Feeding the Deer

[UnderTheStars]

I started feeding the deer this winter. Usually I don't because the snow in prior years has been insane, but this year the snow is not too high.

I was using traditional deer feed through the summer - sweet pellets. My brother-in-law recommended I switch to horse food, much cheaper. $9.99 for 50 pounds. It's always gone in the morning so they like it.



I'd like to get them used to me, so when I knock the bucket they come running for dinner.

[gamgee]

You have a good heart.

[UnderTheStars]

I'd love to have an elk farm. Made some elk chili the other day that was just. . . Damn. .

Did the elk like eating chili? I would think they'd get gas.

[UnderTheStars]

You have a good heart.

The critters put a smile on my face.

[Tactical Knightmare]

Have you tried feeding them just straight horses yet and skipping the middle man?

Quickest point from A to B is often a straight line.

[UnderTheStars]

Horses would be way expensive. And it would kind of be like feeding bacon to a pig.

[Tactical Knightmare]

Hate to break this to you but.....pigs LOVE bacon same way chickens LOVE chicken.

[UnderTheStars]

That gives me the willies. Bet the writer of Soylent Green had a pig he fed bacon.

[Tactical Knightmare]

trust me..if you ever saw how the average pig on a processing farm is raised. You wouldnt eat bacon.
Nasty nasty, only the greasy goodness of bacon can overcome my disgust of them.

[Unclefred]

I might start doing that this summer so theyll leave my garden alone. Plus, a nice fattie for the freezer.

[TheRabbit]

Undie, I think you are great. I hope you know that. I would love to meet you someday, and that is not something that I care to happen with most people on the internet. For some reason, I feel some type of connection with you. Not sure why, or what that means, but it's there.

I say that, because I'm about to yell at you, and I don't want you to think I am just being mean. This is something that I care a lot about.

PLEASE STOP FEEDING THE DEER!
Chronic Wasting Disease is a very serious problem that is caused by people feeding deer. It can completely wipe out a population in an area that is affected. It's one thing to leave something out that deer like once in a while, but to constantly feed them so that they come to you is just foolish. They are not cats or dogs.

If you want to attract deer, plant shrubs and gardens that they like. Please undie, do some research on CWD. It's not something to take lightly.

[Mayaca]

PLEASE STOP FEEDING THE DEER!
If you want to attract deer, plant shrubs and gardens that they like. Please undie, do some research on CWD. It's not something to take lightly.

Agreed, sorry Undie.

[UnderTheStars]

Undie, I think you are great. I hope you know that. I would love to meet you someday, and that is not something that I care to happen with most people on the internet. For some reason, I feel some type of connection with you. Not sure why, or what that means, but it's there.

I say that, because I'm about to yell at you, and I don't want you to think I am just being mean. This is something that I care a lot about.

PLEASE STOP FEEDING THE DEER!
Chronic Wasting Disease is a very serious problem that is caused by people feeding deer. It can completely wipe out a population in an area that is affected. It's one thing to leave something out that deer like once in a while, but to constantly feed them so that they come to you is just foolish. They are not cats or dogs.

If you want to attract deer, plant shrubs and gardens that they like. Please undie, do some research on CWD. It's not something to take lightly.

OK, so I just read up quickly on this.. It's not the food that does them in, it's the unnatural sharing of food piles that leads to contamination to other deer. Do I have that right?

So I'll cut back, like you said. That's recommended anyway, for birds and any wild animal, so they retain their foraging skills.

Thanks for the heads-up. I don't want to kill the deer - I love them.

Holy shit, you yelled at me.

But that's ok, your first contact with me was yelling at me in the DS - I knew you didn't mean it. You're ok by me too.

[UnderTheStars]

So what's a recommended feed schedule for "once in a while"?

[Harry Henderson]

CWD is almost a hoax of epic proportions. It has been around for ages (40+ known years) and takes years to manifest to detrimental effect in deer. It has devastated higher density deer farming, but wild populations ebb and flow like they always have.

If anything CWD is a perfect way to engage non-hunters into the benefits of compensatory hunting. Instead CWD has turned into a fear mongering technique by special interest groups, mostly from the wild game farming and trophy industry. A 5-7year old cervid in the wild is not natural in high quantities. But the covet of captive big game ranchers.

Follow the money, find the lies, feed the wild deer.