Brownville family feeds wild deer in their backyard - here’s how to watch

BROWNVILLE, Maine (WABI) - A family in Brownville has taken it upon themselves to help feed hundreds of deer each year.

As you can imagine, it costs a pretty penny to feed that many, but they say it brings joy not only to the family but hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

“They hear the clanging of the silo, and with the sound of the machine, they know it’s breakfast time,” said Randy McMahon.

The McMahons are in their 16th season feeding deer to help restore herd numbers in the Piscataquis County area.

Last season, they dished out 28 tons of oats in 84 days on their 12-acre property.

In addition to local Maine oats, the deer also enjoy a diet of acorns and apples.

“We go through three bushels, and the bushels are 42 pounds,” Randy said.

Each morning around 9 a.m., you can find hungry herds waiting for their meal.

Their movements are all captured on livestream and broadcast online.

“We usually put all the good stuff in troughs one and eight, and it gives the viewers the best crunching sensation,” Randy added. “A lot of people love to hear the crunch. We put the acorns and stuff in those troughs also.”

Each day, thousands of people across the world tune in to see the deer and other critters on Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer YouTube page. They have over 134,000 subscribers and growing.

“It’s therapeutic to a lot of people,” Randy said. “We love reading the comments, and it’s just a lot better aspect for people to watch because you feel like you’re really there. The clarity of it is incredible.”

Monitoring the five cameras upstairs is Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer founder, Richard McMahon.

“I never would have dreamed it would get this big,” said Brownville’s Food Pantry For Deer founder, Richard McMahon. “Everybody seems to enjoy it just because it’s basic nature. It’s back to nature as close as you can get.”

Feeding the deer, he says, is his calling.

He fell in love with it as a seven-year-old kid in New York.

“We used to put quarters in a little machine and get a whole handful of peanuts to feed the deer,” Richard said. “I grew up on deer meat back in the 50s. This was pretty common here, but now, I have changed. Instead of eating them, I feed them.”

71 years later, Richard’s still at it.

“I feel good when I see all these creatures leave in the spring all fat and sassy and happy,” he said.

Keeping them happy and fed takes a lot of time and money.

Right now, they’re feeding approximately 700 pounds of oats daily to 150 to 200 deer.

That adds up quickly. The McMahons say it costs up to $20,000 a year just for feed. To help with costs, they’ve started a GoFundMe.

All donations directly fund the purchase of feed and essential supplies.

“We appreciate every penny that comes in because it helps these guys make it through the winter,” Richard added.

Click here to donate to Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer.

To donate via PayPal send to: brownvillefoodpantryfordeer@gmail.com.

To donate by check: Brownville Food Pantry For Deer, 16 Rips Road, Brownville, Me 04414.

Click here to view all five livestreams.