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John Hollenhorst reportingThroughout Northern Utah, animals are starving because of the deep snow. This weekend, for the first time in several years, the state mobilized an emergency feeding program for deer.
Because of the deep snow, wildlife experts are predicting heavy losses of deer, especially for this year's crop of young fawns. For a variety of reasons, the state resists feeding wildlife. And now, some wonder if it waited too long.
Fresh snow piled up three and four feet deep in the Wasatch Mountains; the biggest snowstorm residents can remember in many years. Mike Earl lives in Huntsville. He said, "I love it, but the animals don't."
A moose was able to nibble some branches, with snow nearly head-high. But deer were having more trouble. Mitch Lane, with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said, "The deer are just having a hard time even moving around, let alone finding forage to feed on."
The deer are starving at least partly because humans have taken their habitat, by building homes, roads, even cities in the animals' winter range.
Mike Laughter, of the Mule Deer Foundation, said, "Human encroachment is definitely an issue. I don't think we can stop it. That's just something that happens. We just try to co-exist and help these deer through tough times."
Utah wildlife officials have now authorized a rare emergency feeding, assisted by hunting groups. Laughter said, "The manpower is almost solely the sportsmen, concerned sportsmen, right now."
Some residents in this area say the state waited too long to act. They began reporting deer in trouble a month ago. Another Huntsville resident, Vern Messerly, said, "[The deer are] going downhill, getting weaker, just looking weaker, looking thinner. You could see their ribs. [They're] just in poor condition."
Experts resist central feeding because it tends to spread disease in the herds and brings wildlife into areas where they're often hit by vehicles. There's also the idea that tough winters make tougher deer.
Lane said, "This is an extreme condition. But you know, you're talking about survival of the fittest. Only the fittest are going to survive under these conditions."
Vern Messerly said, "I hope it isn't too late. I'm going to just hope for it." But Mike Laughter said, "I think we're going to lose a majority of our fawns at this point. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse." Lane added, "Hopefully we can minimize the loss to the adults by supplementing some of their feed."
The feeding started yesterday and today in a variety of locations in Northern Utah. It's expected to go on daily for several weeks.
