By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Atlas Twp. — Each morning township resident Jim Lusty tends to his hungry horses out back the family’s small rural township farm. Recently other critters have been sharing in the free farmland feast.
“For the first time in years the deer have come up close and pawed back the snow the yard and eating the green grass,” said Lusty. “They avoid the horse feed but sure have done a number on my lawn. It’s the first time in the 30 years we’ve lived here I’ve seen them do that.”
Lusty is just one of many area residents who are concerned about winter making survival tough for local deer herds.
Kara Colton, Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist for Genesee, Lapeer, Northern Livingston and Oakland counties said while the temptation to feed deer in the long winter months is there, residents should resist. While feeding deer is banned in the Lower Peninsula by the DNR, any supplemental food supplies have no real benefits and can do more harm than good, she said.
“Deer are built to adapt and withstand even the harshest winter conditions,” said Colton. “They build fat reserves in the fall. Now when the snow is at its deepest they may move less and stay in groups, but no worries. They are herd animals.”
Deer are set to eat natural vegetation, anything else can be very harmful, she said.
“It’s just the way of nature, they are tougher than you think. They will survive the snow and cold.”
Sara Schultz, Meteorologist from the National Weather Service station in White Lake, says while the deer may be hungry and cold this winter is not near any records, but more in line with the average winters we see around the area.
“This winter, however, has been colder and snowier compared to last year,” said Schultz.  “The winter of 2023-2024 was slightly warmer than normal and below normal on snowfall.”
The current colder temperatures we have seen over the past week have been below normal, she said.
“The Goodrich/Ortonville area has seen a foot of more snow compared to last year, along with overall temperatures being below normal,” she said.  “Again, this is nothing out of the ordinary, nor is it anywhere near any records.