Supplemental Feed - The Dinner Bell (Part 2)

We are always trying to do things that primarily benefit us, after all, it is only human nature. This filters down to trying to "help" the animals we pursue as hunters. So we put food out to help the animals along. After all, the more and healthier they are, the better off we ALL are, right? It's a win-win situation.

Maybe or may be not?

Many times the benefits of our actions are perceived, as in the case for the supplemental feeding of an animal for nutrition's sake. Though it sounds logical and may not cause visible health issues, few, if any, studies have ever been shown that free-ranging deer health is significantly improved through supplemental feeding, in particular, body weight and antler development. The results are spotty at best and there are actually some studies that have been conducted that show no added benefit. But what about the unintended negative consequences that often go unseen? What if those outcomes do hurt the animal? They too are the result of your actions.

Over the last few years there has been a wave of concern in many southeastern states regarding deer decline (fortunately Tennessee has not seen significant population shifts in either direction). In regards to population declines seen in other states, the red headed step child in almost all situations in the Southeast appears to always point toward the coyote. In fact, many studies have shown significant predation on fawns by this wily predator.

But why is it apparently causing major impact in some areas and not others? 

Predated turkey nest.

Consider a study conducted on the impact of deer (corn) feeders on nest predation. There were significant impacts to ground nesting birds due to increased activity of nest predators around bait sites. Guess what, turkeys are ground nesting birds. If I had a dime for every turkey hunter who complained about decreased turkey numbers, I'd be a rich man. Are we as hunters partly to blame? Has our desire to assist one game animal wreaked havoc on another? By the way, regional turkey populations appear to be doing just fine, there may be significant impacts to local populations however.

Back to deer...

Almost every other day throughout the season there are posts about coyotes and how vile they are and how much deer managers hate them, yet many of those same deer managers are quick to put out supplemental feed for deer which becomes a huge draw for coyotes. If it has been shown that coyotes and other predators are impacting one prey species, why not the other? Most supplemental feeding programs take place in the winter time when deer are at their weakest and most susceptible. If those same feeding programs continue into the spring when fawn drop occurs, are you not ringing the dinner bell for predators? 

Feeders are often a go to site for predators.

Though no studies have been conducted as of yet to test the correlation between deer decline and baiting, it may be more than simple irony that Tennessee, which outlaws baiting, has not experienced the same deer decline as those states where it is legal. Is this a coincidence? Probably… But what if it isn't?

There is a reason why wildlife biologists frown upon supplemental feeding, it is often because of the unintended consequences. Ringing a dinner bell is only but one of them. If you're managing for deer, don't make it easy for the predators that kill them. Make sense?

Anyway...just some food for thought.

Additional reading...

http://texnat.tamu.edu/files/2010/09/013.pdf

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3784470

http://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PS_BaitingandSupplementalFeeding.pdf