Backyard Visitor

[timeout]

Woke up to a deer bedded in the back yard. This is one of the longest stretches of below zero we have endured. Add to that deep snow cover and no way the animal kingdom can get to some food. It's illegal to feed deer here. Weather forecast is for two more nights of below zero and starting tomorrow 8 days in a row with snow. It's starting to get serious for our wildlife. Hunters are often denigrated by the tree huggers but we care more and do more for the wildlife than they do by far. It's heartbreaking to see them without food this long. Can't get the photo to download. I have tried cropping the photo. If someone can help me with this PM me your Cell # and I will text the photo to you. Thanks.

 

[KMart]

It's illegal to feed deer here.

You know, I watch some of the TV programs that involve game wardens and read about some of the game laws in other states on this site. Sometimes I wonder what planet these people that make the laws are from.
I would like to see a law that made it illegal for all DNR or P&W personnel to eat food that they did not grow or find in the wild on their own.
Just my opinion.

 

[Immike]

I’m trying to keep them alive, they are eating about #20 of corn every night.
edit; camera clock is not set these are recent

 

[chutem]

You know, I watch some of the TV programs that involve game wardens and read about some of the game laws in other states on this site. Sometimes I wonder what planet these people that make the laws are from.
I would like to see a law that made it illegal for all DNR or P&W personnel to eat food that they did not grow or find in the wild on their own.
Just my opinion.

Pretty broad paint brush there!! TV shows are so scripted, it's ridiculous! Different states have different issues involving private feeding of wildlife. One such issue is CWD. A feed site brings multiple deer to one spot, hence increasing spread. Other states have different issues involving numbers, population, populated areas and so on creating a different set of issues bringing wildlife out of their natural habitat. Now, I totally agree, where feasable, supplemental feed is a great thing. Also, lets not forget, "DNR or P&W personnel" don't make laws. Laws are introduced to the legislature and enacted there by being voted on and signed into law.
It is a fine balance between public perception and science. I myself feed when I can, and it is legal. There are many executive branch employees out there that don't necessarily agree with certain laws, but they have no choice when it comes to legislation.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Ultimately wildlife is limited by the carrying capacity of the habitat, weather is part of the factors that define capacity. If you have gotten out and hiked during this long stretch of cold weather, you may have noticed several species of birds have experienced weather related losses. I'm neither for or against supplemental wildlife feeding, I do expect people to make sure the cure is not worse than the disease. Something we have forgotten as of late.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have deer eating all my bird seed. And crab apples they might find on the ground. So I went down to Wool Growers W/H and bought a bag of Deer feed. They had it there.. Guess what? Deer wouldn't touch it. Gave it to the goats.. I do throw an apple out if I see them coming around.

 

[LHSmith]

This time of year a deer's natural instinct is to eat browse......you know small woody plants like shoots and branches from oaks, cedars, sassafras, hickory, maple, and elm. They have been doing so for eons and somehow most manage to survive. They can bed for days bringing up cud saving energy.
Their natural instinct is to avoid foods that are foreign to them because their digestive system is rather finicky- i.e. acidosis from eating feed with only corn. The most difficult time for them is just before spring green-up, when most of the reachable woody browse has been consumed. Hinge cutting trees would help until the grasses begin growth.

I have deer eating all my bird seed. And crab apples they might find on the ground. So I went down to Wool Growers W/H and bought a bag of Deer feed. They had it there.. Guess what? Deer wouldn't touch it. Gave it to the goats.. I do throw an apple out if I see them coming around.

 

[timeout]

Look, all I'm saying here is that this stretch of weather has been brutal. All of the wildlife is suffering tremendously because of the arctic cold blast and snow burying their food. I don't have an overabundance of deer in my area, but what is here is hurting. I have compassion for all of the wildlife under these circumstances. I would feed a few deer right now if it were legal. I'm not going to argue CWD spread, but I have my doubts it can be halted any other way than running its course. So do we let an animal starve to death or take a chance it may contract CWD? I don't have a definitive answer to that and wonder if the experts do either. Please don't turn this post into bashing one another on the merits of feeding versus not feeding. Seems like the most innocent of threads on here lately get sent sideways off the rail.

 

[rebs]

I would not see them starve, I feed them during times like this

 

[LHSmith]

Well I do feed them with sweetmix (horse feed). I start after season so they can better tolerate the diet change rather than all at once. Once my early food crops come out of dormancy I phase out the sweet mix. As I said they are fixated on food that is above ground (branches) because that takes the least energy to get to. I check our food plot fields after our storms and there is very little activity digging through the snow- there just is nothing there. They are yarded up in the leeward edges of the swamps where there is plenty browse, and if they get desperate there is plenty mountain laurel and skunk cabbage. Also I don't know how much wildlife is affected by windchill, but I know where they yard up to avoid wind and it is surprising how much wind is blocked in these havens. At least that's the situation in my area.

