Why feeding wintering deer in Maine could do more harm than good

Why feeding wintering deer in Maine could do more harm than good

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 j…