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CAPITAL HILL UPDATE

Congressional Priorities for 2025

President’s Message

Spring 2025

North Carolina Deer Farmers Association

Calling All Deer Farmers

An Invitation to Come Together from President Bryan Pierson

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as your newly elected President of the North Carolina Deer Farmers Association, as well as a newly elected board member of the Cervid Livestock Foundation. Here in North Carolina, a basic love and reverence for whitetail deer is the backbone of our state organization. We have a lot of opportunities for growth, room for more deer farms and a beautiful state for raising them. We are grateful for the grant money available through The USDA for A.I. equipment for laparoscopic genetic testing. Special thanks to Tim Condict and The North Carolina Dept. of AG for their assistance and guidance with our grant proposal. Eight farmers received a grant for genetic resistance testing.

We will continue to seek funding for this extremely worthwhile endeavor and are grateful for the support and representation of Dr. Carol Woodley from the Dept. of AG. As we look to the future, we would like to perpetuate more economic opportunities for deer farmers and our growing industry. Anyone wishing to become a member of our association, or assume a more active role in our association, please call me at 757-305-6099 or email me at brypierson88@gmail.com. I look forward to getting to know all of you better and planning some memorable events and good times doing what we love the most – raising the most incredible creature that God ever created. Thank you!

Brian Pierson Pierson’s Premier Whitetails President of North Carolinia Deer Farmers Association

New York Deer and Elk Farmers Association

Dave Vanderzee President Easton View Outfitters 518-210-8889 eastonviewoutfittersllc@gmail.com

Mike Kerry Four Season Whitetails 315-783-2848 fourseasonwhitetails@hotmail.com

Robert Root

Moriah Elk Farm 607-657-8069 rootnyelk@aol.com

Tim Rater

French Creek Whitetails 716-355-8870 timrater21@gmail.com

Mike Czora Prime Whitetails 585-330-9100 mike@primewhitetails.com

Tom Peryea 518-561-3555 tomselkranch@juno.com

Mike Rosenwie Concord Whitetail Scents 716-912-7314 rosey9473@hotmail.com

Wayne Hettenbaugh Valley View Whitetails NY 716-499-9367 whett6@hotmail.com

Dan Jennings JB Farms 413-822-1040 dan.jennings02@gmail.com

President’s Message

Spring 2025

A Time for Accountability

Common Sense Advice from New York President Dave Vanderzee

New York Deer & Eld Farmers Association

By the time this magazine reaches you, New York deer farmers and preserve owners will be just shy of the March 31st deadline for renewal of your Captive Bred White-Tailed Class “A” Deer License as well as a Shooting Preserve License, the duration of which spans five years for both. Check to see if your licenses are up for renewal and catch the grace period while you can. By visiting the website of The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and searching under “Captive Bred Whitetail Class A License” all the information you need will be right there, including applying through The New York Department of AG and Markets to enroll in the CWD herd certification program or for fencing inspection for your property. Email for the DEC is specialLicenses@dec.ny.gov. Their phone number is 518-402-8985.

Staying abreast of compliance measures is first and foremost in the deer industry, followed by keeping our eyes peeled for potential business opportunities. As such, Marie and Fred Redmond, owners of Redmond’s Red Deer Farm in Holland Patent, New York, are selling off their substantial herd. Anyone interested in buying certified fawns, hinds or stags should email them at redmondsdeer@ gmail.com or call them at 315-794-3970.

