WINTER MAY FORCE OFFICIALS TO FEED DEER.(Sports)(Column)

Byline: Ed Dentry Rocky Mountain News Outdoors Writer

Wildlife managers are poised to start feeding deer and, possibly, elk in some areas of the Western Slope if winter storms dump much more snow on already above-average snowpacks in the next few days.

Heavy snows have created especially severe winter conditions for deer and elk in the Vail Valley, Middle Park and the Gunnison Basin. The situation is severe for deer in Middle Park, where some fawns already are dying.

``We've ordered feed wafers and pellets for deer,'' said big-game manager Rick Kahn of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. ``The next 10 days is critical. Another big snow in the next 10 days and we'll be gearing up.''

Feeding deer and elk is considered to be a last resort and is illegal for private citizens, some of whom have been pleading with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to break out the hay for elk and the specially-prepared nuggets for deer in some areas.

Wildlife managers are reluctant to feed wintering herds because it tends to concentrate the animals, making them vulnerable to the spread of disease and causing habitat damage. Feeding also can upset normal migration patterns and habituate the animals to humans and traffic.

Last winter, the division resorted to feeding in parts of Middle Park and near Steamboat Springs to lure deer and elk away from railroad tracks and U.S. 40, where many died in collisions.

But it hasn't fed deer and elk in earnest since the extreme winter of 1983-84, when more than 95% of deer fawns died. That winter the division fed more than 100,000 deer and tens of thousands of elk, spending $4 million of funds from sales of hunting licenses.

Deer are especially vulnerable to starvation when they are forced to compete with elk for food on wintering areas and when they find traditional wintering areas gobbled up by human development.

``We do want to stress that we lose deer and elk every winter,'' Kahn said. ``But we're trying to avoid any excessive winter mortality.''

In a typical winter 50% of deer fawns and up to 15% of elk calves die. The worst winters, like 1983-84, receive heavy snows in November or early December, followed by more snow and little relief from cold weather.

So far this winter, western Colorado has been spared the frigid spells that have plagued the Front Range. Temperatures have been fairly mild across most of northwest Colorado. Kahn said pleasant weather in the Craig / Meeker area, for example, has kept deer and elk herds there in good shape.

In most areas heavy snow didn't start falling until late December, so herds entered the winter in good physical condition.

Heavy snows have fallen in the San Juan Basin, the Durango area and the Roaring Fork Valley. But temperatures in those areas have been seasonal, and deer and elk are surviving with few problems.

Wildlife workers already have started using hay to bait elk away from private property north of Gunnison, where conditions are severe and the elk have been raiding haystacks.

If the division does resort to a full-

scale feeding program, it will deploy hay for elk and specially formulated wafers and pellets for deer which can't digest hay. ``Deer are browsers,'' Kahn said. ``In winter they rely on a small quantity of high quality food.''

In past years well-intentioned people have offered meals of cereal or grain feed to starving deer. But such generosity actually can kill deer by upsetting their tuned-down winter metabolisms.

Wildlife managers rely on field reports and a computer model that factors snow depths and temperatures to predict how many deer and elk will die. If it appears that at least 30% of doe deer and cow elk will die, the feeding program will commence in some areas.

Kahn said more deer and elk than usual are likely to die this winter even if the weather is warm. But if heavy snow and cold weather comes, the winter kill could be much worse than normal.

WINTER MAY FORCE OFFICIALS TO FEED DEER.(Sports)(Column)

Byline: Ed Dentry Rocky Mountain News Outdoors Writer

Wildlife managers are poised to start feeding deer and, possibly, elk in some areas of the Western Slope if winter storms dump much more snow on already above-average snowpacks in the next few days.

Heavy snows have created especially severe winter conditions for deer and elk in the Vail Valley, Middle Park and the Gunnison Basin. The situation is severe for deer in Middle Park, where some fawns already are dying.

``We've ordered feed wafers and pellets for deer,'' said big-game manager Rick Kahn of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. ``The next 10 days is critical. Another big snow in the next 10 days and we'll be gearing up.''

Feeding deer and elk is considered to be a last resort and is illegal for private citizens, some of whom have been pleading with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to break out the hay for elk and the specially-prepared nuggets for deer in some areas.

Wildlife managers are reluctant to feed wintering herds because it tends to concentrate the animals, making them vulnerable to the spread of disease and causing habitat damage. Feeding also can upset normal migration patterns and habituate the animals to humans and traffic.

Last winter, the division resorted to feeding in parts of Middle Park and near Steamboat Springs to lure deer and elk away from railroad tracks and U.S. 40, where many died in collisions.

But it hasn't fed deer and elk in earnest since the extreme winter of 1983-84, when more than 95% of deer fawns died. That winter the division fed more than 100,000 deer and tens of thousands of elk, spending $4 million of funds from sales of hunting licenses.

Deer are especially vulnerable to starvation when they are forced to compete with elk for food on wintering areas and when they find traditional wintering areas gobbled up by human development.

``We do want to stress that we lose deer and elk every winter,'' Kahn said. ``But we're trying to avoid any excessive winter mortality.''

In a typical winter 50% of deer fawns and up to 15% of elk calves die. The worst winters, like 1983-84, receive heavy snows in November or early December, followed by more snow and little relief from cold weather.

So far this winter, western Colorado has been spared the frigid spells that have plagued the Front Range. Temperatures have been fairly mild across most of northwest Colorado. Kahn said pleasant weather in the Craig / Meeker area, for example, has kept deer and elk herds there in good shape.

In most areas heavy snow didn't start falling until late December, so herds entered the winter in good physical condition.

Heavy snows have fallen in the San Juan Basin, the Durango area and the Roaring Fork Valley. But temperatures in those areas have been seasonal, and deer and elk are surviving with few problems.

Wildlife workers already have started using hay to bait elk away from private property north of Gunnison, where conditions are severe and the elk have been raiding haystacks.

If the division does resort to a full-

scale feeding program, it will deploy hay for elk and specially formulated wafers and pellets for deer which can't digest hay. ``Deer are browsers,'' Kahn said. ``In winter they rely on a small quantity of high quality food.''

In past years well-intentioned people have offered meals of cereal or grain feed to starving deer. But such generosity actually can kill deer by upsetting their tuned-down winter metabolisms.

Wildlife managers rely on field reports and a computer model that factors snow depths and temperatures to predict how many deer and elk will die. If it appears that at least 30% of doe deer and cow elk will die, the feeding program will commence in some areas.

Kahn said more deer and elk than usual are likely to die this winter even if the weather is warm. But if heavy snow and cold weather comes, the winter kill could be much worse than normal.