Proposed Law To Ban Feeding Deer/Turkeys

6809 Views 18 Replies 6 Participants Last post by aroostookbasser, Feb 1, 2007

kenton6

Discussion Starter · Jan 27, 2007

How many of you know about this? And are there any opinions about this?
This is not law but is being considered by the MDIFW legislative committee next month - Feb. 1 and 6 at the Cross Building in Augusta.

Bill Sponsors: Representative LANSLEY of Sabattus Cosponsored By: Representative CEBRA of Naples
Representative NASS of Acton
Representative ROBINSON of Raymond
Representative SAVIELLO of Wilton
Representative VAUGHAN of Durham

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Georgia,serif]12 MRSA §10657 [/FONT] is enacted to read:
§ 10657. Feeding wild turkey or deer
1. Feeding wild turkey. A person may not intentionally feed a wild turkey. A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of a prior violation of this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
C. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of 2 or more prior violations of this subsection commits a Class E crime.
D. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

2. Feeding deer. A person may not intentionally feed or provide salt to a deer. A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of a prior violation of this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
C. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of 2 or more prior violations of this subsection commits a Class E crime.
D. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

4. Exceptions. This section does not apply to the feeding of wild turkey or deer pursuant to section 10105, subsection 10 and chapter 915, subchapter 15 and Title 7 sections 1809 and 3933 and Title 7, chapters 202 and 202-A. This section does not apply to activities of the department conducted pursuant to section 10051.

summary
This bill prohibits a person from feeding a wild turkey or deer.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 27, 2007

Feeding deer has its ups and downs and it depends on whether you look at the glass half full or half empty.

Feeding the deer the wrong food can be deadly. Feeding them when it's not necessary does them no good.

Should we feed them during emergency situations? And who determines when it is emergency. I some states, like Idaho, they have a plan that is supposed to kick in when emergency feeding is necessary. The problems they have had, other than the political BS, is by the time someone determines "it's an emergency" it's too late.

Much discussion also revolves around the spread of disease if deer are unnaturally brought together.

Sometimes the feeding takes place that has a negative effect in that deer are drawn out of the yards for the food. Deer yards provide protection from the elements. Some deer will never return to the yards. They hang around the feeding areas exposing them at times to harsher weather, etc.

It's a tricky topic with no black and white answers that I can see.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 28, 2007 (Edited)

My question is what is the purpose of this law? It looks to me the way the bill is worded, the object is to prohibit the domestication of deer and wild turkeys. Say what? We never seemed to mind domesticating Canada geese.

First of all, there doesn't seem to be any real viable reason to prohibit feeding. Yes, a lot of it is done but the impact is minimal statewide.

Biologists will differ greatly on the effects of supplemental feeding. I'm reading an article right now about the ups and downs of supplemental feeding during the winter. According to the author, studies show that if there is ample "natural" browse for deer, the majority of deer will never show up at a feeding station.

If that is true, what's the big deal? And as Jack said, this law would be completely unenforceable. I think someone's got a burr up their butt and their ignorance of deer and turkey biology is shining through.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 29, 2007

You're right Jack. Logic will tell us, for whatever that is worth these days, that the case would be thrown out based on evidence collected through illegal access.
Your scenario delves into property rights which is a completely different discussion than simply feeding and "domesticating" deer and turkey.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 30, 2007

Good point about the ownership thing.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 30, 2007

I understand what you are saying but we are "sort of" talking about 2 different things. There is feeding deer with the idea of domesticating, like making them your pets, and then there's feeding them for the purpose of killing them, known as baiting or hunting over bait.

Groups such as Quality Deer Management advocate for growing food plots for the purpose of helping to grow healthier bigger deer. Many states will allow this but no hunting within a prescribed distance of a food plot - i.e. no baiting or killing over bait/food plot.

There is a difference here and as long as Maine law continues to state that you cannot bait deer - for the purpose of killing it - nothing will change until now. If this law passes, essentially neither you and I nor anyone else can feed, whether by hand or through food plots any deer or turkeys.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 31, 2007

Found this article today from a wildlife biologist in New Brunswick, Canada.

Putting out food for white-tailed deer during the winter can be a fatal act of kindness, New Brunswick natural resources officials say.
Rangers suspect a recent flux in deer roadkills in rural areas around Fredericton is happening because people are feeding the deer. The promise of food brings the animals closer to roads, where a deer is no match for a speeding car.
Provincial deer biologist Rod Cumberland put out a public appeal Tuesday to stop feeding deer, not only because of roadkills, but also because feeding can spread diseases.
"The closest [disease] is New York with chronic wasting disease; there's a new resurgence of BSE out west in Michigan and Wisconsin," Cumberland said.
"People seem to be doing it more, so we're being more assertive in saying, listen, there's a lot of negative impacts to feeding deer."
One is that some dead deer are being found starved to death, but with full stomachs.

"People wind up feeding them hay or alfalfa or whatever they assume a deer is going to be able to consume," Cumberland said. "But they have bacteria in their stomach, and that bacteria needs some time to adapt to whatever's coming into the stomach so they can digest it.
"People put out a certain type of feed. It's a big change all of a sudden, and the bacteria can't break it down. So their stomach's full … and they wind up dying."
There are other downsides. A wintering deer herd was stranded by heavy snow nine years ago in the Tobique Valley and was fed by local rangers.
The herd ended up liking the area and came back during harvest time and ruined a local farmer's crop.

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 1, 2007

But people don't think about guns killing tweedie birds, squirrels, etc.

None of it makes any sense and the world is full of double standards and yes, Jack I read your signature - everyday.

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