It is said that the road to disaster is paved with good intentions. With deer season over and winter setting in, many hunters and non-hunters may be tempted to provide some supplemental nutrition to help deer survive the harsh conditions. Before you do, there are a few things you should know.

First, and perhaps foremost, deer are well adapted to withstand winter. In all but the most severe conditions, they should find enough food and cover to endure and survive. Most will make it and some won’t, but that’s nature’s way of culling out the weak and sick.

Our Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, whom we entrust with managing our deer resource, discourages winter feeding for a variety of reasons. A big one is it artificially concentrates deer, often in the wrong areas. Attracting deer close to roads and houses increases the probability of car-deer collisions, and stress or mortality from free-roaming dogs, as well as over-browsing and depredation of ornamental plants.

Concentrating deer anywhere can increase stress and the spread of disease. Deer are social animals, but too much companionship can lead to increased aggression. That increases stress during an already stressful period, which can weaken them, making them more susceptible to disease and less able to withstand other stressors like cold, snow and predators.

One of the biggest mistakes well-intentioned individuals make is improper feeding. Deer, with their four-chambered stomach, have a very complex digestive system. It may take weeks for them to adjust to seasonal changes in available natural food. For example, coarse, woody browse makes up much of their natural winter diet. It’s difficult to digest, which requires development of the proper rumen bacteria. The sudden availability of different food like corn or hay could make them sick or even be fatal. It’s very possible that a deer could die with a full stomach if fed the wrong food at the wrong time.

Proper feeding practices can be costly and labor intensive. Feeding should begin early and once you start, you can’t stop until spring green-up. Feeding sites should be well away from houses, people and plowed roads. Feed needs to be provided regularly and consistently, in some cases on a daily basis. And it should be feed designed specifically for ruminants like deer, such as horse or dairy formulas in pellet form. Even then, it should be protected from moisture to prevent potentially fatal mold.

Feeding deer might seem like a good idea, but all things considered, we and they are better off if we just sit back and observe them. Enjoy the chance encounter when they wander through the backyard, but let them follow their natural instincts for finding food and cover.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and Registered Maine Guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at: [email protected]