Overall, we have positive things happening within New York to help propel our industry forward. We are seeing in-roads by the Amish to create some very strong genetics. They are becoming more and more involved in our state association activities, and they are very motivated to reach out to other communities for networking. We hope our entire association remains motivated and connected as we move forward in 2025. I hope to see everyone at our annual picnic and perhaps at other events I hope to make it to. Until then…………………………………

New York Deer and Elk Farmer’s Association

President Dave Vanderzee

New York Deer and Elk Farmers Association

Member Message

Spring 2025

Hello Deer Farmers

I recently attended the NADEFA convention, and I’m thrilled to see that deer farming is stronger than ever. Attendance was high, and it was wonderful to reconnect with everyone! I want to ask everyone to keep Chris & Jody Ezell and Keith & Mary Warren in their thoughts and prayers. Chris & Jody lost their long-time farm manager, Shawn Horton, unexpectedly due to an illness. Keith & Mary lost almost everything they owned when a devastating wildfire wiped out their entire ranch, including the buildings. It was heartwarming to see the deer farming community come together and raise around $90,000 to help Keith & Mary with their loss. Thank you, everyone, for your support!

Excitement is at an all-time high at my farm with fawning season and antler growth right around the corner. With the help of my dear family, we plan to bottle-raise all the doe fawns this year. I’m particularly excited about some pedigrees coming through ET. Make sure you are stocked up on fawning supplies.

I wish everyone a successful fawning and antler growing season!

Dana Hoover MountainSide Whitetails

New York Deer and Elk Farmers Association

Board of Directors

Melinda (MJ) Christy Vice-President

Greenbrier Mountain WT’s 240-695-7730 greenbriermountain greenbriermountainwhitetails.com

Mark Cobb Secretary/Treasurer

Gobblers Ridge Exotics 304-532-4514 mark.cobb@gmail.com

Bob Perrine

Mountain Clean WT’s 304-452-8689 bob@mountaincleanwhitetails.

Kenny Shoemaker Double K Farm 304-538-2219 doublekfarm1@yahoo.com

Andi Manspile S & J Whitetails 304-222-9914 amanspile@gmail.com

Debra Jett

Back To Our Roots Wildlife 304-553-5208 jettswildlife@gmail.com

Kerby Watson

Peaceful Valley Whitetails, LLC. 304-452-8787 kerbywatson71@yahoo.com

Brenda Strwderman

North Mountain Farms 304-703-5387 b_strawderman@yahoo.com

Vice President’s Message

Spring 2025

Hello all fellow deer farmers!

Yes, I know you are not used to hearing from the Vice President of the Association, but as things go changes have been made and currently our President position is vacant. We will fill that position at the annual meeting.

Many good and bad things came about last year. The Bad: There were a lot of EHD deaths across the state and several CWD cases were found. All 10 strains of EHD were identified across the US this past year and some cases that had signs and symptoms of EHD came back negative during testing as they are believed to be mutated forms of EHD. The Good: The state has authorized funding to help the breeders get tested for CWD Condon Markers. If you were given a selection of tests, please make sure you use your designated tests. If you have since changed your mind, please let myself or Dr Alt know so the tests can be reassigned to a different farm. Its important we utilize all the funding set aside for these tests or the same amount of funding provided will not be available next year. If your farm did not ask for testing but you are still interested, let us know and we can see if some testing does become available. I strongly suggest that all small breeders start pushing towards CWD resistant herds. While this does not affect hunting preserves, it is the future of smaller breeders. Also, if you want tested and do not qualify for the funding program, Colorado has a lab doing Condon 96 marker identification only for $8.

If you struggle to understand the 96 Condon Marker and how to breed based on the values, please feel free to reach out to me. While I am not an expert, I have spent a lot of time asking questions and collecting data. Mark Cobb is an excellent resource as well. Breeding for values will make your farm stronger. Several states are working on being able to release farm raised SS deer into the wild to raise the breeding values of wild deer. That being said, it has not been established here in WV yet. What I can tell you is trying to raise your breeding values takes time, and your time should begin now. Our farms need to stay strong and lean one another. I personally know how hard a bad year can be. Through the support of others, we can overcome hard years and learn how we can become stronger to face the years to come. Use and help each other, its time to make WV one of the Deer Industries leading states. We are lucky to have such a supportive Dept of Agriculture.

One final note, I would like to congratulate Mark Cobb on returning to the NADEFA board and for acquiring his processing facility back. Mark has made so many amazing accomplishments for the deer farming industry over many years. We are lucky to have him on our side and his support for our industry.

