118 / Conclusion
and their populations tend to rebound very quickly. Incorrect feed
can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, and the crowding of
animals around feeding sites can spread parasites and illness, such
as chronic wasting disease, which can decimate a herd and affect
it for generations. Nevertheless, despite reports that there was no
serious threat to the herds, in late January, the governor asked the
legislature for $1.75 million and the DOW began feeding mule deer
and antelope. They also “baited” elk with hay to keep them from
foraging haystacks. The Denver Post reported that volunteers want-
ing to help “overwhelmed” the DOW.^10 To understand the deci-
sion to intervene, one need only consider a few facts. Colorado is
renowned for deer hunting. In 2007, the number of deer hunting
licenses had been the highest in nearly a decade. The DOW claimed
that, in the event of a signifi cant die-off, the subsequent decrease
in hunting would mean a loss of $14 million in revenue to commu-
nities in western Colorado. Feeding deer and other wildlife was a
political response to the concerns of citizens, farmers, and hunters,
not a biological necessity.
Because deer are resources for humans, they are high on the
sociozoologic scale. Factor in the “Bambi” effect, and the DOW sim-
ply could not stand by and let the animals starve. In contrast, con-
sider the case of black bears in the same state. The summer of 2007
brought unusually high numbers of black bears out of the woods
looking for food. A late frost combined with dry conditions from
an extended drought led to a scarcity of the berries and acorns on
which the bears rely. Consequently, hungry black bears came into
developments and towns. They climbed backyard fruit trees and
foraged through trashcans. Some entered houses, drawn by the
prospect of food. Although human-bear encounters occur regularly
along the urban-wildland interface, some seasons are busier than
others. During 2007, the DOW captured and euthanized a record
number of bears after encounters with humans. Yet, the DOW did
not undertake a feeding program along the lines of that provided
to the deer. They cited numerous reasons. Bears quickly learn to
associate food with humans, and therefore feeding can exacerbate
the problem even for generations, as mother bears teach their cubs