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Gotta happen, as mother nature sure hasn't done them any favors this winter. Too much cold weather with the deep snow.
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I am glad they are taking a proactive approach to help the deer. I'm sure that it won't save all of them, but the ones that they do will make it well worth it.... IMO [cool]
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I understand the need to try and help. It is really becoming an ugly situation. When we tried to feed the deer in the 80's we were able to keep them alive until the snow melted and the they switched back to their natural feed. The problems showed up after most people figured we had saved alot of deer. The deer started eating the new grass that was the first thing that became available to them. Most of them couldn't make the transition and died within a mile of where they were feed. I hope these new pellets won't cause the same problem when the snow melts this spring. gshorthair
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Have a friend that use to guide with me on Deseret that lives in Round Valley near Bear Lake and they have fed deer pellets in the past during some hard winters there. The DWR wouldn't help pay for the pellets so he and several local ranchers paid for the feed $3500.00 worth themselves. They were later reimbursed by the SFW. The deer did just fine, I went and helped him feed several times.The DWR told the ranchers that it wasn't their responsibility to feed the animals. Seems like some of the money we pay for the PRIVLEDGE to hunt in this state could have been used for this. This occurred a few years back and all though I'm a member of the WY. chapter of SFW and don't neccessarily agree with everything they do they did help my friend and his nieghbors feed the animals.
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Feeding has several problems associated with it.
The first is when do you feed. It has to start before the bacteria that allows the deer to digest cellulose. That is why you seen deer die with full stomachs in the 90's.
The second is where you feed. You can't have deer become dependant on finding food there every winter.
The third is does feeding artificially elevate populations. I suspect this is the problem in the Wasatch front. Loss of habitat due to people building houses in winter range can only decrease the carrying capacity which determines deer populations.
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That is good to hear Pete, I was concerned that the pellets might not work. I've heard that the pellets are made in such a way that the deer can digest them, unlike hay. Now the question is, will the DWR feed them the pellets, I sure hope so. I'm sure it is already too late for most of the yearling deer.
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We go up to EC weekly ice fishing and man have we seen a lot of deer. The good thing is that all of the deer we have seen are fat and fluffy. Although I'm sure that will quickly change if this snow keeps coming like it has.
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Heres a link with some good info
[url "http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695250873,00.html?linkTrack=rotator:cvr"]http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,6 ... otator:cvr[/url]
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]. I know in the past, their plans to feed the Deer have not worked but from what I've heard they are now using some kind of pellets. Anyone know more about this? Anyone think it could work? WH2
