Colorado woman charged for feeding deer inside her home.

Perhaps I should explain. People who think they are doing wildlife a favour by feeding these animals , for the most part, aren’t. They are teaching wild animals to trust and rely on humans as a food source instead of using their own instincts and in doing so, do more harm than good.
 

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Feeding a deer "human" food, inside of a house is Doubly Stupid. First, such food is probably Not good for the deer, and 2nd, the deer could easily become spooked, and do some serious damage to the house and occupants.
We have quite a few deer in our forest, and every Spring I usually find the remains of a couple which starved to death during the Winter....just follow the buzzards as they circle over the forest. I watch our deers feeding on the remaining green grass and bushes each year, and most years they have enough to get by. There have been a couple of Winters where the deer have looked especially famished, in which case I go to the feed store in town and buy a couple of 50lb. sacks of corn, and spread a couple of pounds/per day around the meadow where they like to hang out. That allows them to get by until things green up again.
 
Well, I guess they can come & get me, too. I've been feeding 4 raccoons - outside my back door. I'm sure they don't rely on me, alone for food because they only visit me a 2-3 times a week. They don't come in the house & I don't pet them, though one of them scoops food out of my hand.
I researched their diet so I don't feed them anything that's not healthy.
 
Our former Medical Director Rehabbed injured animals... One legged Hawk that lived in the barn, would swoop out and snatch a chicken leg from your hand, Jane Doe... 3 legged deer that LIVED in the house, would pull the fridge open and get out veggies, would go out to use the bathroom most the time.. Host of others over the years...

We also have several bird feeders year round, Corn piles for the Deer....
Ill occasionally bring in one and warm it up..... In the oven...
Squirrels are fair game for the dogs, or taken for matching Dumplings.... destructive tree rats
 
WE feed the birds year round and put scraps out for 'possums and 'coons wen we have any. I keep a salt block across the lake for the deer. We've had some dogs coming around lately. I don't know whose they are but they are friendly so I bought a box of dog treats to give them
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Not that you need my permission, but that’s fine. The thing about feeding deer or most any wild animal is like Kesha wrote in post 3. We have a screened in patio with glass sliders over the screens, so we can use it in the winter. We also have a large gas heater to keep it warm. Anyway, I used to slide the glass slider and then the screen open, so I could throw peanuts out to the squirrels and Blue Jays.

I was telling a friend of mine, who is an avid hunter, and he told me not to do that because these animals will become aware that I have this food for them available inside and they will tear my screens trying to get in. Now I know why I have little tears in two of my screens.
 
I think win 23 has the better idea of feeding feral animals. It's far better if you don't. You don't leave food out for whatever comes a long. In most cases , you wind up feeding an animal you don't really want in your back yard. You find out what an animal actually eats -not what you think it eats. You do not overfeed animals. People leave food out for the deer. Aw, isn't that nice! The deer will eat it, then go off and die. Because their stomachs have changed to eat other things as the seasons progress, they can't digest what you feed them. It kills them. It's kind of like deer leaving tree bark for humans to eat.
 
I think win 23 has the better idea of feeding feral animals. It's far better if you don't. You don't leave food out for whatever comes a long. In most cases , you wind up feeding an animal you don't really want in your back yard. You find out what an animal actually eats -not what you think it eats. You do not overfeed animals. People leave food out for the deer. Aw, isn't that nice! The deer will eat it, then go off and die. Because their stomachs have changed to eat other things as the seasons progress, they can't digest what you feed them. It kills them. It's kind of like deer leaving tree bark for humans to eat.
After seeing them fight over mango & raw Hazelnuts, I make sure not to run out of them. Raccoons do have expensive taste. I won't feed them anything I wouldn't eat.
 
My condo community is near a wooded area. The condo association forbids feeding the birds after April 1st, as the feed can attract bears.
That's not so bad, it's easier for them to find food in the summer. They do need help in the winter.

I found out that birds, especially doves (my favorite birds), can eat some wild seeds and I planted one of those plants for them. It's a bush called Quailbush (Atriplex Lentiformis). I do throw out some seeds for them daily. I've also grown Celtis Pallida and Lycium Fremontii for the birds. This way they get food the wild way.
 
I think win 23 has the better idea of feeding feral animals. It's far better if you don't. You don't leave food out for whatever comes a long. In most cases , you wind up feeding an animal you don't really want in your back yard. You find out what an animal actually eats -not what you think it eats. You do not overfeed animals. People leave food out for the deer. Aw, isn't that nice! The deer will eat it, then go off and die. Because their stomachs have changed to eat other things as the seasons progress, they can't digest what you feed them. It kills them. It's kind of like deer leaving tree bark for humans to eat.
You might want to read post #7
 
Sorry fuzzy. I should have explained. You said “I think win23 has the better idea of feeding feral animals. It’s far better if you don’t . “

Win is feeding 4 raccoons
I don’t see the harm, if a person does it continually. I would imagine that the animal would become dependent on the food and location and if it’s not there, they may venture further onto that property looking for more food. That could make a dangerous situation. Man and wild or feral animal, I would think, probably isn’t a good thing.
 
I don’t see the harm, if a person does it continually. I would imagine that the animal would become dependent on the food and location and if it’s not there, they may venture further onto that property looking for more food. That could make a dangerous situation. Man and wild or feral animal, I would think, probably isn’t a good thing.
While raccoons aren’t considered feral, they’re vermin, feeding them teaches them to trust humans. While win might be a kind man to these creatures, they might go to other humans expecting the same only to be shot at. They may have a litter and teach them to go up to houses instead of learning to find food for themselves. Never mind the fact that they can carry diseases and such.
They may become overly dependant on humans instead of relying on themselves.

I’m a strong supporter of helping out our wildlife ONLY if it’s in THEIR best interests, like if they are in serious danger of starvation, hurt or injuried. It’s not kind otherwise.
 
I once made the mistake of feeding a homeless cat, leaving food out for it, every day. As the cold winter approached, I put a cardboard box out for it to shelter in.

Bad idea.

Raccoons took over the food, the box, the compost box - and eventually got into our attic.

Hard lesson learned.
 
If you are bent to feed a feral animal, then Win231's idea of small treats, ocassionally is the better way to go. The best way is not to feed them at all. You do not want to have the animal rely on your dole. And you do not want the animal to become accustomed to being in human presence. A few years ago, my neighbor had a couple of small kids. We had a bear start to hang around. Bears in Northeastern PA. can grow up to be in the 500-600 lb. category. Her kids were out playing when the bear went lumbering by. I told her about the bear. During the conversation, she mentioned that she left food out for the deer. Dumb **********.
Deer have been enduring harsh winter conditions for hundreds of thousands of years. They change their diet to eat twigs, bark and other deer delectables. Their stomachs actually change. People put out corn, hay, and other food people THINK deer eat in winter, but those foods rot in the stomachs and eventually cause death. You are not a deer, you don't know what a deer eats , so don't feed Bambi, cuz he'll die.
I hope this clears things up.
 
I would never feed wild raccoons out of my hand. They could be rabid.
I researched that issue as well. A rabid animal won't act normally & also won't eat or be interested in food. And, a rabid animal cannot transmit rabies until they're showing signs of rabies - which is very clear.
 


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