Seeing hungry deer in the winter can tug at anyone's heartstrings.  However, is feeding deer helpful or hurtful to them in the long run.  The best survival strategy for deer in the winter is to have plenty of natural food and cover.  However, early and deep snow coupled with cold temperatures can threaten their survival.  In the interest of stimulating this debate, we surveyed state wildlife agencies and others to identify both supplemental feeding guidelines and concerns.  Here is a summary of some of the information we uncovered.

Factors affecting feeding:

• Alfalfa hay and pellets are the most commonly available feed for deer, but it takes time for the animals' digestive systems to adjust to the change in diet from their natural browse. If deer don't have enough fat reserves to carry them through the adjustment period, they can die of starvation with a belly full of alfalfa.
• Can cause scours in fawns.
• Feeding deer in heavily traveled areas can increase deer-vehicle collisions.
• High concentrations of deer in one area can increase vulnerability to predation of poaching.
• High concentrations of deer can increase transmission of disease (especially eye and respiratory infections).
• Wildlife will continue to eat other forages even in areas where they are fed, and the high concentration of animals will cause the range in that area to be overused.
• When the expense of feeding causes feeding areas to shut down, deer are left searching for food in urban areas where they can cause damage to crops, shrubs and trees.
• Intense competition for food in a limited space will often cause higher death rates for fawns than under more natural dispersed conditions.
• Starvation primarily happens to animals that enter the winter in poor body condition, according to careful biological studies. Deer research has shown that animals in good condition can survive the winter on reduced feed levels. Supplemental feeding can be virtually irrelevant to survival.
• Deer accustomed to a feeding station will need food at least through March or April.
• Even the most aggressive feeding programs save only a small percentage of the population and are very expensive.
• There is no substitute for healthy four-season range. Though it may seem cruel or unkind, it is perfectly natural that 10-15 percent of deer and elk will not survive a mild winter; more die in a harsh winter. Animals ill-equipped to survive are taken from the herds by starvation, accidents, predators, exposure (freezing), diseases and parasites. Feeding may save a few from starvation but does nothing to halt losses from other causes.
  
  
                                       What Do You Think?
  
  MuleDeerNet.org would like to hear from you regarding your stories and experience, both good and bad, with supplemental feeding of mule deer during the winter.
  
  Should it be done at all?
  
  If it is being done, when should it start? When should it end?
  
  What guidelines should be followed?
  
  Should it be regulated and if so, by whom?
  
  Some state and provincial agencies have adopted official big game feeding policies, while others have not.
             For a list of this polices, click here!
  
  Please email your comments to us at:
  MuleDeerNet
  
  Comments will be posted in this section of the site as they are received.
  
  Thank you for your thoughts and participation.