Look, all I'm saying here is that this stretch of weather has been brutal. All of the wildlife is suffering tremendously because of the arctic cold blast and snow burying their food. I don't have an overabundance of deer in my area, but what is here is hurting. I have compassion for all of the wildlife under these circumstances. I would feed a few deer right now if it were legal. I'm not going to argue CWD spread, but I have my doubts it can be halted any other way than running its course. So do we let an animal starve to death or take a chance it may contract CWD? I don't have a definitive answer to that and wonder if the experts do either. Please don't turn this post into bashing one another on the merits of feeding versus not feeding. Seems like the most innocent of threads on here lately get sent sideways off the rail.

 

[Just Say Moe]

I would be inclined to feed them anyway and take my chances. They really like rice bran here. Just saw some cottonseed at Atwoods - wonder if they would like that?

 

[mmcu]

Just saw some cottonseed at Atwoods - wonder if they would like that?

Yes!

 

[KMart]

Pretty broad paint brush there!! TV shows are so scripted, it's ridiculous! Different states have different issues involving private feeding of wildlife. One such issue is CWD. A feed site brings multiple deer to one spot, hence increasing spread. Other states have different issues involving numbers, population, populated areas and so on creating a different set of issues bringing wildlife out of their natural habitat. Now, I totally agree, where feasable, supplemental feed is a great thing. Also, lets not forget, "DNR or P&W personnel" don't make laws. Laws are introduced to the legislature and enacted there by being voted on and signed into law.
It is a fine balance between public perception and science. I myself feed when I can, and it is legal. There are many executive branch employees out there that don't necessarily agree with certain laws, but they have no choice when it comes to legislation.

Most states leave it to the bureaucracy of their DNR or P&W to set the laws involving fish and game. The legislature appoints those that lead those divisions.

 

[snert]

This time of year a deer's natural instinct is to eat browse......you know small woody plants like shoots and branches from oaks, cedars, sassafras, hickory, maple, and elm. They have been doing so for eons and somehow most manage to survive. They can bed for days bringing up cud saving energy.
Their natural instinct is to avoid foods that are foreign to them because their digestive system is rather finicky- i.e. acidosis from eating feed with only corn. The most difficult time for them is just before spring green-up, when most of the reachable woody browse has been consumed. Hinge cutting trees would help until the grasses begin growth.

they got my three little elm and two forsythia last night. Im thinking venison....

 

[pirate ammo]

Feed mine all year, saving them for hard times, might be there sooner than I thought.

 

[LHSmith]

I doubt state laws consider hinge cutting or simply cutting branches as feeding deer. What do think they were eating before the snow cover? Our food crops were browsed flat and clover and chickory went dormant by November. In my area the acorns were gone by December, and we have acres of scrub oak mixed with mature oaks. While on stand in season (late Nov. thru mid Dec. ) I can see deer feeding on blueberry bushes in the marshes ( their sanctuary so they hit these pretty hard since they are undisturbed there). Many times they are on their hind legs just to reach them.

 

[joshb]

Woke up to a deer bedded in the back yard. This is one of the longest stretches of below zero we have endured. Add to that deep snow cover and no way the animal kingdom can get to some food. It's illegal to feed deer here. Weather forecast is for two more nights of below zero and starting tomorrow 8 days in a row with snow. It's starting to get serious for our wildlife. Hunters are often denigrated by the tree huggers but we care more and do more for the wildlife than they do by far. It's heartbreaking to see them without food this long. Can't get the photo to download. I have tried cropping the photo. If someone can help me with this PM me your Cell # and I will text the photo to you. Thanks.

Accidentally spilling a 50 lb. bag of corn is not illegal in Texas!
My herd of deer is suffering so I’m feeding them twice a day. They’re practically staring in the windows!

 

[LHSmith]

they got my three little elm and two forsythia last night. Im thinking venison....

Exactly. In the housing developments near camp, you can drive though anytime of day and see deer feeding on arborvitae and other landscape plants. This occurs even though the majority of homeowners (city transplants) have feeders out.

 

[LHSmith]

They’re practically staring in the windows!

Has the wife named them yet?

 

[joshb]

Has the wife named them yet?

Too many to name! More than 60, if they’d stop moving long enough to count them!