How many of you....

[growalot]

Think people will be or have already started feeding the deer out of concern for them...I'm thinking that more than a few...since I see that T/C Farms corn supply looked low and I saw ppl asking about sweet feeds and goat feeds and they sounded clueless standing next to a flat cart loaded up with whole corn...Oh and whats that red block do? 

Edited February 24, 2015 by growalot

[BizCT]

Hopefully none. Illegal baiters should pay for their sins!

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[Lawdwaz]

A friend mentioned it to me yesterday and I discouraged it.

[growalot]

Well now... That's not baiting...but illegal feeding and I'm pretty sure the ppl I saw, have nothing to do with hunting...they consider them selves "good Samaritans" Clueless animal lovers

[landtracdeerhunter]

[dbHunterNY]

yea hopefully nobody's doing something illegal but if they are at least I hope they know the following....
http://www.qdma.com/articles/how-to-provide-emergency-winter-deer-food

 

....many don't and think they're doing good, when they really aren't.

 

Edited February 24, 2015 by dbHunterNY

[growalot]

This is why I prefer controlling the invasive brush, wild grapes and wild rose over eradicating it...why I choose how,what and when I cut junk trees...never to the ground unless older...but deer head high so they continue to re-sprout...I have several silver maple I have had in "topiary" mode for over 10 years...always young tender shoots and buds in easy reach.

[First-light]

If I lived at my place full time I wouldn't feed them. I would try to help them out though by clearing some of the hard pack over my food plots or grassy areas. They must use a lot of energy to get down to the ground only to feed on a small area.

[GoBigRed30]

On my Dairy farm once in a while we get a few deer here and there eat from our Silage bins in the winter but this year they are hitting it every night and more often than not its 10-20 deer at a time.  Its high quality stuff with a mixture of Alfalfa, clover and corn so I see why they eat it. We have had to try and block it off with round bales and loaders but they still find a way in or just eat the round bales.

[growalot]

They are amazing...can smell food a mile away...I as I'm sure others that cut mid/late winter trees have seen where an area had absolutely no sign of deer in the snow...... just to cut and find the area packed down in the next 2 days...they must smell the fresh wood and chips...definitely hear the saws...

[First-light]

Grow,

I I were to cut some trees what will they eat off of them. I know they stand on their hind legs to get at the branches but what are they actually eating?

[Mr VJP]

I swear I read an article somewhere a few years back that said if you feed corn to deer at this time of the year it can kill them.  Something about the way their digestive tracts change with the seasons.

 

If it's true, a lot of do gooders are really doing the total opposite of what they think they are doing.

 

Anyone else know about this?

[dbHunterNY]

Grow,

I I were to cut some trees what will they eat off of them. I know they stand on their hind legs to get at the branches but what are they actually eating?

 

they nibble at the bark and little buds, at the ends of any branch or brush.

[Curmudgeon]

I swear I read an article somewhere a few years back that said if you feed corn to deer at this time of the year it can kill them.  Something about the way their digestive tracts change with the seasons.

 

If it's true, a lot of do gooders are really doing the total opposite of what they think they are doing.

 

Anyone else know about this?

 

Yes, they cannot completely change their diet in a hurry. The bacteria in their digestive system needs to change in order for them to get energy from corn - so without a transition, they can starve with a full belly.

 

Cutting trees and branches is legal, and is giving them what they are used to eating.

 

[dbHunterNY]

I swear I read an article somewhere a few years back that said if you feed corn to deer at this time of the year it can kill them.  Something about the way their digestive tracts change with the seasons.

 

If it's true, a lot of do gooders are really doing the total opposite of what they think they are doing.

 

Anyone else know about this?

 

it has to do with the bacteria in there stomach changing to digest what they're eating at the time which is woody winter browse.  it takes eating something for a couple weeks for them to finally be able to pull nutrients from it.  not normally a problem as changes in food sources between seasons during the year take time.  read the article/link I posted above.

[growalot]

vjp you are right and I can't say whether the conservationist does and article on this...but if they do not they should...it disrupts the micro balance in their guts for one thing...it uses up energy trying to break down something with little nutritional value....

 

One would be surprised at how much simple buds and tender bark can help deer...why I cringe at guys wanting to clear cut for big plots....even my few big open areas I allow brush to grow and plant around it...the fencing I'm installing had grapes planted along it ...and I'll train them to wires above the fence...some sections will have fruiting brush planted along it..hazelnut bushes ect....Elderberry brush in my woods is one of the most important food source I have...they have big nutritious buds and the deer will eat them to the ground...then they regrow...cutting sumac so the buds are low enough to consume...yep takes more time and effort but worth it

[Mr VJP]

Found this article on the subject:

 

http://www.deerfriendly.com/feeding-deer

[Merlot]

Reminds me of an episode played out some 35 years ago by some people bound and determined to feed several deer on a small brushy island, just above the brink of Niagara Falls. They wanted to load up a boat or barge and ferry over to this island to feed the deer fruits and vegetables...Kinda nuts.

The stuff to be delivered just wasn't compatible for deer as I remember. Just toying with the idea of going across a portion of Niagara river to feed deer was just unbelievable to me.

Wondered if anyone remembers the story...I believe it was on the local news back then.

[Rhwrhwrhw0426]

I just watched hardcore hunt on the pursuit channel shoot a nice buck over hay in Alberta in NY don't bait their stomachs do not like change I've seen two dead deer this year one was a young doe yotes killed the other who knows but they r doin fine if ur that worried cut down some trees

[Rhwrhwrhw0426]

On a side note otters are reproducing in 8w which is pretty awesome the reclamation project actually worked

[Doc]

They are amazing...can smell food a mile away

Hell, I can do that ..... lol.

[Grizz1219]

If you aren't feeding them in Oct. don't start feeding them in Feb... they won't digest it well..

 

[growalot]

No one should have been feeding them in Oct. as well...the only way to ever feed a deer is through conservation efforts on land through planting and or woodlot work..ie...tree cutting and trimming

[Twax10]

It's sort of like when my tummy gets use to eating steak and taters for dinner every night then I get stuck at work late and have to stop at Mcdonalds at 8pm for a big mac and by 9pm I'm pooing my brains out and it feels like I've been shot in the stomach. Don't feed deer Mcdonalds 

[EspressoBuzz]

I personally won't feed deer even in a harsh winter like we are having, but I can't fault those that do. However, there are some rules that make sense. Here on long island we have Connectquot St. Pk. nearly 5000 acres that can not be hunted, it is loaded with deer (and ticks), is used by mostly equesritans and trout fishermen. Many on it's border feed deer and not just when the winters are this bad. None follow the rules of feeding deer 500 feet from a road. Some want to see the deer eating and feed them less than 20 feet from the shoulder and just over a 6 foot fence which is nothing for deer to jump.

 

Guess where most of the deer car collisions happen?