The New York State DEC this week announced the adoption of a regulation designed to prevent unnecessary feeding of wild deer and moose to prevent the spread of disease and other negative effects on wildlife and habitat. The new regulation requires retail products packaged for sale as food or edible attractants for wild deer or moose to carry a label clearly stating that such use is illegal in New York. It also establishes procedures for the legal use of 4-Poster Tickicide, a pesticide registered by the EPA and the DEC to kill ticks on deer. According to the DEC, prohibiting the feeding of wild deer and moose is a best management approach to reduce risks associated with communicable wildlife diseases like chronic wasting disease, minimize conflicts with deer, and protect wildlife habitat. DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos says the new requirements strike a necessary balance between preventing the negative effects of deer feeding while recognizing the increased public health threat posed by tick-borne diseases and make an exception to allow the use of certain devices designed to kill ticks on deer.