Wishing everyone the best fawning season ever!

Melinda (MJ) Christy WVDFA Vice President

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• All-Milk Protein from Premium Food-Grade Milk Ingredients

• Essential Vitamins and Complex Minerals

• Balanced Fatty Acids

• Improves Digestion

• Promotes Growth and Performance

DIRECTIONS:

• Fawns up to 1 week of age: Feed 16 oz. of formula daily, divided into 4 – 6 feeding.

• Fawns 1 week to 1 month of age: Feed 24 to 30 oz. of formula daily, divided into 4 feedings.

• Fawns 1 month to 2 months of age: Feed 30 to 35 oz. of formula daily, divided into 2 to 3 feedings.

• Fawns 2 months to weaning: Gradually decrease formula and number of feedings to approximately 15 oz. of formula once daily until fawn is fully weaned at 12 to 14 weeks of age. Provide a weaning diet and fresh clean water to the fawn.

For oral use only. These feeding directions are guidelines. As each animal is an individual, the feeding rate may be increased or decreased according to the needs of the neonate.

Feeding directions for other species can be found on our website.

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Breeder Buck 2024 Showcase Magazine is here!

Just in time for semen sales, getting ready for breeding season!

We created this magazine in order for 2024 Breeder and Hunting Preserve advertisers to showcase their most recent photos of their bucks close to the last days of antler growth. We realize establishing a collective deadline for all states Fall magazines to publish on the same date to obtain last-minute photos would be impossible to achieve. With this magazine, advertisers have one more chance to showcase their bucks.

~ Thank you to all that participated!

... if you would like to participate in our 2025 magazine, give us a call for more information. 320-905-2622 or 260-222-3478

Several of the Boys on the Farm

MJ Christy with Sky a Horsepower/Bucky Doe

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9. HOW HAS THE ASSOCIATION HELPED YOU AND YOUR FARM?

Members of the association are responsible for change in the laws in WV towards deer farming. They paved the way to make life easier for Deer Farmers in WV. They managed to move deer farming from under the regime of WVDNR to the WV Dept of Agriculture. We have a wonderful relationship with the Dept of Agriculture. They work with us and help us navigate the current issues in the industry. They helped to get the Dept of Agriculture to support getting farms tested for CWD resistance. They are also an amazing resource for experience farms to help when you have issues. Deer farming is more about working together than working individually.

Greenbrier Mountain Whitetails was established in 2018 as a family farm by two veterans. We are dedicated to breeding large framed and large bodied deer. CWD resistance has become a priority, as part of our breeding philosophy.

John Christy with Thanos, Twin Brother to Peanut at 2 years old

Gideon, a Fear Factor son and Long Time Breeder on the Farm

Haley Christy with our Former Breeder Peanut

Haley Christy Assisting with Caring for Fawns After Birth

WEST VIRGINIA DEER FARMERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Date: ____________________________________ ____ New Member ____ 202_ Renewal

Primary Member Name: ___________________________________________________________________

Second Farm Member Name:_______________________________________(Family/Farm membership only) Farm Name:_____________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________

State: _________________Zip: _________________

Home Phone:___________________________________ Other Phone:

License#: _______________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________

What type of deer and/or services will you offer: __ Whitetail __ Elk __ Red Deer Other ___________ __ Scents __ Urine __ Antlers __ Venison __ Breeding Stock __ Shooters

Annual Membership Levels

___ Active WV Propagator (voting privileges) $75 ___ Family Membership (2 voting privileges) $100 ___ Associate Member (no voting privileges) $25 ___ Other ___________________________

Active WV Propagator is a proprietor, partnership, firm, corporation, division of an organization or individual actively engaged in whole or in substantial part, in the husbandry of domestic deer for commercial sale of venison or the breeding of stock to support such operations.

Family Membership, membership is same as Active WV Propagator but includes 2 voting privileges from the same household. This includes spouse, significant other, partner or child 18 years or older.

