Since then, Congress has authorized the acquisition of more land to be included in the refuge. But, the deer continue to wander outside the refuge. In the past people fed them. Now it is against the law. Do Not Feed the Deer.
Hand fed deer lose their fear of humans and become easy prey for poachers.
Public feeding attracts deer to roads and highways where they are killed by passing cars. When attracted to areas of high human concentration, deer are exposed to man-related accidents such as wire entanglements, debris, accidental drowning in canals when frightened and attacks by dogs. Deer tend to concentrate in large numbers around a public feeding area and are more susceptible to contagious diseases and injury due to fighting. How One School Boy Helped Save the Deer. Key Deer have never been plentiful but by the early l940's there were less than 50 left due to hunting.