To feed deer or not

[JSK76]

I've had 3 deer coming into the yard in the last week and the snow is about 1" from their belly and I thought it would be nice to help them out with some deer feed but I've heard mixed things about doing it. I have put some out already about 2 gallons total in the last week for the 3 deer coming in. The feed is corn and alfalfa mix. I've heard if there already eating buds their stomach aren't able to digest alfalfa? How about the corn? Is there even any nutritional value in corn? Dose it need to be cracked corn? I've also heard once you start you have to continue until spring. I've heard so many mixed things I don't know what to believe.

[Jameson]

It takes a certain enzyme in the deer's stomach to break down corn. If the deer eat corn regularly through-out the year they won't have a problem eating the corn. If they hadn't had corn in the near past they will likely die with full stomach of food that they cannot digest.

Deer generally browse on twigs and weeds. Best thing to do is to trim some trees and leave the branches for them to chew on.

[Ufatz]

Why not call the nearest DNR office and ask them? They may or may not approve you feeding the deer but they will be able to answer your questions about feeding.

The primary concern with feeding deer is that it will tend to bring many deer to a central location and thus increase the potential for spreading infections.

Make the call-learn what you can. Then maybe share it. The OP may well be correct but it won't hurt to add information.

[leech~~]

The primary concern with feeding deer is that it will tend to bring many deer to a central location and thus increase the potential for spreading infections.

I have heard this a lot from the DNR. I wonder how it affects flock groups like Turkeys who group up each winter?

[mntatonka]

I have heard this a lot from the DNR. I wonder how it affects flock groups like Turkeys who group up each winter?

Turkey's don't carry the same diseases as deer, and aren't necessarily spread the same way. The easiest way for deer to spread any kind of disease is through saliva, and a bunch of deer eating at the same feeder/pile of feed is a great way to swap spit

[harvey lee]

I know that North Dakota does not approve of people feeding the deer.

I was going to do this 4-5 years ago during a very bad winter. I talked with our local CO and he said it would be ok to do it if we did a few things when feeding. North Dakota does not approve of this feeding mainly due to the fact people start and then do not finish causing more issues.

He said to put numerous area's of big round bales of hay in different locations as some deer will get very dominant and not let other's feed at that location.

Of course the other huge issue is people start to feed deer and then realize that it is costing them alot of money or more than they can afford and they stopped feeding after a month or so and that is one of the biggest reasons they do not like people to feed deer, it causes more issues for the deer if you start to feed them and then quit before the winter is over.

I was also told not to feed to much corn.

Then there is always the concern of spreading a disease due to saliva as mentioned above.

In the area we were going to feed the deer, we wanted to get the hay as close to thier bedding area as we could so they did not have to travel to far for the food.

My dad use to feed them when the snow got so deep and he fed them very close to thier bedding area's and he said the deer would go to the food, eat and then back to thier cover and would stay there until the next day when it go severly cold out and he fed them until spring. He fed them in many different locations so there were never more than 4-8 deer at one food station.

We decided to not feed them as it was going to cost way more than 5 of us were willing to spend.

[Surface Tension]

Some good reading Here on feeding deer.