LAKE VERMILION— Feeding deer on Lake Vermilion has an upside, at least for the timber wolves. Isle of Pines resident Lee Peterson reports that wolves have killed at least five whitetails on the island this winter, including two deer that the wolves took down right in his own yard.

The deer have been easy prey for the wolves as a result of deer feeding by residents on the island (Peterson is not among those feeding deer).

Feeding tends to prompt deer to move along established routes at regular times during the day, making them easy pickings for wolves. Peterson reports that virtually every dead deer he’s seen on the island this winter had fresh corn in their belly.

While folks who feed deer may believe it benefits the deer, as the situation on Isle of Pines suggests, the real story is more complex.

While the wolf predation certainly trimmed the Isle of Pines deer herd this winter, it’s a boon for what Peterson dubbed “the cleanup crew.” That includes everything from pine martens and mink, to ravens, to bald eagles. The carcasses have also been attracting the first-arriving turkey vultures, who have reappeared in the area along with the milder temperatures.