DEC Announces Adoption of New Deer and Moose Feeding Regulation

The New York State DEC announced the adoption of a regulation this week that is aimed to help further reduce and prevent problems caused by feeding wildlife, specifically deer and moose.

The DEC first banned deer feeding in 2002, an act in response to the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease. Biologists say concentrated feeding sites leads to an increased risk of disease transmission. On the other hand, the DEC says there are many other negative impacts when it comes to feeding deer, which necessitates a broader, more specific regulation.

This adopted, new regulation is designed to provide a clearer definition of what does and does not constitute illegal feeding of deer or moose, providing exemptions for wildlife plantings, bona fide agricultural practices, livestock husbandry, and research and nuisance abatement actions permitted by DEC.

It clarifies that incidental feeding such as the attraction of deer or moose to a birdfeeder will only be considered a violation if DEC has previously issued a written warning to the person responsible for the incidental feeding. This will allow nuisance situations to be appropriately addressed without limiting bird feeding in general.