Fines for feeding deer

[messenger516]

The dec is fineing people left and right for feeding the deer this winter. I know their worried about CWD but no cases have been reported anywhere around this state. Also worried about them becoming dependent on us for food. Im sorry but when i look out my window and see starving animals and feel its my duty to feed them. It's part of our fault cause every day we take more and more of their food supply away for commercalizing. Im by no means a tree hugger but it think its wrong for people to buy a peice of property to level it for a million dollar house that they never live in. Anyway, how can we put bird feeders out to feed the birds but i cant put a bag of deer feed out for the deer without worring 'bout getting a 500 dollar fine?

[Rwalter63]

I think the DEC is just trying to be proactive to prevent CWD. Also there is a real concern in urban areas where deer hunting is not allowed but the population is artificially supported by people feeding the deer.

[messenger516]

Its always been illegal to feed deer at your house. This year is no different. CWD didnt arise till 2 years ago. I cant think of any none huntable urban areas around here.

[Rwalter63]

I believe CDW was first detected in deer in Colorado back in 1967 and it has slowly been spreading itself eastward since then. As for urban areas where deer hunting is not allowed. Try Amherst, NY a major suburb of Buffalo, NY with a populaton of around 120,000 people. They have a major problem with deer and have had to have bait and shoot programs to control the deer population. There are alot of other major communities in NY with the same problem that have resorted to bait and shoot. Why is the population so large in these areas? One because some of these communities do not allow any form of hunting at all, Amherst is just one of several Buffalo suburbs that do not even allow bow hunting. Two, there are people who feed these deer in these areas and allows populations of animals to survive that would not normally be supported by the surronding forage. There is one lady who has been arrested so many times for feeding the deer at one local park the judge was going to send her to jail.