This is for nickman.
We are currrently feeding deer in 3 locations where I live, and we are having a hell of a time keeping people out. Snowmobilers, skiers, shooters etc.....Let me paint a picture for you, we have 5 55gal blue drums full of feed, hay bales broken up and scattered, and some FOOL parks his truck in the middle of it and has target practice against the hill!!!! Snowmobile tracks all around it as well and by law they can't ride in this area. We have a gate with a huge sign on it, "DEER FEEDING AREA" might as well put a bulls eye on it.
With that said I am for closing these areas during the winter to human traffic. Setup some permanent feeding stations so the critters come to that paticular canyon every year, and then the IDIOTS can go shoot their guns in a canyon not used by the animals. Is that too much to ask?
As far as keeping the photographers, crosscountry skiers and other public users out of the deer feeding area, my answer is HELL YEA. Go pick another canyon to play in. To this day I haven't seen a photographer, skier or snowmobiler stop and ask if they can help. And don't tell me they don't benefit from the deer, they may not hunt them but our money goes into the land they are playing on. So I take offense to being called an idiot, but if I'm an idiot for trying to do something than so be it. Or maybe you have a better idea? Let's hear it.