Associate Member is anyone who has an interest in cervid farming, but does not own deer. Associate Members do not vote and cannot hold office in the Association. They may attend all activities sponsored by the Association and they will receive the WVDFA Newsletter.

Other, Lifetime membership, sponsors, or representatives apply. I hereby make application to the West Virginia Deer Farmers Association, Inc. and certify that the information I have provided is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Would you approve sharing your information with other deer farms or folks interested in deer farming? ______

Make Checks/Payments payable to: WV Deer Farmers Association, Inc. C/O Mark Cobb, Secretary 215 Eastwood Road

NEW YORK DEER & ELK FARMERS ASSOCIATION

1023 Route 146

Clifton Park, New York 12065

Phone: 1-518-383-2200 E-mail: nydefa@nydefa.org

All memberships renew in March.

Please send your check, payable to NYDEFA, to the address above.

Please check the appropriate box. If one is not checked, the “Do not publish” will be used

Name: __________________________________________________ Spouse/Partner:___________________________________________________ Farm/Firm:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________ County:___________________________________

City: _____________________________________________________ State: _________________ Zip: ________________________________________

Business Ph.: (______) _______-___________ Home Ph.: (______) _______-___________ Fax:(______) _______-

E-mail*: ____________________________________________________ Website: _______________________________________________________

*Urgent updates are sent electronically, which allows us to expedite communication and decision making. Please provide.

Type(s) of cervid: ____

Type of Farm: Preserve/Scents/Breeding/Venison/Petting Zoo / Other: _____________________________

Veterinarian’s Name: _________________________________________________________ Phone:(______) _______-

Membership Level Cost Benefits

Active Member $50 Email notices, voting privileges, meeting minutes, and membership directory.

Friend of the Farmers $_______ Thoughtful donation. Additional contributions are greatly appreciated.

~ Thank you for your support! ~

BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING NYDEFA

Quarterly Newsletter

E-mail updates on timely issues

Northeast Cervid Marketing Cooperative Initiative

Numerous sales, marketing and networking opportunities

NY Farm bureau support, assistance and lobbying assistance

Genomically Estimated Breeding Value Predictive Genetics and Chronic Wasting Disease

What is a genetically estimated breeding value (GEBV)?

A GEBV is a statistically generated number or score that estimates the total genetic potential of an animal with respect to a heritable trait. Traits are influenced and controlled by many different genetic regions, or loci, across the genome. In this situation the trait is susceptibility of white-tailed deer (WTD) to chronic wasting disease (CWD). The regions of interest are those that have a role in the CWD disease process, which is stated more simply as susceptibility. Seabury et al.1,2 found over 120,000 different regions that have a role in the CWD disease process. Each region provides a small contribution to the overall CWD disease process. However, some regions provide a greater contribution than others, and those are the genetic regions used in the current commercially available GEBV testing through the North American Deer Registry (NADR).

How is the GEBV for CWD susceptibility determined?

The GEBV is produced by comparing and analyzing the effects of genetic regions from deer that have CWD to those that do not have CWD.

What does the score mean?

The score, which is presented as either a positive or negative number, reflects the potential for that deer to get CWD. The higher the number (on the positive side of zero) the greater the potential for that deer to become CWD positive if exposed to the disease. The graph below shows the percentage of 1,554 farmed WTD found to be CWD positive at various GEBV scores, ranging from the worst on the left (0.20) to best on the right (-0.40). The percentage of WTD with CWD decreases as the GEBV score decreases (becomes more negative). The arrow indicates the highest GEBV score (-0.056) animals should have to begin to generate a herd that has reduced susceptibility to CWD. This is the starting point for herd improvement, not the end goal,

If you would like your farm or business featured on our business card pages, email digital pdf file or scanned image (must be readable resolution) of your business card to the email address below.

This gives NYDEFA & WVDFA members a way to reach out to one another for services and to buy or sell deer! There will be limited pages for these card spreads, first come first serve. The overflow would be placed in the next issue and cards will be rotated each quarter.

