Many Fire Island deer have become conditioned to accept hand-outs from well-meaning park visitors. While our deer may seem tame, don't forget that they are still wild animals.
Never Feed or Touch Wildlife
Fire Island offers abundant wildlife sighting opportunities. However, for your safety and the health of the animals, never feed or try to touch wildlife.
Please watch wildlife from a distance. Remember deer and other wild animals are not pets, and their behavior can be unpredictable.
Feeding wildlife makes them come too close to people, where they may injure us or share their ticks with us. Feeding wild animals human food is ultimately unhealthy for them and not in the animals' best interest.
Feeding wildlife is not healthy for them and may pose a safety hazard to you and other people.
For More Information
Learn more about Fire Island's deer and other wildlife.
Use Caution Around Sick or Dead Birds Dead birds—especially crows, jays, and raptors—may have succumbed to West Nile virus. more...
Did You Know?
The Patchogue-Watch Hill Ferry Terminal is a short, 2-block walk from the Long Island Railroad Station in Patchogue, New York. From there, you can enjoy a delightful 25-minute passenger ferry trip across the Great South Bay to the facilties at Watch Hill. (Open mid-May to mid-October only.)
more...