Police remind residents to stop feeding deer in city

Friday, April 28, 2023 4:20 pm

Decorah deer spotted in the Phelps Park area of Decorah earlier this spring. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Samantha Ludeking)

The Decorah Police Department has recently taken calls about residents feeding deer in city limits. Police want to remind citizens of Decorah city code 6.32.020 which states: 

A. No person may place or allow any device or any fruit, grain, mineral, plant, salt, vegetable, or other material to be placed outdoors on any public or private property for the purpose of attracting or feeding deer. 

B. Each property owner shall have the duty to remove any materials placed on the owner’s property in violation of this chapter. Failure to remove such materials within twenty-four hours after notice from the city shall constitute a separate violation of this chapter. 

C. Each property owner shall have the duty to remove any device placed on the owner’s property to which deer are attracted or from which deer feed. Alternatively, a property owner may modify such device or make other changes to from the device. Failure to remove such a device or to make such modifications within twenty-four hours after notice from the city shall constitute a separate violation of this chapter. 

The City of Decorah finds that the intentional feeding of deer is a nuisance as such feeding of deer contributes to an unnaturally large population that creates traffic hazards, destroys personal property and places the deer herd at risk of disease. The violation of any provisions of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor punishable as provided in the municipal code for the City of Decorah. 

The full city code can be found at www.decorahia.org. 

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