Please Be a Dear, and Don’t Feed the Deer!

As many of you have noticed, the deer population in the community has become more accustomed to human interactions -- many times approaching individuals looking for a food source. This type of interaction is not healthy for the deer, or any wildlife for the matter. 

In September 2023, The Landings Association Board of Directors approved the revised Rules and Regulations, including making the feeding of wildlife (most notably deer) a violation of policy that may result in suspension of rights to use common property, RFID access, and fines (section M.8). This policy is effective and areas of concern are being monitored. Listed below are some reasons why the feeding of wildlife is prohibited.

• The feeding of wild animals trains them to be less wild and increases the chance of a negative human interaction. As a result, many times the animals can become dangerous as they mature.
• The concentration of animals can pose health risks, including the spread of diseases.
• Corn has little to no nutritional value for deer. It causes deer to become dehydrated, leaving them to look for water in the form of vegetation (e.g., valuable landscaping). 
• Predators also use “bait” or “feeding” piles. The concentration of prey animals increases their chances for success. Please be mindful that when you attract deer to your home, you also are attracting coyotes and other predators.
• Non-target animals such as rodents and raccoons also will concentrate near baited areas.
• Residential feeding counteracts the bait stations used by our USDA representative to effectively cull and manage the deer population in our community.
• The deer removed within the community have proven to be largely healthy with respect to weight, age, and presence of disease given a necropsy for general health assessment that is conducted by our USDA representative. Non-natural feeding is the largest threat to their continued health.

Please keep in mind that the deer along the coastal plain of Georgia have been here for hundreds of years and thrive best when left to their natural environment. Feeding them is not beneficial in any way and only creates the possibility for negative interactions and potential spread of diseases. We appreciate your support of TLA's deer management program as we continuously strive to reach that achievable goal of a sustained cultural carrying capacity.