Wyoming residents are used to sharing their backyards with wildlife.

But in recent days, Casper has been a little more wild than normal.

The persistent hot, rain-free weather is drying out vegetation on Casper Mountain a little earlier than usual, sending deer and antelope into town in search of a tasty meal.

"We're putting water on our lawns and parks," said Robin Kepple, information specialist with the Casper region office of the Wyoming Department of Game and Fish. "They come in looking for succulent grass. It just tastes good to them."

And, it's necessary for does who are still nursing young fawns.

For the most part, the animals' presence in town doesn't cause many problems. They come, snack and head back on their way.

But, their tendency to nibble on decorative flowers can annoy some homeowners.

And, they can be a hazard to themselves and to drivers when they wander onto city streets.

"They come into town, get a good meal, get a little turned around, the traffic confuses them, and they end up in areas they probably don't really want to be," Kepple said.

Homeowners can take some preventative measures to keep wildlife out of their yards. Dogs often scare deer and antelope away, and privacy fences will keep them out of the backyard.

"A deer is not going to jump if he can't see what's on the other side," Kepple said.

She also added that nurseries can recommend plants that are less tempting to foraging wildlife.

"You might consider something like that for decorative lawns, instead of something that's like ice cream for a deer," she said.

But ultimately, in a town as rural as Casper, she said, people just need to be tolerant and careful.

Slow down and stay aware when driving, even on downtown streets. Stay away from animals that act aggressive, especially this time of year, when does are protecting their fawns, which might be hiding in nearby vegetation.

And refrain from feeding deer, which can encourage them to congregate in town and draw predators, such as mountain lions down to populated areas.

"We haven't had a lion in town for quite some time," and that's the way it should stay, she said.