NY Email to: dana@abcmailbox.net or call Dana at: 315-595-2202 WV Email to: mark.cobb@gmail.com or call Mark at: 304-532-4514

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What about variations in the prion gene like codon 95, 96 and others?

While some codons (the parts of DNA that code for a specific amino acid) in the prion gene, particularly codon 96, can strongly influence incubation period, the contribution of any codon to the total genetic merit (GEBV score) is rather low. While codon 96 contributes more to susceptibility than any other individual region elsewhere in the genome, most of the overall susceptibility is due to the cumulative genetic contributions of these other regions. In other words, breeding for specific codon 96 genetics (GS or SS) alone is insufficient to significantly reduce herd susceptibility. That said, there is a role for codon 96 in reducing herd susceptibility, just not on its own.

How can you use GEBV Scores and Predictive Genetics to Reduce Herd Susceptibility to CWD?

The primary goal of predictive genetics using GEBV scores is to generate herds that are less susceptible to CWD, either avoiding the establishment of CWD after an exposure, or limiting the spread within the herd if infected. Additionally, predictive genetics can be used in certain circumstances to clean up CWDinfected herds within and/or beyond a quarantine period.

The generation of herds with reduced susceptibility to CWD is only achievable when the steps below are diligently followed. Leaving poor scoring, highly susceptible animals within a herd allows CWD to rapidly spread and contaminate the environment. Even good scoring deer may not be able to withstand infection in highly contaminated environments or in herds with a high CWD prevalence.

Steps to using GEBV scores for herd improvement:

Get GEB scores which include codon 96 genetics on all animals within the herd, regardless of age. Good scoring animals can be GG, GS, or SS. Do not cull a good scoring animal simply because it is a GG!

• Identify all animals with scores above the minimum cutoﬀ value of -0.056 (i.e., above means less negative; and those that are closer to zero, or that are positive numbers).

• Keep meticulous herd and breeding records that includes GEBV scores and codon 96 data.

• Determine if the herd has a suﬀicient number of deer with scores below the cutoﬀ to sustain a viable breeding population without breeding too tightly. Tight breeding to get desired scores is not recommended. Tight breeding will unmask negative recessive traits.

• Develop a culling plan to remove as many deer above the cutoff as possible. Some herds may not contain a sufficient number of deer below the cutoff to sustain the herd. In this situation purchasing good scoring animals or semen straws from good scoring bucks is recommended to selectively breed with best scoring does on site. With careful breeding over several generations, the overall GEBV scores can be significantly improved, and the herd susceptibility reduced over time.

• Good scoring deer with GS and SS at codon 96 in the prion gene are ultimately the goal. However, good scoring GG and GS deer can be bred with good scoring mates to generate desirable oﬀspring with GS or SS at codon 96. This allows for genetic improvement without tight breeding.

For More Information

Ask for professional help at CWD@usda.gov when circumstances are unusual or complicated. This will save time, money, and perhaps even your herd in the long run.

I hereby make application for membership to these associations, agreeing to conform to the Code of Ethics and Bylaws governing the associations.

Signature: Date:

(Texas) TDA (Alabama) ADA (Indiana) IDEFA (Ohio) WDFO (Pennsylvania) PDFA (Louisiana) WOL (Michigan) UDFoM (Kentucky) KALA (Florida) SeTDA (New York) NYDEFA (West Virginia) WVDFA (Oklahoma) WOO (Kansas) KEDA (Missouri) MDA (North Dakota) NDDRA (South Dakota) SDEBA (Minnesota) MDFA (Iowa) IWDA (Illinois) ILDFA

I give permission to have my contact information published in the annual directory and on the website Yes No

$100. Member

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$50. Active Breeder

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$2500. Lifetime Membership

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$75. Membership w/ Spouse

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$100. Active Hunting Ranch

$500. Lifetime Membership $500. Lifetime Membership

the next year. *** These states allow anyone that lives in their state and not raising deer but have interest to supporting the industry to be at the Associate Membership Level. This level is a non-voting level.

