Western Mountains Hunting Report: October 31, 2007
If you have spent time in the Rangeley area during the past few weeks, you may have noticed new signs posted around town, which read: “Feeding Deer: More Harm Than Good.” These signs were displayed around town in order to make residents and visitors of Rangeley aware of some dangers associated with feeding deer. The intention is to help people make an informed decision about whether or not to feed deer this winter, not to prohibit the practice of feeding. The creation of the signs was a collaborative effort among several different organizations, but the concept and bulk of the work has been fostered by the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsman’s Association (RRGSA).
Development of the signs began early last summer, when Mac Dudley, a board member of the RRGSA, approached the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) regional wildlife biologists in Strong inquiring about what the RRGSA could do to benefit deer in the area. Initially, the RRGSA were interested in finding more information about supplemental winter feeding of deer, but ultimately formed a committee to look at several key issues associated with deer in the area. The group did their homework and invited a variety of speakers to present information about the topic. Over time, the RRGSA accumulated a large body of information about the deer and winter feeding.
Feeding wildlife is a controversial topic, and people are motivated to feed wild animals for a variety of different reasons. However, feeding wild animals does not come without consequences, and this is particularly true for white-tailed deer. Many well-intentioned people falsely believe that deer populations are limited by the amount of food that is available in the winter. Therefore if they provide “supplemental” food, the deer will be more likely to survive. Unfortunately, winter survival is a much more complicated issue. White-tailed deer living in Maine are at the edge of their species range, and have adapted to the harsh winters by conserving as much energy as possible. They do this by seeking shelter in “deer yards” and by reducing their metabolic rate and daily activities. Research has shown that the availability of winter shelter is the most critical factor to a deer’s survival in Maine. One of the dangers of feeding deer is over-browsing of the natural vegetation around the feeding site, which can actually affect the long-term viability of this critical winter shelter. This inadvertent consequence of feeding can have a long-term effect on the local deer population.
This is just one of the many potentially significant consequences when you choose to feed wildlife. MDIFW applauds the efforts that RRGSA has taken to educate their neighbors and friends about this subject. If you are planning to feed deer this winter take a minute to read one of the signs, and if you still have questions or would like further information visit MDIFW’s website at www.mefishwildlife.com or call a regional Wildlife Office.
