Driving in the rain last night
with headlights on my tail
four deer
two on each side
of the road
startled me
I had to brake
glancing from deer to rear
view mirror back to deer
hoping both the deer
and my bumper
would remain
unscathed
I live near a nature center that is home to scores of deer. When the weather turns cold I see more and more deer on the road outside the preserve, looking for food that is becoming scarce on their land. I walk in this nature center often and see people feeding the deer apples or carrots, which is strictly against the rules of the nature center. When the ground gets completely frozen, I also long to feed these beautiful creatures whatever produce I have in my house. This longing causes a dilemma. If I feed the deer against the rules, the herds can become over populated and many could die of starvation. If I don’t feed the deer, there will be a natural culling of the herds that would be more in sync with nature’s balance. Yet it is difficult to look in those big brown eyes and not vow to bring a bag of apples the next time I walk in their woods.
What do you feel is the best approach to feeding/not-feeding wildlife?
Top photo from ImageFinder
Bottom photo is an original taken during a previous winter at the Lloyd Stage Nature Center in Troy, MI.
Wind Rush 
A dilemma for which I have no good answer.
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I tend to not feed them, but it is difficult looking into those eyes on a frigid day.
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I suppose there is pain within all love.
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That is a beautiful sentiment, Dennis. And so true.
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Now that it gets darker earlier, I slow down hoping I don’t spot a deer in front or the side of the road. They do appear on our backyard and eat the leaves from the trees and in our front yard they eat the berries from the trees in the Spring.
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They come into our yard, too. They love our hostas and and purple crocuses (not the yellow ones, mind you!). I’m not sure what they eat in the winter, though, but they are out roaming the streets.
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I see them eat leaves from the trees or shrubs. 🌿
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We live near a deer run. I slow down when I drive past the woods in the area where I normally see them. I do think about that I will hit one of them and hurt/kill either them or myself or someone driving behind me. So feeding them doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.
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Thanks for your comment, Debbie. Hitting a deer is dangerous for all involved. The speed limit by the nature center is only 35 mph but I have seen them wander even further away and close to the expressway.
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In Scotland people are also advised not to supplement the deer’s food in Winter as it can encourage the numbers to grow above the carrying capacity of the area 💜🌲
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That is probably the best approach since sometimes people will feed the deer salty or fat-laden ‘people food’. Their spindly legs look so cold! But nature knows best how to manage populations.
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☺💖 xxx
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