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Use PeaceMaker to “keep the peace” during pre-rut, rut, transportation, weaning and anytime destructive behavior may occur

ENTERIC HEALTH FORMULA

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Helps maintain digestive health and productivity

Contains micro-encapsulated probiotics, targeted enzymes and a novel fiber complex

Use in does before fawning, during lactation and all cervids during times of environmental stress

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NAMING DEER

CREATING CATCHY, UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE NAMES

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by Whitetails of Louisiana

It was Halloween night a few years ago, and the considerably long and scenic road to Elam Woods Whitetails in Baskin, Louisiana never saw any trick or treaters. A storm was rolling in, dark and rumbling. As crashes of thunder and streaks of lightening illuminated the surroundings, Ben and Krystal, two adult children of Elam Woods Owner Bill Holdman, spotted something moving across the front lawn. “Dad, we have a trick or treater,” they both exclaimed. “Finally.”

As Holdman opened the front door to investigate, he didn’t find a trick or treater, but rather, a five-monthold buck fawn that had wandered out of its pen. “We named him Gray Ghost,” Holdman said. While naming deer can have a more lighthearted and humerus side to it, a unique name may help people long remember your farm or the buck. Having bucks with unique names can also “help promote a lineage and genetic line and can even give a real boost to a certain line,” said Henry Woodard of Woodard Whitetails in Glasglow, Kentucky.

Woodard, who purchased the infamous buck Gladiator as a mere 63” yearling in 2004, couldn’t have known then that the little buck, named so after the movie Gladiator, would “blow up” at two and go on to sire many more great producers with names such as Gladiator II, Gladiator Supreme, Gladiator XL and Gladiator Select. Owning Gladiator proved to be extremely profitable for Woodard and provided the backbone to carry this head-turning lineage forward. Semen straws sold quickly. Later, Gladiator was bought by Lone

Hollow Whitetails where he lived to be 16.

“It was different back then when Gladiator was on the scene,” Woodard said. “CWD wasn’t the big issue it is now. We had DNA and parentage testing and didn’t have to worry about CWD. Still, Gladiator was an ‘SK’ with a -3.78 GEBV. When you get a buck out there for promotion and give him an iconic name, once they have solid production on the ground you are at whole different level.”

Having bucks with unique names “has helped us when placing magazine ads,” Holdman explained. “We had an ad with a buck named Kisatchie, after Kisatchie National Forest here in Louisiana. In the ad he was standing in the middle of tall pine trees. We had another buck named Cotton Picker and had him standing in the middle of a cottonfield in his ad. We found it’s been an effective way to promote them.” At Elam Woods, deer are often named after places in Louisiana, country music legends or songs. Some of their current breeding bucks include Twitty, Easy Touch, Slow hands and Heated Rush. “Those names caught on really well,” Holdman said. “Everybody knows who they are.”

Patriotic names and names of songs also often work well to do a

deer “justice” and therefore make them more memorable. The best buck ever raised by Woodard, called Louisville Slugger, was impressive even as a yearling, and named after the well-known baseball bat company. “I thought it was iconic and not easily forgotten,” Woodard said. “We also have Mr. Incredible after the movie ‘The Incredibles’ and he had two sons, Dash and Jack.” However, no buck, no matter its name, is worth anything unless they are registered with NADR. “If someone is able to look up a buck on NADR, and think that will work on their farm, they will more than likely be interested in him,” Holdman said.

In addition, having a buck who will raise the bar for the deer industry and essentially out-produce himself, pass his genes along and also be useful for outcrossing, is what will make him truly great. “You don’t see that with every deer,” Woodard concluded. “Having that will certainly get you noticed.”

