Feeding deer is illegal

by YankeeJim | September 2, 2011 at 03:15 am

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At least in Virginia

Starting now and through deer hunting season, it is illegal to feed deer. Feeding stations attract deer and make the animals too easy a target for eager hunters.

I enjoy watching them in their natural habitat as I saw them yesterday while painting in the woods.

“Starting Thursday: don't feed the deer in Virginia

Tuesday - 8/30/2011, 3:24pm ET

RICHMOND, Va. - Starting Thursday, it's illegal to feed deer in Virginia.

The feeding ban runs from Sept. 1 through the first week in January. The ban primarily overlaps hunting season in Virginia, when conflicts can occur between hunters and people who put out feed for deer to enjoy.

The practice can also be misconstrued as deer baiting, which is illegal.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries frowns on feeding deer anytime of the year. Feeding them can unnaturally increase population numbers that damage natural habitats and can increase unwanted human-deer conflicts.

The feeding ban extends year-round in several localities to combat the spread of chronic wasting disease. Those localities are the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren counties, and in the city of Winchester.

(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)”