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Good afternoon, I have just been on the Deer cam at Eastern Backwoods and I don’t understand what they are saying to me about feeding the Deer which stops on the Ist January because of spreading disease ! Does anyone know about Deer and why they are only fed at certain times and how feeding them for a period of time stops problems spreading.?
Lovely day and I am excited to have both doors open because for some reason the cat has gone walkabout and it means I have fresh air flowing throughout the house. 56F and it says rain but they got that wrong again I am pleased to say with a beautiful deep blue sky !
I hope your weather is good for the weekend and you have a good one although for us I guess every day is somewhat the same ! 🤗-
Hi Beryl…not sure but maybe there are more of them closer together at that time (winter), not an expert though.
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The short answer
Many wildlife programs pause or prohibit deer feeding to reduce disease transmission during the peak congregation months. Artificial food piles draw unrelated deer nose-to-nose, where saliva, urine, and feces can spread pathogens. The most discussed risks are chronic wasting disease (CWD), bovine tuberculosis (TB) in some regions, and EHD/BT issues tied to crowding and environmental conditions.
Why feeding “seems helpful” but often isn’t
- Crowding: Natural winter behavior already concentrates deer. A corn pile concentrates them even tighter, increasing contact rates and contaminating the site.
- Surface contamination: Feed piles, troughs, and the soil beneath them become shared contact surfaces. Prions (CWD) and bacteria can persist in soil; returning deer re-expose themselves.
- Digestive stress: Sudden high-starch diets (e.g., straight corn) can cause acidosis/enterotoxemia, especially in cold snaps when deer switch from woody browse to a corn dump overnight.
- Behavioral changes: Regular handouts can alter movement patterns, stress native browse, and make deer more vulnerable to predators, vehicles, or illegal take.
Seasonal Changes
- Seasonal disease management: Agencies often set a post-holiday cutoff to avoid the deep-winter congregation window (Jan–Mar) when spread is most efficient.
- Enforcement clarity: A fixed date is simpler to communicate and enforce than a moving target tied to weather or deer phase.
- Post-season transitions: After late hunting seasons end, concentrating deer can inadvertently aggregate bucks and does from multiple areas, amplifying cross-herd transmission.
Important: Regulations vary by state/province. Some places ban feeding year-round; others allow limited “supplemental feeding” with strict spacing and volume rules. Always check your local wildlife agency.
Safer alternatives if you want to help wildlife
- Habitat, not handouts: Plant native shrubs/forbs and maintain winter browse (dogwood, willow, aspen regen).
- Thermal cover: Encourage conifer patches (spruce, fir, pine) and windbreaks that reduce energy loss.
- Water & minerals? Avoid salt/mineral licks—they’re congregation hubs and can be illegal. Provide natural water access (unheated in many places is fine; keep it clean if you use a bubbler).
- Scatter, don’t pile (if legal): If your jurisdiction permits feeding for viewing, disperse small amounts over a wide area and rotate sites to prevent contaminated hotspots.
- Camera ethics: Place cams off the path to avoid funneling deer to a single point; don’t advertise exact locations during sensitive periods.
What cams mean when they announce a feeding pause
When a cam says “we stop feeding on January 1 to prevent disease,” it usually means:
- They’re complying with agency guidance designed to reduce winter-time congregation.
- They’ll continue non-feeding observations of natural movements and habitat use.
- Any future food (e.g., for research) will follow strict protocols (dispersal, site rotation, cleanup).
Quick reference: do & don’t
Do
- Build native habitat and winter shelter.
- Keep distance; view with optics or cams.
- If feeding is legal and you choose to do it: disperse, rotate, tiny amounts, clean sites, and stop by the cutoff.
Don’t
- Create single big piles of corn or apples.
- Use shared troughs/licks that become saliva stations.
- Ignore local rules or advice from wildlife health programs.
FAQ
“Does slicing fruit help?”
Sliced fruit can be easier to eat, but the bigger issue is congregation and site contamination, not fruit size. If feeding is restricted or paused, don’t substitute with “easier” food—follow the pause.
“Is winter starvation common without feeding?”
Healthy deer populations are adapted to local winters. The best long-term help is habitat improvement and keeping populations in balance with what the land can support.
“Can I sanitize a feeding spot?”
You can rake up leftover grain and move locations, but some agents (like CWD prions) can persist in soil. That’s why programs emphasize preventing high-use hotspots.
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