TOHIO CHRISTIAN AID MINISTRIES SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by the Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio

he Whitetail Deer Farmer’s Association of Ohio (WDFO) is well-known for two things, putting on a memorable annual event and choosing a worthy organization each year to receive a donation from event proceeds. In 2024, the ODFA donated $20,400 to Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), a national volunteer search and rescue organization with a team based out of Millersburg, Ohio. “It’s extremely helpful to us to receive this donation,” said Ohio CAM Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator Marcus Miller. “We don’t receive grants and so we rely heavily on donations from churches, individuals and a bit from businesses to keep us going.”

Levi Miller, Executive Director for the WDFO, recommended CAM to receive a donation after a northeast Ohio family recently lost a loved one due to drowning. After everyone else had essentially given up, CAM stepped in and found them, Levi said. CAM’s search and rescue organization has been helping families reunite or recover loved ones since 2016. There mission isn’t only to save individuals who have been physically lost, but to assist them spiritually as well.

The Ohio CAM SAR team, comprised of 30 members many of whom are Amish and Mennonite, were chosen based on their faith and passion to help others. “We don’t take just anyone off the street who’s looking for an adrenaline rush,” said Marcus Miller, who also teaches the CAM Search and Rescue class. “Our volunteers are put through many

rigorous hours of training and make a huge commitment to be available when we need them.” Training courses include, for example, land navigation, boat operation, radio communications, crime scene preservation, wilderness first aid, rope and knot tying and fire starting. Current Ohio CAM SAR team members range in age from 19 to 56. “We wouldn’t turn anyone down who might be older,” Miller shared. “There’s always something we can find for them to do.”

Although while every SAR team member is hopeful for a successful outcome, it doesn’t always turn out that way. “I think we can all relate to how terrifying it is when a child goes missing,” Miller said. “We’ve found the bodies of children who’ve drowned. Consoling the parents is the toughest part and something we make a point of doing. We also seek to bring those we help closer to a spiritual belief as part of their healing.”

Perhaps one of Miller’s favorite rescue stories involved a young man who had run away from home. “We had no location on him, and we were concerned he may have been picked up by someone,” he said. “But we found him sleeping in the woods, got him back to camp and warmed up and counseled him on ways to cope better with life. We really enjoyed our time with him.”

When rescue situations appear to be risky or dangerous, law enforcement officers typically work alongside CAM, since CAM team members do not carry firearms. CAM teams are also located in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Depending on the time of year, teams could receive up to four calls per week asking for help. “Sometimes a whole month goes by and nothing,” Miller said. “Spring through mid-fall are the busiest times. Sometimes calls come in at very inconvenient times like Christmas Day or right in the middle of a family gathering. But this is what we signed up for. This is what we committed to, and we are more than glad to help anyone who needs us.”

Venison Shank Birria Stew

Shanks are perfect for this stew. All that connective tissue breaks down and adds body to the spicy broth. It also looks amazing with the cross cut bone. You could leave the shanks whole if you can fit them in your pot, and you could use a neck or shoulder roast instead of shanks.

Ingredients

• 2-4 venison shanks, cross cut

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 guajillo peppers, dried

• 8 ancho chili peppers, dried

• 1 tsp mexican oregano, dried

• 1 tsp cumin, ground

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 small stick cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 12 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 2 quart stock

• 1/2 cup pork lard

• Cilantro

• Onion

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

Recipe shared by: Elevated Wild elevatedwild.com

2. Combine all ingredients except venison in a large saucepan, simmer for 15-30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon. Blend remaining liquid, set aside.

3. Season venison with salt and pepper, sear both sides over medium high heat in a dutch oven. Add puree, cover and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 4-6 hours until fork tender.

4. Skim some of the fat from the top, garnish with cilantro, raw onions and lime. Serve with some tortillas on the side.

Notes:

This recipe calls for the addition of pork lard. The fat really makes this dish pop. It’s ok without it, but the fat really makes the dish. Duck or bear fat would be the first choice for substitutes, but you could also use beef tallow. It’ll have a much thicker mouthfeel, or if you like the “waxiness” of deer tallow, you could use that. You’ll also want to eat this stew hot, because the fat will thicken as it cools.

