Deer in our backyard!

[Laurie]

Tonight after running an errand, I saw 2 deer in the woods in our backyard. As there is no hunting here because it's a residential area, I would love to be able to feed them but I don't know what to give them. Can anyone offer advice and suggestions?

 

[EveningChin]

Cracked corn, salt licks, anf you can usually buy dear feed at many home and yard repair stores. We get them this time of year too because its hunting season and they know they cannot get shot in town.

Up at out cabin we feed cracked corn because its helps pad them for the winter. We leave several piles of corn a few yards apart. This way when the herd comes in they seperate and don't beat each other up so bad.

Good Luck!

 

[Brittney]

I agree. My grandfather has a ton of his property posted against hunting, and he actually feeds the deer. During the winter he sets out huge salt licks which they love, and he offers them cow and goat feed that is about to go bad (as in stale). Like said, some stores offer deer food. Sometimes even in hunting sections too.

Just beware, you will attract more than just deer.

 

[Spoof]

lol, there was deer feed in the grocery store next to the baked goods today. I had a good laugh.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Tractor supply sells the salt licks and cracked corn, I believe.

There a mommy dear and her baby living in the woods on the side of my driveway and she travels across the driveway with the baby several times during the day. I go slow when coming home and leaving so I don't hit her. She runs out in the driveway in front of my car random and will stand there until the baby gets across.
They are so adorable.

 

[eroomlorac]

Awesome, Laurie. Warn her about the woods and the full moon, though. :thumbsup: It would be cool to feed the deer. I'm curious to see how many show up at supper time in the winter. You may get more than you bargained for and I'm betting the landlord isn't going to like it, since he doesn't seem to like anything having to do with animals. Deer feed is sold in the hunting section because some hunters use the feed to lure the deer to one spot and then shoot them. Sad, but true.

 

[Kalandra]

Laurie, you may want to check with your DNR to ensure its legal. Michigan passed a ban last year on feeding deer. The ban was issued to try to combat chronic wasting disease. I don't know if other states have done this yet though

 

[3CsMommy]

Seconding Kalandra. Growing up in Ohio, the Fish and Game people were kind of picky about what people gave to wild animals.

 

[addictedtochins]

If the general area they are living in isn't large enough to sustain them, I really don't think you should feed them. I've had horses and goats and I doubt you would start buying bales of hay each month etc. They should be encouraged to move on to better foraging. Plus there is a high risk they'll get hit by a car.

 

[Laurie]

The area I'm talking about is a couple acres of woods behind the Apartment. The Root River runs through it, and I seriously doubt the DNR come by. I do the man who used to live in the building when I first moved in 13 years ago used to feed the deer. He passed away several years ago and I don't recall seeing many deer after that. Today it was nice to see a couple of them again and felt I should feed them as he used to. Perhaps I can take some pictures tomorrow of the area and post them.

 

[addictedtochins]

I do the man who used to live in the building when I first moved in 13 years ago

Really Laurie! Too much information! :err:

 

[Brittney]

:hilarious: I'm pretty sure a "know" was supposed to be thrown in there... or maybe not.....

 

[arf2184]

LOL!

We have a large apple tree in the front yard.. We give most of the apples to a lady who lives out in the country. She puts a big pile in view of her window. Usually the next morning she gets to wake to a dozen or so does munching on them. They love them!

 

[Laurie]

Holy Cow! guess I should proof read before I post LOL!. I talked to my dad tonight and he's going to take me out to Farm and Fleet and check out if they have deer feed. Of course my father thinks I'm crazy to feed the deer. But then again I fed all the baby ducks up at our trailer during the Spring so he could go out and shoot them in the fall! Mean daddy! But I do have apples I'm going to set out when I get home in the morning. Then hopefully after I get up tomorrow afternoon I'll have a few things stocked to feed. Maybe I'll even be able to get some pics!

 

[AZChins]

They come by here and eat apple cores that I put out on the compost heap, whenever I make apple pies I can count on seeing them eating the cores. I usually don't directly try to feed the wildlife, the compost heap is enough with chin pellets, hay cubes, kitchen waste, etc. I think deer will eat a lot of different things - I think they were out there the other morning eating chin pellets.

 

[pita839]

Our town has a very large cemetery which is a safe haven for deer. A few years ago I saw a man hand feeding some deer a corn mixture feed. The deer are so used to being fed that now most of them will come right up to your car to be fed, as well as the wild turkeys and the geese.