Feeding deer in winter?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
7,730
Location
NJ
We have a bunch of deer that visit our backyard. Most we've seen is 7 in the yard. Never seen a buck but can tell there are does and their offspring who try to suckle. They're cute and we enjoy watching them frolic; often at night with the motion detect spot lights shining on them.

The ground has been snow covered recently and the deer seem more active. Thought about putting food out for them to help them through the winter. Read that the wrong type of food can kill them. That their digestive systems have switched over to winter type foods and feeding them summer type food and be deadly. Also, don't want the deer to be waiting in my backyard for me to get home from work so they can eat dinner.

Any success stories on how to go about this or just let nature take its course?
 
We put some corn out in the woods for the deer right after we moved to New England and ended up attracting a really skeevy looking raccoon that acted strangely and just wouldn't go away. We were about to call the town about it before it abruptly disappeared.
Just be aware that other animals you don't like so much will likely also find the food...the deer have plenty to eat now that our plantings have matured.
We do still feed birds and have to deal with the endlessly inventive squirrels finding ways to pilfer the seeds...one of the feeders has collapsible perches and we used to use plastic hoods for the other two, but the hoods cracked and need to be replaced somehow. We also (re)learned to put the feeders away at the first sign of spring after having three bears visit in the wee hours last April.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Don't feed the deer, you're trying to be nice but in reality you're not doing the right thing.


This.

If you feed them they will become more dependent on neighborhood settings for food, will become less afraid of people, etc. We have someone in my neighborhood who feeds the deer. Now the herd has doubled in size, and they are destroying lots of plants and lawns. They are active in the neighborhood at all hours of the day and have become less afraid of people. I see a few almost every night and they are often crossing the road.
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Don't feed the deer, you're trying to be nice but in reality you're not doing the right thing.


This.

If you feed them they will become more dependent on neighborhood settings for food, will become less afraid of people, etc. We have someone in my neighborhood who feeds the deer. Now the herd has doubled in size, and they are destroying lots of plants and lawns. They are active in the neighborhood at all hours of the day and have become less afraid of people. I see a few almost every night and they are often crossing the road.


That's a reason I don't want to feed them.

I was thinking just feed them enough so they don't perish over the winter. But then nature is cruel but sometimes that is just how it has to be.

It's interesting how the wild animal population has changed in the 15 years I've been in he house in what was once farmland. At first it was a lot of foxes and a few rabbits. Then it was a lot of rabbits and a few foxes. Now, it's almost all rabbits and deer. The predators have mostly disappeared. I can do without the rabbit death screams in the woods at night that I heard 15 years ago.
 
I agree with others not to feed the deer, but if you decide to anyway just for fun feed them hay. Buddy of mine buys hay off of me to attract them to watch behind his house. Other animals don't tend to mess with it so it shouldn't attract too many other pests.
 
Loose corn or sugar beets. But I don't really feed them but love to watch them. A big salt block or sweet lick block brings em around.
 
Last edited:
Leo99, you were right in you first post about their digestive systems changing for winter forage. Don't do it. Putting corn out for deer in winter is about the worst thing you can do to them.
 
Humans love animal feeders because they are helping the animals and get to watch them.

Predators love animal feeders, because they know it's a great place to find animals, or a snack.

Bears should be in hibernation by now, and I don't know the animal diversity in your area, but you could be inviting something you won't like.
 
Leo99, I commend you for caring. But, let nature handle the deer. They were here before us and perhaps after us. You are correct about their digestive system. Deer should fear humans, in order to survive.

Funny story, many years ago I was on a nature trail in a National Park in Louisiana (swamps). I grabbed a lizard and fed an alligator (safe distance). I was escorted out of the park by a Ranger for feeding wildlife. I was doing more harm than good. We don't want the alligators associating humans with food. My thinking at the time was not feeding them human food.

Respectfully,

Pajero!
 
Feeding of deer contributes to the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. This is a big problem in some states.

cwd-map.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: N3OO
DON'T FEED' EM !!!!!!!!


For a second there … thought this was a response to another post …
 
Originally Posted By: ZZman
... A big salt block or sweet lick block brings em around.

I caught one licking my car! I badly need to wash it.
 
Leo99: The one thing that deer need and don't easily find is salt. Farm stores sell large blocks of pure salt pressed into blocks about 8" square by 12" tall. Best located in a wooded area. The block is very dense so that the animal has to lick the block to satisfy their needs. Hunters often feed and/or set up saltlicks to lure deer into "killing zones" all of which is illegal to do. That you are being benevolent and concerned about the deer with no intention of ever hunting them could be difficult to explain to many a game warden.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top