Avoid the inclination to feed mule deer during the winter months as doing so can lead to disease transmission, predation and other negative effects. Courtesy/LAC

COUNTY News:

• Winter Feeding Of Mule Deer Can Lead To Disease Transmission, Predation, Other Negative Effects

Human compassion makes people want to help mule deer with winter-feeding programs. Winter feeding of mule deer creates artificially high concentrations of animals, leading to increased risks, including disease transmission and predation. Human disturbance can reduce a mule deer’s body condition and increase their energy use, which can impact their survival and reproduction.

Winter-feeding also has the potential to disrupt both winter foraging activities and migratory patterns. Unlike elk, mule deer are highly selective foragers, at least in part, due to their specialized digestive system. Winter-fed mule deer often die with full stomachs due to their inability to adapt to rapid changes in type and abundance of feed.

As mule deer learn the locations of feeding stations, they continue to visit these sites, may fail to recognize the need for migration, and then share the information with each successive year’s offspring. Winter-feeding locations generate artificially high animal densities at feeding sites. These high densities of animals provide ideal opportunities for the transmission of diseases and parasites. 

Winter feeding in areas highly populated by humans may create significant liability issues in terms of attracting predatory animals such as mountain lions, and can attract deer into high traffic areas, causing an increase in vehicle accidents.

Both proponents and opponents of winter feeding believe they have the deer’s best interest in mind. We must focus on the sustainability of the mule deer population for generations to come – not just one season. Changing nature by winter feeding is a complex matter involving numerous issues. At best, the winter feeding of mule deer is only successful in making people who are compassionate about wildlife feel better and seldom has any benefits realized for the mule deer.

Mule deer have several strategies for surviving the winter, including:

• Conserving energy – Mule deer limit their movement and physical activity to conserve energy;
• Finding shelter – Mule deer seek shelter from the wind and cold in thickets, under evergreen trees, and in other areas with lots of vegetation. They also look for areas with snow that’s not too deep;
• Migrating – Mule deer may migrate to a “winter range” or “deeryard” that offers protection from the elements, good browse and thermal cover;
• Adapting their diet – Mule deer may eat twigs, bark and other woody plants when their preferred food sources are scarce. They also use their antlers to brush away snow from their food sources; and
  
• Withstanding cold temperatures – Mule deer are well-adapted to cold climates and can withstand temperatures as low as -40°F. Their thick fur helps insulate them.

Learn more about Understanding Mule Deer and Winter Feeding. Visit the Living with Wildlife website to learn more about the animals of the Pajarito Plateau.