Feeding deer in the winter

[harvey lee]

There have been years when the snow was deep and it was cold in jan. and we decided to feed the deer to try and keep them from starving. I am sure a very cruel death.

This winter again the snow is getting deep and it could be tougher in Jan.

After some thought on what to do if anything this winter, I called the area CO to pick his brain on what can be good and what can hurt the deer in regards to feeding.

First, he told me that the deer so far this winter are doing pretty good to date.

He then added that a good time to start to feed would be about mid Jan if this snow continues to pile up and some severe cold hits.

He also mentioned that if and when I feed the deer that I should place 2-3 round bales of first cut alfalfa out in the field as the deer have a pecking order and some would go without. He also said that by having numerous area's of feed, it would cut down on the amount of saliva that would be in the area to help to control CWD and TB. I never thought of that.

I just thought that these tips might help a few that may consider feeding the deer if the weather turns to the worse.

Tim also mentioned that the Game & Fish does not recommend feeding programs as some will feed for only a short time and then in the long run do more harm than good and then there is always the possibillity of the deer transfering saliva for a spread of CWD and TB.

He also mentioned do not feed corn and if one starts to feed the deer in Jan to continue to feed them until spring or one could do more harm than good.

I guess it's not as easy as just throwing some feed out to help the deer as one could do more harm than good.

[cbrooks]

I've heard of corn being tough on there digestive system that can be fatal.

Last year if you remember the farmers were forced to wait till spring to harvest there corn because of all the rain late that fall. The farmers couldn't get there combines in the field without getting stuck. The corn was really moist as well. The farmers want the corn so moist when they pick it so they don't have to pay the extra money for drying it or pay money to store in the winter.

Anyways something like 90% of the corn that year sat until spring. Gun season nobody was seeing alot of deer. Most were just sitting in the corn fields. They had everything they needed there including standing water. Last spring there was rumors of farmers finding herds of deer dead in there field. I never saw it but this year up where I gun hunt(Northeaston part of the state) didn't see much. If deer eat nothing but corn it is really hard on them.

[Steve Foss]

According to reports I've read from biologists, it takes a couple weeks for deer to develop the right bacteria in their gut to utilize nutrients after a food change, and some foods require more adjustment time than others. So if a person is going to feed, it's best to begin while the deer are still in good shape. If you start feeding hay and corn to starving deer, they'll probably just starve faster.

There are some pros to feeding deer, of course. There also are a lot of cons (if feeding is done incorrectly) that I'd never really considered until I started reading up on the subject a few years ago.

As mentioned, corn can be very bad for winter deer. When offered a sudden supply of corn, a deer’s digestive system doesn’t have time to adjust to a high carbohydrate diet. The result can be acute acidosis followed by death within 72 hours. They cannot digest the corn. Within six hours, corn alters the environment in the rumen. It turns the rumen acidic and destroys the microbes needed for normal digestion.

Here are a few links that are educational:

Link 1: Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Link 2: Minnesota DNR.

Link 3: New Hampshire Fish and Game Dept.

[bmc]

My dad has fed deer for years and we have never seen any dead deer on his property (120 acres) over the years.

He gets a deer feed mix from the local co-op. It's a mixture of corn, oats, alfalfa pellets, and molasses. He has 2 feeders that hold 25 lbs each. Every once in a great while they will get into a fight, but not very often. When he used to use one feeder, we would find blood and hair on the snow frequently.

When he starts feeding is weather dependant. This year he started the week of Thanksgiving. When spring rolls around, the deer quit hitting the feeders once natural food becomes available.

There are definitely pro's and con's to feeding deer. Right now my dad is feeding 18 deer. There is no way there is 18 deer on our property the rest of the year when he isn't feeding. I wonder if there is less browse on his property because of the deer congregating there when he feeds. Deer need about 5-7 lbs of food every day in the winter, so I assume that they also browse as well as hit the feeders.

Another way to help the deer is to cut "cull trees" on your propety during the winter, so the deer are able to eat the tops of the trees. This doesn't always work though, as deer spend most of their time bedded and if the snow is deep over 2 feet, they want the food right under their nose.

I also worry that over the years, deer get used to the winter feeding stations, and if for some reason supplemental feeding stopped, they wouldn't know where traditional "deer yard" areas are located.

In the end, if the winter is worse than normal, I would say feed the deer.

We get alot of enjoyment out of watching them at the feeders and it's nice to have an idea of what bucks survived the hunting seasons.

This year we have a 130" 11 ptr at the feeders. He was on our trail cams during August and disappeared after he shed his velvet. He showed back up on Thanksgiving day.

Brian

[Pinusbanksiana]

Feeding deer is not a good idea but hard to convince people of that. So many orphaned fawns raised on corn in peoples back yards can't cope with winter or teach their offspring how to cope. We have several homes feeding deer nearby and I have already seen a couple car killed already from crossing roads to get to home feeders. Really hard for public to understand this.

[harvey lee]

The trouble I see with feeding the deer to soon is the possible transfer of disease to others when one is feeding for an extended period.

One may not see the dead deer but they will be some issues.

I guess if feeding was such a valuable tool for saving deer, the North Dakota Game & Fish would not be against it.

Even if the feeding is done correctly, one can still damage some of the herd,

This is the reason I called the Game & Fish to make sure I was not doing more harm than good. I am not a wildlife biogolist and I feel they do know much more than I.

[harvey lee]

Feeding deer is not a good idea but hard to convince people of that. So many orphaned fawns raised on corn in peoples back yards can't cope with winter or teach their offspring how to cope. We have several homes feeding deer nearby and I have already seen a couple car killed already from crossing roads to get to home feeders. Really hard for public to understand this.

With the snow so heavy in our area, I have noticed many people placing ears of corn along the roadside as they do not want to walk off the road. I would guess many will be killed by vechiles.

What is the use if one is going to kill some?

I try to get my food off the road at least 100 yards by their resting cover.

[harvey lee]

The issue I have is if I start to feed the deer, it will get expensive as we will more than likely be feeding 100 plus animals.

[leech~~]

Well on my way to and from work on the South side of 694 just past Central ave going East there are two yearling Doe's stuck there in the deep snow digging a way trying to find something to eat. They are locked in by a bridge on the east side and Central on the other and of course the free way in front. I think the Mom must have gotten taken out by a car sometime. I have been watching them each day for about two months now and it does not look good for them since the snow has kept getting deeper and there is only so much brush to chew on to get through the winter. I have been temped to dump some corn or deer feed along that stretch for them but I guess it is all part of nature? I really don't think the DNR or DOT would do anything about it as well. It's just kind of sad knowing that I and maybe a few other people that maybe hunters and even pay attention to what's around them even know they are there? It's going to be sad to slowly watch them dye!

[harvey lee]

Yes sad and Mother nature at work. Very sad to see any wildlife starve to death. Ugly slow painful death.