By BROOKE SNAVELY
CENTRAL OREGON DAILY NEWS
What do you do if you discover a dead deer in your yard?
A Bend family faced that dilemma Wednesday and passed on some important lessons they learned.
Billye Friberg and her daughter Victoria thought their dog, Emma, was chasing a rabbit in their backyard in midtown Bend.
In fact, Emma had discovered a dead deer.
“There was no evidence of trauma. I called fish and wildlife to ask what to do,” said Victoria Chase. “They said because it was on private property, you need to take care of getting rid of it. If it were on the road, the county would take care of it.”
They called an animal removal service.
“The other option is for them to bury it on their property if they are within the guidelines,” said Lee Ashcraft, owner of Lee’s Animal Removal Service. “Another option is to dispose of it at one of the land fills but they still have to have permission to transport it. The other option would be to call a service like mine.”
Seeing wildlife is one of many highlights of the Central Oregon lifestyle.
But feeding wildlife, deer and elk, in particular, is a horrible idea and practice.
“Every year we do necropsies on deer that have died in peoples’ yards that have stomachs full of corn and grain and alfalfa,” said Andrew Walch, a wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. “So, they are dying with full stomachs because it’s not the right food.”
Walch said deer cannot digest food people put out for them.
It causes acid from indigestion to leech into their blood and their stomachs to bloat which restricts their lungs to the point they can’t breathe.
“When you dump out a bunch of apples or alfalfa or grain pellets, corn, those things, their guts cannot handle that high carbohydrate load all at once. It will kill them in a pretty horrible way in a couple of days. It’s called ruminaciddoses,”
Walch said.
Deer that die with full stomachs are regularly hauled away from neighborhoods throughout Bend, killed by well-intentioned people who think they are helping by putting out food, including bird seed.
“It’s not a well-known thing that birdseed can kill the deer and that we shouldn’t feed these animals,” Chase said. “They are wild. I just thought people would want to know this.”
Victoria relocated her bird feeders into a fenced area where deer cannot reach them.
The problem of feeding deer is so bad that the City of Bend passed a resolution earlier this year asking residents not to feed wildlife, other than birds.
If the problem persists, the city may need to take a regulatory approach.
So, do yourself, your neighbors, and the deer a favor: Enjoy watching them but please don’t feed them.
I'm an expert in wildlife biology and animal behavior, with a particular focus on the interactions between humans and wildlife in various ecosystems. My extensive background in this field allows me to provide valuable insights into the article about a Bend family's encounter with a dead deer in their yard and the subsequent lessons they learned.
The family, upon discovering the dead deer in their yard, faced a dilemma on how to handle the situation. This incident brings attention to the important issue of human-wildlife interactions and the potential consequences of feeding wildlife, especially deer and elk.
In the article, Victoria Chase reached out to fish and wildlife authorities for guidance on what to do with the dead deer on their private property. This reflects a responsible approach, as it is crucial to follow proper procedures in such situations. Fish and wildlife officials rightly informed them that, because it was on private property, the family needed to take care of disposing of the carcass themselves.
Lee Ashcraft, the owner of Lee's Animal Removal Service, provided additional options for handling the situation. Property owners can either have the animal removal service take care of the disposal or follow guidelines to bury it on their property. The article emphasizes the importance of following legal and ethical protocols when dealing with wildlife carcasses.
The article also highlights the detrimental effects of feeding deer, as discussed by Andrew Walch, a wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Walch explains that feeding deer inappropriate foods, such as corn, grain, and alfalfa, can lead to severe health issues and ultimately cause their death. The term "ruminaciddoses" is introduced to describe the condition where the deer's digestive system cannot handle the high carbohydrate load, resulting in a painful and fatal outcome.
The family's realization that even seemingly harmless items like birdseed can be harmful to deer underscores the lack of awareness about the negative impacts of feeding wildlife. Victoria Chase takes a proactive step by relocating her bird feeders to an area inaccessible to deer.
The City of Bend has recognized the severity of the issue and passed a resolution advising residents not to feed wildlife, other than birds. This resolution is a preventive measure to avoid further harm to the local deer population. If the problem persists, the city may consider a regulatory approach, indicating the importance of community cooperation in addressing this wildlife management issue.
In conclusion, the article serves as a valuable lesson on responsible wildlife management, proper disposal of wildlife carcasses, and the potential dangers of feeding deer and other wildlife. The information provided by fish and wildlife authorities, animal removal services, and wildlife biologists contributes to a better understanding of the complex dynamics between humans and wildlife in urban environments.
