Feeding Wildlife

Many people enjoy feeding wildlife, especially deer. However, artificial wildlife feed may contribute to unnaturally high deer populations. Supplemental feed can increase deer reproductive rates, promote locally high deer densities, and may result in deer that are less fearful of humans typically resulting in increased deer damage problems. Additionally, sometimes people think that by feeding deer it will deter them from eating out of gardens or landscaped areas. However, this will only result in the deer eating the provided feed and any additional available food, such as gardens or landscaped areas.