AGRI-NEWS
It’s the time of year for animals to start preparing for winter. With high numbers of deer, elk and moose in many areas of the province, agricultural producers are reminded to take steps to prevent damage to stored hay and feed.
Producers can reduce or eliminate ungulate damage over the winter with these preventative measures:
move bales from the field to a feed yard or protected storage area.
use straw bales as a protective barrier for feed stores.
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fencing can be more effective if bales are stacked two tiers high.
use fencing or place posts before freeze up to prepare permanent stack-yard sites.
store grain only in protective storage bins.
monitor stored feed and promptly chase ungulates from feed stores.
“Allowing access for hunting on your land can also reduce damage caused by deer and elk,” says Julie Desrochers, public information, education and outreach program officer with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
Antlerless Elk Special Licence hunting opportunities have been extended in January in numerous WMUs. Refer to the 2010 Alberta Guide to Hunting regulations for the Big Game Season tables for details on specific WMU season dates.
The Alberta government assists producers in protecting stacked and stored feed through the Ungulate Damage Prevention Program. Limited supplies of temporary fences are available. For more information, please contact the nearest Alberta Sustainable Resource Development office by phoning, toll free, 310-0000.
