Maine winters are harsh and deer face significant challenges each year. Out of concern, curiosity or a simple love of wildlife, many Mainers provide food for deer during the winter. But is this actually helping — or could it be doing more harm than good?
There is no law specifically banning winter feeding of deer, except that “baiting and feeding of deer is prohibited from June 1-December 15,” as outlined in the Maine hunting laws summary. But just because feeding is legal in winter doesn’t mean it is beneficial. In fact, for several very good reasons, the MDIFW advises against feeding deer at any time.
Deer in Maine live at the northern edge of their range and have several adaptations that help them survive long, harsh winters.
Their winter coat combines hollow guard hairs up to an inch long with a dense underfur that is shed in spring. The overall effect is a coat five to six times thicker than in summer, insulating deer so well that snow can cover their backs without melting from body heat.
On several occasions during late November rifle and December muzzleloader seasons, I’ve seen deer practically covered with falling snow, seemingly unaffected.
Another factor that allows deer to survive winter is body fat. While deer browse during the winter months, the few available foods at this time of year are not highly nutritious, making fat reserves vital to survival. As much as 40 percent of a deer’s daily nutritional needs comes from fat reserves.
Ideally, deer should enter winter with at least a 90-day fat reserve. During a typical Maine winter, that should carry them from January through March, maybe into early April when the first signs of spring appear. By then, fat reserves are getting low.
This is especially true during winters with deep snow, prolonged cold or periods of sub-zero temperatures, and when winter conditions stretch well into April. March is often the most difficult month of the season, with continuing cold, deep snow and low or depleted fat reserves pushing deer to their limits.
These adaptations suggest that artificial feeding is usually unnecessary. Maine’s deer are well equipped to handle winter’s harshest conditions.
But there are other reasons to avoid feeding. Food sites attract predators, and gathering deer in concentrated areas increases disease risk. Artificial feeding can also lure deer away from natural wintering areas, forcing them to expend fat traveling to and from food sources that provide little nutritional value.
In my own experience, feeding sites were often dominated by mature deer. Older, bigger deer eat first, leaving younger deer or fawns with little or no access. This creates hardship for those most vulnerable and for deer that grow dependent on human feeding.
And there’s another thing to keep in mind. Most folks who winter feed deer stop supplying food once weather conditions improve and winter is on the way out, generally sometime in late March or April. People may also stop feeding suddenly if they head to Florida for a winter break. Because of the way a deer’s digestive system works, it takes about two weeks for deer to transition from corn or other supplied foods back to natural browse.
During this time, low fat reserves and the continued scarcity of spring foods make the diet change crucial and potentially stressful for deer.
So, should we feed deer in winter? Despite good intentions, the short answer is no, and the MDIFW hopes we won’t.
If you choose to feed deer, plan carefully and follow best practices. Locate feeding sites near wintering areas, ideally close to softwood cover and away from roads, and spread food across multiple locations to reduce crowding and competition.
Start feeding as soon as it is legal, introducing a complete horse, dairy, sheep or deer pellet formula gradually, and protect the food from moisture to prevent mold.
Never feed hay, straw, whole corn, potatoes or other vegetables. Whenever possible, provide natural browse such as dogwood, maple, birch and ash, or stow acorns to supplement the diet.
Once a feeding program begins, continue consistently until spring green-up. Keep in mind that an average deer may eat two to five pounds per day, and more deer are likely to visit by February and March, so plan for the long haul.
Winter feeding can be expensive, labor-intensive and potentially harmful if not done correctly. Maine deer are well adapted to survive on their own. For most of us, the best way to help is simply to let them do what they’ve done for thousands of years — endure the winter naturally.