Feeding the Deer

Buck Hunter 1 · 02-23-2010, 03:19 PM

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10052/1037191-140.stm

I have seen dead deer because of no food, i have seen yarded up deer that were so week they could hardly walk because of no food. But in all my time in the woods i have never seen a deer die from eating? We feed all winter, mineral blocks all over, food plots year round and I have never seen our deer suffer from it. However this article seems to make people beleive the deer won't benefit form feeding them in hard weather like the NE has been getting. If I use his theory then the deer would'nt be eating the azaleas and pines, fruit tree tips and anything else they can eat to live. Am I wrong on these thoughts?

Phil from Maine · 02-24-2010, 04:09 AM

First of all right now the deer in this area are doing great because of lack of snow. That can change rather quickly though and march is a very important month for them. Alot of snow could cause major problems with pregnant does.. By not getting enough to eat and the hard walking ect.. will leave weak or dead fawns at birth.
For as far as feeding them it is not such a problem. It is predators that are being attracted to the area that the feeders are in that causes problems. Another issue we have seen is deer feeders being near highways. Being near the high ways causes alot of road kills that wouldn't normally be happening.. So if feeding keep in mind those 2 factors so that it can and will benefit the deer you are trying to help out..

BTBowhunter · 02-24-2010, 07:40 AM

Food plots and vegetation that the deer are accustomed to are not the problem. As I understand it, Rumen acidosis occurs when deer ingest large quantities of food that was not a major part of their diet. IE: dumping bags of corn in a forested area is exactly the wrong thing to do. On the other hand, putting out more corn on a farm where it's been available is not usually harmful.

The danger lies in putting large quantities of food thats not natural for the area.

I'v e also read that hay is generally the safest supplemental feed for deer in most places

sproulman · 02-24-2010, 07:53 PM

in 46 yrs in woods, i never saw deer starve from eating corn.this year we are hardly having any deer at our feeders. some have 1 deer coming to them, others 2.
i have not seen a deer in my yard as of about nov,not 1......
no fox also.only 1 owl.