Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends that people who rely on hay to feed livestock during the winter should take measures to protect their crop from deer and elk.

With deep snow during the winter, deer and elk will look for easy food sources, specifically unprotected haystacks.

Elk will eat hay and return for more if it’s available. However, deer are not equipped to digest hay and can die from consuming it.

During severe winters, people are known to intentionally put out hay or pet food and falsely believe it will help wildlife. Doing so will harm or kill wild animals instead of help them, and CPW urges residents to refrain from feeding wildlife in any circumstance.

To keep wildlife out of haystacks, the best fencing materials are stout wooden posts and woven wire. Because snow can build up, fences should be 7 to 8 feet high. For more information, visit cpw.state.co.us.