A visitor to the Alleghany portion of Stone Mountain State Park stops his vehicle near a curve in the main park road to feed a deer last Thursday afternoon. Park officials say that humans feeding wildlife in the park endanger people and animals and causes other problems. The deer in the photo at left is severely handicapped after being struck by a car in the park.

Don't feed the animals, rangers say

Visitors may have good intentions when they feed deer and other animals in Stone Mountain State Park, but they should stop because it adversely impacts wildlife and people.

That message is emphasized by park staff and it's reinforced in a proposed North Carolina law making feeding wildlife in state parks a misdemeanor crime. The law hasn't advanced far in the legislature.

Park rangers increased efforts to discourage people from feeding deer and other wildlife in the last year. These efforts include signs, leaflets, programs for visitors and verbal requests and they appear to be paying off some, but the problems persist, said Ranger Don LaTulipe, who is in charge of resource management at the park.

The feeding of deer and other wildlife usually occurs directly from vehicles on the main road through the park, often by people dumping food on the road, said LaTulipe. This encourages deer to congregate on or along the road, increasing the likelihood of vehicles and deer colliding.

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