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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah biologists are cautioning residents from feeding deer as it could cause the animals major problems including starvation.
The Division of Wildlife Resources says it's monitoring mule deer this winter and will feed them specially designed pellets should they require it.
The agency says changing a deer's diet could cause it to consume food it can't easily digest, which is potentially fatal.
State big game coordinator Justin Shannon says deer have sensitive stomachs so feeding them the wrong food could increase their chances of catching a disease and disrupt their migration patterns.
Biologists are using the amount of fat on dead deer to monitor the condition of the overall deer potential and have thus far found them in very good form.
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