The subjects of artificially feeding wild deer and deer baiting continue to be hot topics for both hunters and wildlife photographers. Does it help with winter survival? Is it healthy for the animals? Does it increase the hunter’s chance of killing deer? Is baiting an ethical part of a hunt? To examine the issues, we must first come to some agreement as to what artificial feeding is — and is not.
Putting out a bin-style feeder to broadcast grains or corn or dropping off loads of apples, carrots or turnips certainly qualify as artificial enticements. These techniques are often used to attract deer to areas that they may otherwise not find quite as inviting or to coax them closer for bow, gun or camera.
Food plots, planted grazing forage and managing trees or shrubs are common wildlife management techniques, supplementing the natural habitat in which the animals roam. These enhancements may influence deer to take advantage of survival-friendly areas and are a long-term investment for both ungulate and humans.
Currently, deer are the only game animals that are commonly baited for the purpose of hunting in Ohio. Turkey, waterfowl and doves are off limits. Yes, you could also certainly — and legally — knock off a lot of raccoons around those deer feeders, but the primary purpose is to bag a deer or get a great photo.
Do these baiting stations work? You bet they work, but not always as the hunter may have planned. While the feeders will certainly attract deer, there’s no guarantee what time of day they may stop for a snack. In other words, deer will show up, but that doesn’t make the quest for a big buck a sure bet. It seems that night-time visits often become the norm. The value of baiting to the hunter is found in the hope of bringing the deer to you, but it will take some careful study.
A better way
Habitat enhancements affect deer a little differently. Since these are long-term plantings, deer learn to move about them during the changing seasons. All of this becomes part of their home and their movements around the area will become naturally habitual. I’d like to say that they become more predictable, but anyone who has hunted deer knows that isn’t true.
White-tails seem to enjoy being mysteriously impulsive creatures, especially during peak breeding seasons. For the hunter, improved habitat tends to hold animals closer in the area rather than roaming to and from bait sites. Ambush sites can be selected based on established travel patterns after careful study.
As can be seen, both hunting methods have some advantages. Where do I lean in this tug-of-war between methods? I’m on the side of establishing habitat for several reasons. First of all, it’s enjoyable to see your improvements literally blossom in the areas you hunt. Second, food plots, clover and grass plantings, improved woodlots and windbreaks are valuable for other wildlife species. What hunter doesn’t enjoy seeing a pileated woodpecker bounce through the trees, a red fox mousing in the grass or a group of turkeys wander through in their single-file march, and knowing that you helped create those opportunities? Of course, not everyone has the ability to put in food plots or habitat adjustments; that’s what has made baiting popular with so many.
Lastly, I’m no longer so sure that artificial feeding is wise — legal or not. Just so you know, the answer is yes: I do own a bulk deer feeder. It currently sits in the barn and I have no plans to return it to use. Why? There comes that same mantra: careful study. While the idea of whether baiting, as an ethical hunting practice, is often debated, I’m not one to lose much sleep over the subject.
My own conscience whispers that I shouldn’t do it, but that same voice doesn’t allow my choices to dictate what is being quietly asserted in your ear. It’s currently legal — at least in most of the state — and it’s your decision. Of course, the best decisions are informed choices, so let me tell you why my old feeder is now in storage.
Issues
The first consideration was whether I had the ability to improve the habitat in my area. The answer was yes. I began to feel that for me, feeding was a bit of a lazy approach, could be very expensive and only offered a short-term offering. At that point, I put together a land management habitat plan. I then began to look at the actual feeding process. Anyone who feeds birds knows that those feeders can be jammed with wet bird food and that their sloppy eating habits can leave layers of grain on the ground. A standard precaution is to clean feeders periodically and to rake areas around them to prevent poisoning molds from developing. This prompted me to take a look at some of the corn in and around my deer feeder and also in the storage barrels I kept in the barn. Yep, I found mold. That’s not good for any animal that may try to digest it and it can also result in a lot of wasted cash.
Chronic wasting disease was another determining factor. Remember that I mentioned deer baiting and feeding is legal in most of Ohio? Guess where it isn’t allowed: in areas where CWD is confirmed. That gave me pause to consider that CWD has been found in the wild herd in my next-door county. There are also other disease possibilities such as epizootic hemorrhagic disease. Artificial enticements may congregate deer from further distances, including those that may be symptomatic. Like one sick kid in a classroom, artificially concentrated populations of deer could be at risk. I prefer to try and avoid that possibility. I don’t want to become part of the problem.
Finally, do the deer need fed? Most of us have seen deer scratching about in the fields during mid-winter and we can become naturally concerned whether they’re getting enough to eat. We begin feeding them like we do winter’s birds. Deer feeding can be a controversial topic, however, the science is not. According to Bill Cook, Michigan State University Extension, “Supplemental winter feeding of white-tailed deer offers no benefit to the size or health of deer herds on the landscape scale. Research has shown this to be true across the northern tier of states from Maine to Montana, repeatedly, for decades.”
Cook continues, “In addition to being ineffective, there are many downsides of supplemental feeding of deer. The wrong choice of feed can kill deer. Deer can starve to death with a full belly. The possibility of disease transmission increases. The most vulnerable are the least likely to benefit. Migration patterns may be disrupted. Social patterns among maternal groups may become dysfunctional. Feeding areas can attract predators and other, less desirable, species. Attempts to push deer populations beyond winter carrying capacity can lead to long-term habitat damage. Car-deer crashes may increase. Deer trail networks can deteriorate if left unused due to attraction to feeding stations.”
So that’s why my deer feeder is gathering dust in the corner of the barn and why I’ve diverted my attention to improving what I know works on a natural level. It’s also interesting to me that when I’m doing this work that friends inevitably show up to either lend a hand or hand me a cold beverage. That’s the kind of baiting I enjoy.
Whether to set up a feeding station is up to your hunting circumstances. I’ve found a sound approach that works for me for both the camera, for hunting and for the next generation.
If you do enjoy baiting, the Ohio Division of Wildlife does have some suggestions:
• Only leave enough bait or feed out that can be consumed completely within 48 hours.
• Only use food or bait labeled for use for that animal. Do not use human foods to feed or bait wildlife.
• Switch it up! To the extent possible, move the area feed or bait is placed to reduce the risk of disease spread.
• Keep it seasonal. For hunters, only bait when you are actively hunting and when regulations allow.
• Avoid feeding grain in warm, moist conditions and discard sprouted, moldy or wet feed/bait.
• Don’t place bait/feed near roads or property lines. Stop feeding if the feed or bait causes a nuisance (such as wildlife crossing roadways, property damage, etc.).
• Place bird feeders and structures at a sufficient height (60 inches or higher) to prevent access by deer and bears.
• Clean and sanitize feeders biweekly with a 10% bleach solution. Make sure feeders are dry before hanging them back up.
• Keep your feeder area tidy. Remove feces or spilled, excess feed to decrease the spread of disease and attraction of unwanted wildlife species. This will help prevent scattered food from attracting other wildlife, like rats and mice to the area.
• Check your local municipality for any additional laws regarding the feeding of wildlife.
“We are our choices.”
— Jean-Paul Sartre
