Feeding and baiting deer issues to be addressed

LORDS VALLEY, PA — Many people enjoy seeing wildlife, especially in Pike County and the Poconos. Sometimes people use food to try and attract wildlife to their back yards. While this is not a problem for some wildlife, for larger animals like deer and bears it can create unhealthy situations for the animals as well as people.

In many states, feeding of wildlife has been stopped or reduced because of disease concerns and the negative impacts that can follow. The politics of feeding and baiting are intertwined in hunting tradition, public opinion, legal restrictions, public values and the usual discussions about common property resources and wildlife. Many non-hunters generally don’t favor baiting to attract wildlife for hunting, but still feel supportive of wildlife feeding.

Many people do not understand why feeding wildlife is a problem. Common questions include, “I enjoy seeing big game, why can’t I feed them and help wildlife?”

Penn State Cooperative Extension will address these and other questions at “Feeding and Baiting of Deer,” a program to be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Blooming Grove Fire Department. The speaker will be Gary San Julian, Penn State Extension wildlife specialist. The cost of the two-hour program is $5 and the registration deadline is April 8.

For more information call 570/296-3400.