BSK; you have to admit that there are many factors which limit the deer carrying capacity of an area of property. These would normally be hunting, food, predators. But; if you live in an area that averages 14 ft of snow per year, the normal control factors are low compared to the effect deep snow and snow late in the season have on the deer. The deer population is well below the food carrying capacity, so that habitat is not being depleted. If the deer are unable to get winter food in an extreme winter, emergency feeding is the only way to maintain an adequite deer population for hunting. This area only has a very limited doe harvest (by draw only). The harvest limit is one deer, and the deer population is low compared other areas. I don't think it is reasonable to lower the deer population to a point were there was no open season because emergency winter feed wasn't given.

If people are feeding hay that has a high grass content they are wasting money and effort as compared to feeding alfalfa cubes/hay if deer cannot digest the hay.

Dan O.