But not a huge herd in my back yard. We always like to see a few wander out of the nearby woods. Sometime even visiting our backyard bird feeders. Now though, it seems our neighbors a few houses down the block love seeing them so much they have installed one of those giant barrel deer feeders on a tall tripod in their backyard. And in this years hard winter dozens and dozens of deer have migrated into our little corner of suburbia to feast on the free corn and shrubs and trees. White cedar which divides and screens homes is a particular favorite. If they can reach it they'll eat it. Take a look.....
Unable to keep my bird feeders full and counting twenty deer in my backyard one in evening in February, I pulled the plug on the sunflower operation. Fortunately, I didn't have any cedar trees in my yard and the fir trees were left alone.
Out birding last week in the nearby woods I ran across this guy. And walked right up to him. He showed no sign of fear or concern.
I could have reached out and touched him but didn't, only saying "good morning" and walking on....
I'm thinking for the deer to become this acclimated to people is not a good thing for either deer or people. There is some ill will among some or our neighbors on the whole issue of winter feeding the deer. Fortunately, it has not risen anywhere near the level of a recent incident in the Twin Cities area.
The fatal shooting recently of a Minnesota man followed years-long standoff between neighbors over feeding deer, police said. Todd Stevens, 46, was killed by a shotgun blast at his home in New Brighton, a Minneapolis suburb. Arrested was his neighbor, Neal Zumberge, 57.
Good grief!
People need to use common sense. A suburb is not the place for feeding deer.
ReplyDeleteMorning, I doer deer, they are so beautiful but remain a wild animal. People need to use their noggin , Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteoh, dear.
ReplyDeleteIf they keep feeding them, the Mountain Lions will be next chasing the herd.
ReplyDeleteI think there is enough out there for them to feed. The feeder is fun to watch, but their appetites become hard to quench when there are gourmet bushes and plants also.
ReplyDeleteDeer in our neck of the woods will eat anything, any time. They have been fed by so many people that they expect to get their daily snack at each house.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, deer can be very destructive to landscaping. I have lived with the problem for years. I've learned to plant only things the deer won't eat. Even that isn't always 100% sure. But around here it's illegal to feed the deer. The state prefers to take care of that when winters are harsh enough and forage can't be found. We've even had programs for removing herds from hillside neighborhoods. I sure wouldn't like it if my neighbors took to feeding the deer.
ReplyDeleteI love to see the deer but also know the problem . Wild hogs and turkeys are coming up closer at the ranch now days.
ReplyDeleteI am against feeding...it bunches up deer and they can pass diseases like chronic wasting among the herd. I saw one of those feeders in a big barrel...the silver hairs down at the lake feed them and have a salt lick...in the fall they had pumpkins there.
ReplyDeleteDeer are wild..leave them fend for themselves...from my experience they like Hostas, Sweet Peas, Tulips and Impatiens the best! Must be like a buffet:)
When we lived in Fox Point (Milwaukee suburb) the community was divided into two groups. Those who wanted to cull the deer population and those who fed the deer.
ReplyDeleteFeeding any wild animal in our present community is against the regulations. We have deer aplenty but we planted shrubs they are not as fond of.
The only deer-feeding going on here is on my flowers , shrubs, and trees. I know we had large herds of them this winter. Most of the neighbors feed (bait!). I hate it, but what can you do when you're outnumbered. Hunting Neighbors-37
ReplyDeleteSue and Don-just 2. Sigh.......
Deer are nice but in small numbers. I keep my distance from them as they are unpredictable and a swift kick from them can be quite harmful.
ReplyDeleteOh I think some folks are just going crazy. Don't mix guns with grudges -- very explosive. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteOh dear! Or is that oh deer? I don't think it's good for the deer to be THAT comfortable around people. It would never happen around us. Too many deer hunters!!
ReplyDeleteA small herd "lives" in the woods between my house and my 'next door" neighbors... about 10 acres or so. They seem to eat everything in Frank's yard, azaleas, hostas, blueberry bushes... but they don't seem to like mine. Or maybe they are full by the time they mosey over here.
ReplyDeleteI don't feed them, but I do provide a source of water for all the critters.
I had my camper at a RV place in south texas a couple years ago, and there were whitetail deer every evening come around, walking through the campers. Nice fat ones......
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's allowed in this country unless the animals are in an isolated and controlled place. I am an animal lover and love to feed the wildlife but would draw the line at feeding deer, for obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Feuding with neighbors can turn ugly for sure.
ReplyDeleteSeems like common sense has gone out the window.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's crazy that neighbors would do that. What is wrong with people?
ReplyDeleteWow ~ I did not hear about the shooting. That is so sad.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy seeing deer too. But once they start to come to the city, I wonder?
Good post and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Carla
...there are way too many shootings like this in our world. Sad.
ReplyDeleteBut oh so beautiful are the dear!
Happy holiday weekend.
Hootin' Anni
and
Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin'
I agree with AC, feeding deer in Suburbia is a bad idea for both the deer and the residents.
ReplyDeleteThat is the way the cedar trees in our woods look!
ReplyDeleteWe have similar feelings to you about neighbors down the road feeding deer all winter. They moved here from the city & think it is a great novelty to feed them. But a straight corn diet is not healthy at all for the deer. It also causes a freeway of deer crossing the road - not good at all for human travelers in vehicles or the deer.
Still, it's more of an annoyance to us, we wish they knew that they are doing more harm than good.
I had not heard this awful bit of news. Good grief is right!
as amanda said, it seems to be a novelty to people who aren't used to them. I was walking the dogs just yesterday and a young buck allowed us to get within 5 feet. The dogs wanted to give chase but they were behaving . I admit it was tempting to let them (the dogs) remind the deer that is is prey, but then it might run into a road and either the deer or the dogs or a person could have gotten hurt. In our area a lot of the problem is the rapid expansion of housing in areas that were once forested. The poor animals have no place to go but into the neighborhoods.
ReplyDeleteSad story . I do believe it best not to feed wild animals. Best to appreciate them in their natural setting.
ReplyDeleteEven without people feeding them deer are becoming a plague. White tailed deer are now eating gardens in the village. They have lost all fear of people.
ReplyDelete