Jennifer,
I think what Karen is trying to say... is she, and we, as gardeners love the deers as animals that spend time out into the fields and look lovely
out there . And as much as we enjoy them to watch from a distance, once they start coming down into your area/land/spot/property/backyard/etc. there's no getting them out....
They can shred certain
plants of yours to the ground!!! (Believe it or not, they just love the heck out of
roses and will give your
roses a hair cut like you've never seen.....How they do that with the thorns and all is a total amazement to me!!)
And if you start drawing them into your area by feeding them, and you're not putting enough out,
2 things start to happen, #1. they come into your yard where you don't have the fences, and eat those things, like when you're at work, or picking kids up from school, or at a bridal shower, or mostly when you're sleeping!!!
You can't really put up a fence around everything you own...
#2. What Karen is talking about is once they become dependant on you feeding them, they become to expect it, and as she said then in turn their little ones may start to starve...or become too numerous to feed....
Also, in my state, (*I'm not sure about it from state to state) but a lady is doing jail time and a fine for PURPOSELY feeding the deer here in (*I'm pretty sure it's in Tonawanda.)... She didn't want them to starve... I can see her side, she'd rather have them fed than die a slow death..But unfortunately it is the survival of the fittest!! And when the diseased ones' breed, they don't produce healthy offspring.... I'm saying this chain of events happens, everywhere,
not just your backyard.
But would it be better off, just not to feed them and try to discourage them from coming close to your home's immediate surroundings....
We have had several, several discussions on such..
FORUM SEARCH will bring up several posts on such.
Many opinions on it...
Also, here's some info Bill has here on the site about it,
Keeping Deer Out of Your Garden Deer deterrent And the only thing I've heard of working for keeping them out is, that deer will never walk where they are not assured of their footing...
If fencing, or something is layed on the ground, and one of their footsteps either doesn't feel right *Foreign substance/unnatural type object* or if that foot step produces a movement close to him on the ground he didnt' make himself it startles him or spooks him... Does that make sense...
And It will never go near a
plant that when stepped on, or crushed, or eaten it will produce a smell or scent that will make it so he can't smell his preditors'/enemies close by...........
(*ie: Alliums)
Weezie
P.S. Here's an article from my state about feeding deers.....
Information Sheet on deer feeding regulations