Sheboygan, WI Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Section 18-13, Feeding of deer, was repealed and recreated by Ord. No. 16-17-18 on October 2, 2017; the former section 18-13 had dealt with horses in Plaza 8. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful for any person to place any feed such as salt, minerals, grain, fruit, vegetable material, sunflower seeds, deer suckers, or any other type of feed, on any public or private property for the purpose of enticing whitetail deer into any specific location in the city. The test is purpose, which is why subsection (b) adds two rebuttable presumptions.

The first presumption is the placement of salt, minerals, grain, fruit, vegetable material, sunflower seeds, or deer suckers in an aggregate quantity of greater than one-half gallon at a height of less than six feet off the ground. The second is the same materials in an aggregate quantity of greater than one-half gallon in a drop feeder, automatic feeder or similar device, regardless of the height. Because the presumptions are rebuttable, a resident charged under them can offer evidence that the feed was not put out for deer.

Subsection (c) lists three exemptions: naturally growing grain, fruit or vegetable material, including gardens and residue from lawns, or gardens and other vegetable materials maintained as a mulch or compost pile; unmodified commercially purchased bird feeders or their equivalent; and deer management practices approved, authorized, and sponsored on a temporary basis by the common council. The third exemption is the only place where the code ties deer feeding to a council-run management program.

Gulls are handled by a separate rule. Section 18-16, Feeding of seagulls (Ord. No. 15-05-06, adopted July 18, 2005), says no person shall encourage the congregating of seagulls by feeding or any other means in any commercial zoning district. That rule is limited to commercial zoning districts, while the deer rule applies to public and private property across the city.