If you feed birds, as I do, you are messing with the ways of nature. Birds that winter in Michigan do not need our handouts. They never do. But bird seed and birdwatching is a big industry! And I'll keep on feeding for the pleasure it brings--perhaps a selfish motive. Spillage attracts rabbits, voles (a mouse like creature) opposums, skunks and deer. Just as I was about to sit down to pound out a new blog update - on another topic - I caught a glimpse of motion outside the den window. One by one, five deer wandered up to the feeder and consumed every speck of cracked corn, sunflower and millet. They saw me through the window and ignored my gawking. I did not tell them that feeding deer is against the law. Are you listening deer? Are you trying to get me in hot water with the MDNRE? Deer: I did not feed you! You stole the bird seed. But that's OK with me, for you add a visual hoofed reminder that feeding any species has unintended consequences. And it's the conseqences that sometimes corrupt the ways of nature.
I love this picture. Awsome article and column. I feed our small winged creatures, and would love to feed deer but do not want fines from the DNR. I dont understand the not feeding deer issue because the suspect infested deer was eraticated. Deer in the wild travel in herds whether we feed them or not.
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