CONGRESSIONAL PRIORITIES FOR 2025 CAPITOL HILL UPDATE

On January 3, 2025, the 119th Congress began with Republicans controlling the House, Senate, and White House. The Republican trifecta positions them to influence significant pieces of legislation but also allows them to take the lead on key issues that must pass this year, including Government Funding, Reconciliation, the expiring Trump Tax Cuts, and the debt ceiling.

Government Funding

Congress still needs to pass the FY25 appropriations bill while simultaneously beginning the FY26 appropriations season. To recap, last December, Congress passed a second continuing resolution (CR) to extend federal spending and avert a government shutdown through March 14, 2025. The bipartisan CR passed the U.S. House and Senate by bipartisan votes hours before midnight when the first stopgap measure was set to expire (December 20). However, with the new Congress, congressional spending has been lumped into a list of priorities that Republican leadership must resolve before the March deadline.

Reconciliation

Republicans have secured control of the House, Senate, and White House positioning them to influence significant legislation, particularly tax reform and the extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which will be a major focus in the coming year. To facilitate this, they are likely to use a process called budget reconciliation, which allows legislation to bypass the Senate filibuster—a procedural process requiring 60 votes to overcome—and pass with a simple majority. This process, established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, streamlines revenue, spending, and debt limit measures outlined in the budget resolution. However, it’s important to note that the “Byrd Rule” limits what can be included in a reconciliation bill, excluding policy changes that do not impact spending or revenue or allow changes that would increase the deficit outside the budget window.

Expiring Trump Tax Cuts

At the top of Republicans’ 100-day agenda is the plan to renew $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts. Many provisions of the TCJA expire at the end of the year, especially the individual tax cuts for most

Americans. These provisions were the most significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code in more than 30 years, many of which reduced income taxes for individuals and businesses. Republicans will have to figure out what to prioritize and how to pay for it, as the Treasury estimated that fully extending the individual and estate tax provisions of the TCJA would cost $4.2 trillion between 2026 and 2035, which could climb if several already-expired provisions were restored. Congress will have to make difficult choices, namely, how to pay for the tax cuts as the federal debt sits at over $36 trillion. Republicans have a very slim majority in the House, leaving no room for dissent to push it through.

Debt Ceiling

The debt ceiling, the $36 trillion federal government debt limit, was reinstated on January 1, 2025. The Treasury must immediately resume accounting maneuvers known as “extraordinary measures” to temporarily keep the government from defaulting on its debt. Congress will have to come together to find a solution, and if they do not by the time that extraordinary measures lapse, the federal government may be at risk of defaulting on its debt. Even a shortterm breach in the debt limit could have significant economic implications- reducing the gross domestic product, wiping out trillions of dollars in U.S. household wealth, and losing millions of jobs. Although Republicans control Capitol Hill, they remain divided over how to address the debt ceiling, as they still have to pass a government funding bill for the fiscal year 2025, and a temporary spending measure.

In Summary

The 119th Congress’s tasks are clear through bipartisan effort or reconciliation, but other priorities like immigration and energy legislation are also key issues that Republicans have to consider in their must-pass priorities. It will be interesting how they seek to pass the FY25 funding bill, begin the FY26 appropriation bill, work on a budget reconciliation, pass tax reform, and extend the debt ceiling, all with a thin majority in both chambers.

Word Search

SUDOKU

The rules for sudoku are simple:

A 9x9 square must be filled in with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in each line, horizontally or vertically.

To challenge you more, there are 3x3 squares marked out in the grid, and each of these squares can’t have any repeat numbers either.

Skill Level: Difficult

Everywhen Meldrop

Obelus

Titter

Whippersnapper

Salopettes

Biblioklept

Accubation

Foppish

Flabbergast Cattywampus

Octothorpe

Skirl

Widdershins Festooned

Flibbertigibbet

Fipple

All of these are real words! Look them up in the dictionary for a good laugh!

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