yosemite and other national parks have to kill bears that become accustom to human interaction and are no longer scared to trash peoples tents and cars. Once a bear learns this they become a danger to people and they cant 'unlearn' the behavior, even worse if they teach their cubs then the DNR will usually kill them too.

And thats the long and short of messing with mother nature, youre only jeopardinzing them and possibly yourself.

 

[BaBaBooeyVT]

they like apples

 

[Stoned Cold]

Verite; I definately hear you, and agree with your posts...(99% anyways)
The situation here is quite different than most however. These deer have I-95 in one direction, an ocean in one direction, fenced in community in one direction and my road, which there is nothing on the other side of except 2-3 acres that have been developed and inhabited by humans. Tough deal.
I did go down to the town office yesterday and request that they put up some deer x-ing signs. The previous night I witnessed 4 cars come to a complete stop (fortunately) due to deer in the road. I wouldnt be AS concerned, but since they upped the speed limit from 25 to 35, now people do 45 and it's just NOT safe on this road.
Anyways, me belly achey so me go puffpuffpass

 

[Verite]

Youre right, I dont understand. I live in the midwest where theres plenty of highways and not one farm that isnt fenced in. Yet all the deer in my state freely migrate anyways. At least the ones that arent being fed by humans.

Seems you also have an answer to what the consequences are to interfering with deer migration.. more chances for interactions with cars.

While you were at town hall did you mention to them your plans to continue feeding the wild deer to see what they thought?

 

[Bacchus]

Have bow will travel

 

[RED145]

Whitetail deer will dig thru 2ft of snow to browse the grass,when snow gets real deep.Remember also that deer dont need our help eating,I have watched deer feed for hours and never once put his head down,they will browse on the tips of alot of bushes and trees,sometimes over a hayfield.Apples,oats,corn,clover,acorns,beechnuts,etc,etc,are a few of the many things deer eat.The only time man should feed imo is in an horn managment program,most of the deer food you buy is for horn growth,and all of it is most definately not needed by the deer.....the weak and the old will die,every winter,as it should be.

 

[RED145]

Another thing,The whole hunting over a pile a corn issue always pisses me off.I personally dont do it,but if you do,who cares.
AS LONG AS YOU EAT EVERYTHING YOU KILL>>>>KILL!!!
thats how I feel,no difference in staring at a pile a apples or corn,or setting my treestand up on the edge of the cornfield or by the orchard,face it....we kill deer either in the act of going to eat or going to fuck,pile a corns no dif than a decoy or a call.
as long as your humane and not killin for killin sake,I dont care how its done or how many ya get.Now go hunt sumtin!!!

 

[Stoned Cold]

Youre right, I dont understand. I live in the midwest where theres plenty of highways and not one farm that isnt fenced in. Yet all the deer in my state freely migrate anyways. At least the ones that arent being fed by humans.

Seems you also have an answer to what the consequences are to interfering with deer migration.. more chances for interactions with cars.

While you were at town hall did you mention to them your plans to continue feeding the wild deer to see what they thought?

So why do you continue to post on this matter, if you admittedly don't understand?
The deer are in the road LOOKING FOR FOOD. They've been running in the road for about 2 weeks PRIOR to my first thought to help. SINCE I've fed them about 30 apples, they've seemed content. I have not ONCE stated that I 'plan on continuing' to feed these deer.

The wonderful folks at my town hall, are the same people who demonize cannabis. Why would I care what they thought?

I told you, I get your point. Better yet, I appreciate the perspective, but the OP was to get some ideas on a midwinter snack for some deer. Not what the legalities are. Not what's right or wrong.

 

[Verite]

Dont mistake where the lack of understanding lies. Its not in your situation its in your lack of knowledge why its stuck in your head that you think the deer are unable to migrate? How do deer end up in someplace they cant get out of in the first place? Cruiseboat?

Ive also seen deer migrate for many decades and never seen them forage for food on a paved street. Now that would take an awful lot of feeding sessions before they learned that kind of behavior. These deer wouldnt happen to wear harnesses and drag a sleigh with a fat guy in it would they?

And no you dont get my point if your still looking for ideas to feed wild deer snacks. Your original post could have just as easily been about ideas on stealing electricity or dating underage girls, regardless of the motive the intention is still just as wrong.

 

[Stoned Cold]

It's hard to take you seriously, when you make up new scenarios. First of all, do you REALLY think I've been feeding these deer for a long time? Or is that a desparate assumption. PLENTY of deer nationwide, are found licking salt and looking for food in the road, every season. It wouldnt take 'an awful lot of feeding sessions' as you said.

Did I say that I was 'still looking for ideas to feed wild deer snacks'? Or did YOU say that? Hmmm, funny what people reach for.

Ok, Verite; tossing a few apples to a family of deer is NOT like stealing electricity OR dating underaged girls! Dude.....lol! Are you out of your freakin' mind?

 

[RED145]

Deer are NOT,looking for FOOD in the road!!!You may have seen them in the road,but they are NOT looking for food!!As far as salt and minerals go,deer also dont find them in the road either,deer,CROSS roads thats it.No deer in the world is looking for food in the road.

 

[Bacchus]

Underage girls????? Where????

 

[Verite]

You can keep telling him Red but until he understands right from wrong he'll still think that deer everywhere in N America feed in the road. He can also thank his lucky stars he doesnt reside in Illinois where feeding wild deer is actually illegal.

Reaching? For what, someone backpeddling?

You want a serious answer? Heres one. Deer eat a balanced diet of wild items. If you cant properly forage those items you should feed them commercial deer food you buy at farm feed stores. You cant partially feed them for the winter. If you start you have to make it a four month commitment to feed them all. Todays feed prices will run you about $75 a deer and you need to get an accurate deer count and add at least 35% more for the numbers of deer that will be attracted to free food.

If you cant make that kind of financial and time commitment then you should do exactly what ALL CONSERVATIONISTS tell you to do and thats DONT FEED WILD DEER.

http://www.anr.state.vt.us/site/html/reflect/Jan11.htm

 

[Stoned Cold]

Verite; I think you're a smart dude, and I appreciate your input. I really do agree with alot of what you have stated, but you cannot tell me that your opinion is right and mine is wrong. Think about it.

....and yeah it's illegal here too.

So maybe I AM wrong about the feeding at the edge of the road. It's just that my own eyes have witnessed hundreds of deer, nose to the ground, ingest SOMETHING from the edges of different roads. What is it you think they're doing? Surely not just crossing the street.

And another thing.
Our country FEEDs and HOUSES refugees and illegal aliens from all over the world, on the basis of insufficient living conditions, but a guy wants to help out a couple indiginous deer through A bad season and HE'S the one breaking the law? Atleast I'm not asking for your tax dollars and your jobs to do it!

 

[Babbabud]

In California it is illegal to feed the deer in anyway. No salt licks or bating of any kind. Leave the deer be they can take care of themselves I promise you . If they somehow starve without your help its just natures way of thinning the herd. Leave them to their natural instincts and they will do fine.

 

[Guest]

Nature's way? More like, most of the time, humans cutting up ecosystems...eek

 

[Babbabud]

well we do seem to factor into natures equation
leave the deer alone