Feeding Deer
The practice of feeding deer by a kind hearted soul can create more problems that you might reasonably be led to believe. The guilty party may be a person you've been told about or read about, it could be a friend, or it could be a neighbor. It could be you.
Why on earth is feeding deer such a bad idea? There are several reasons. It can be harmful to the deer, and it can be potentially harmful to us as well, in more ways than one in either case. Some states attempt to halt this problem by warnings and education. Others make it illegal for certain time periods or in certain locales. Others ban it outright.
The problem is probably greater in the northern tier of states, where the winters are more severe, and concern for the well-being of the animal is more widespread. One problem lies in the fact that artificial feeding in the winter, providing food beyond that which exists in the natural habitat, can actually do the deer more harm than good.
A deer begins to store up fat from early autumn into early winter. From that point on, a significant amount of a deer's energy requirements comes from stored fat, a condition which lasts until spring. The activity level of the deer decreases during the winter months, as does the deer's food intake. In short, the deer has a lesser need for food during the winter, not more. Their daily consumption of food will generally hover around 50% of the level consumed during the spring and summer months. The rest of their nutritional needs come from fat reserves.
What deer need most in the winter, besides some food of course, is cover. A deer is better off staying near cover, and foraging in that area, than it is by making trips of some distance, in the knowledge that a bountiful supply food has been made available to them. This situation can be particularly hard on fawns, which rely on rest and warmth, and do not profit from long treks, especially if the food supply at the end of the trek has already been consumed.
Another problem which feeding deer can contribute to is an increase in their concentration in one area. This can lead to the spread of disease, the attracting of predators, and of course the dangers inherent when a large number of deer congregate near a busy highway.
There is also a potential danger if only a very small number are being fed. We think of deer as being timid. Running is of course their first line of defense. But they will fight if they think there is no other option. Their hooves are very sharp and quite capable of causing injury. Though it has happened rarely, "pet" deer have been known to inflict fatal injuries.
An area we haven't covered yet is that of feeding deer while hunting for the purpose of attracting them. This practice is more appropriately known as "baiting". This practice is allowed in some states, allowed with certain restrictions in others, and banned outright in still others. Crops, or the remnants of harvested crops may attract deer are not considered as a means of baiting or artificial feeding. Under the law, croplands are treated as natural habitat.
Most of us have a soft spot, and this soft spot dictates to us that we come to the aid of wildlife that we believe may be having a hard time of it. That is noble indeed, but we need to pause and realize that the animal in question is probably doing just fine, or at least is able to "tough it out". Don't feed the deer.