About those 'cute' deer ...

A local store has a reminder posted near its pet food supplies:

IT IS ILLEGAL UNDER NYS LAW TO FEED WHITE-TAILED DEER

Some reasons:

• Overpopulation has affected deer survival.
• The proliferation of Lime Disease caused by deer-borne ticks is endangering many humans.
• Attracting deer to neighborhoods encourages them to roam the area, where they destroy landscaping.
• Getting deer used to human activity creates road hazards.

According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension's Wildlife Damage Management Program:

"Deer frequently feed on flowers, fruits, and vegetables and the buds and twigs of fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. Damage to landscape plantings and ornamentals may occur at any time of year but is usually most severe in the late winter and early spring when other food supplies are limited. Damage to fruit trees may cause both the immediate loss of the crop and residual tree injury that leads to reduced yields in the future. Deer browsing may permanently disfigure ornamental trees."

For a copy of Cornell's excellent deer factsheet -- which includes information on repellants, deer-resistant plants and shrubs as well as general information about deer -- click here.