This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Heavy snowfall in northern Utah is forcing the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to add more areas where biologists and volunteers plan to feed deer.
The feeding program began in Garden City in Rich County. Kamas, another Rich County area near Randolph and Cache County are being added to the program.
Randy Wood, the DWR's northern Utah wildlife manager, said the fact that deer entered the winter in excellent health is helping the situation but the heavy snowfall and cold temperatures require artificial feeding.
The DWR spreads specially designed pellets on the ground for the deer to eat. Volunteers from the Mule Deer Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation are helping biologists at the various feeding sites.
Wood strongly discourages citizens from feeding deer on their own, because the wrong feed can do more harm than good.
Biologists in other parts of Utah are monitoring deer, snow depth, temperature and the ability deer have to find food.
Wood said that northern Utah is the only place where Utah deer currently need feeding.
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