Deer may not be fed.

§ 80-17. Prohibited conduct; exceptions.

No person, except the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or his/her designee or the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or his/her designee, shall feed or bait deer in the Town of Wells. This prohibition shall not apply within the boundaries of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, which is property owned by the United States and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

The official explanation provided by the town of Wells is as following:

The large number of deer attracted by feeding and baiting in and around public and private property increases the local deer population. Deer carry the deer tick known to cause Lyme disease, which is a serious debilitating illness that threatens the public health. When there are more deer and the deer move into areas frequented by people, such as roads and yards, there is a corresponding increase in the potential for deer ticks to come into contact with people. In addition, overpopulation and domestication of deer contribute to traffic safety problems and the destruction of important plants and vegetation on public and private property. When deer come to depend on humans for food, the natural order and balance in nature are upset and it is harmful to their long-term well-being.