There are concerns after someone discovered a deer feeding station in Forest Park.
A resident found the feeding station and reported it. Springfield Parks and Recreation said feeding the wildlife is harmful because it could make the animals dependent on humans for food.
And they could lose their natural instincts for finding food.
There’s also a concern because feeding stations are also used to bait animals for hunting.
“We never saw any evidence of wildlife being harmed or anything so there’s no concern on our part,” said Patrick Sullivan, executive director of Springfield Parks and Recreation. “But we do have a wildlife coordinator and he is constantly going through the park and watching for any activates like that.”
There was an incident in Forest Park several years ago where someone was trying to bait animals to be hunted.
If you see feeding stations in parks, you can call the Springfield Parks Department.
