The IDEFA Journal
OHIO CHRISTIAN AID MINISTRIES SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM
Sponsored by WDFO
SPREADING A POSITIVE DEER FARMING MESSAGE
Promoting an Industry Understanding Sponsored by PDFA
THE BENEFITS OF FEEDING TREATS TO DEER
Why, When and Which Kinds are Safe?
Sponsored by ILDFA
2025-2026 IDEFA Board of Directors
President
Heath Alexander
Forgotten Mile Whitetails
6675 W 500 N
Pennville, IN 47369
Cell: (260) 341-7296
Email: thaeh80@gmail.com
Vice president
Lester Eicher
Springfield Whitetails
14905 Springfield Ct Rd
Grabill, IN 46741
Cell: (260) 341-3614
Email: springfieldwts@gmail.com
Secretary/Treasurer
Earl Hershberger
Clear Creek Whitetails
6960 W 200 N
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Cell: (260) 350-3506
Fax: (260) 768-4761
Email: earl@clearviewplasticsandglass.com
Director
Gary Bontrager
Pitside Whitetails
6445 S 700 W
Topeka, IN 46571
Phone: (260) 593-0943
Director
Derek Borkholder
Pine Creek Deer Farm
2877 Birch Rd
Bremen, IN 46506
Cell: (574) 248-0322
Email: tagouttech@gmail.com
Director
John Stoltzfus
5 Star Genetics
5835 N 1000 W
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Phone: (574) 596-2347
Email: jdwhitetails@gmails.com
Director
Dr. Darryl Ragland, DVM, Phd
625 Harrison St
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Home: (765) 494-3234
Cell: (765) 418-5673
Email: raglandd@purdue.edu
Director
Dave Schwartz
Shallow Pond Whitetails
3990 N 675 W
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Cell: (260) 336-1687
Email: shallowpondwts@gmail.com
Director
Jerry Schwartz Countryside Whitetails
10852 W 900 N
Bourbon, IN 46504
Cell: (574) 907-9457
Fax: (574) 546-0390
**Erica Bratton (574) 220-5652 ~ indianadeer@gmail.com
Hunting Preserve/Legislative
Chair: Dr. Ragland
I. Heath Alexander
II. Tom Kellems
Public Relations
Chair: Lester Eicher
I. Quincy Cunningam
Audit/Ethics & Bylaws
Chair: Robert Yoder
Co-Chair: Derek Borkholder
Budget Committee
Chair: Earl Hershberger
I. John Stoltzfus
II. Robert Yoder
Director
Cletus Bontrager
Twin Maple Deer Farm
8820 W 050 N
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Phone: (260) 768-4284
Director
Tom Kellems
Whitetail Ridge, LLC
6273 Saint Joe Cemetery Rd
Tell City, IN 47986
Cell: (812) 686-6055
Email: whitetailridge21@gmail.com
Director
Rober Yoder
Cedar Road Deer Farm
6664 Cedar Rd
Bremen, IN 46506
Phone: (574) 646-2504
Email: byoder@hardwoodinterior.com
IDAC
Chair: Dr. Ragland
I. Shelly Chavis
II. Shawn Shafer
Fundraisers/Summer Picnic
Chair: Derek Borkholder
Co-Chair: Lester Eicher
Co-Chair: Earl Hershberger
Co-Chair: Dave Scwhartz
Member Relations: Erica Bratton
Food: Jerry Schwartz
I. Tom Kellems
II. Gary Bontrager
III. Brian Bratton
IV. John Stoltzfus
V. Robert Yoder
VI. Heath Alexander
VII. Cletus Bontrager
VII. Heath Alexander
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
FALL 2025
Hello Members!
WOW! What a great event we had on August 1st in Nappanee! It was yet another great year. Seeing familiar faces is just as awesome as seeing new faces.
Sending a huge thank you to all of you that make our annual event as successful as it is! There are so many who pitch in and make this event worth having. Each year your Board Members and volunteers spend countless hours preparing for it.
Would you like to be a member of the Board? Each year we elect four people for a 3-year term. Reach out to a Board member or email me at indianadeer@gmail.com for more information.
Membership Renewal is in full swing and runs from January 1st to December 31st. don’t miss out on your journal and for Members in the state of Indiana to take advantage of the necropsy reimbursement program. Get a hold of any Board member or myself for more information.
Erica Bratton
Administrative
Secretary
Cell: 574-220-5652
Fax: 952-955-6022
indianadeer@gmail.com
Indiana
Deer and Elk Farmers Association
Annual Picnic Remains as Popular as Ever
A Word of Thanks from IDEFA Board of Directors Member John Stoltzfus
On August 1st and 2nd at the Samlung Platz in Nappanee, Indiana, IDEFA had its biggest event yet. We welcomed more than 500 participants, including IDEFA members and friends as well as fellow deer farmers from Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and perhaps even a few more. We enjoyed golf, playing games, booth visitation and a delicious fish and chicken fry on Friday night, while reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. I’d have to say that personally, Indiana is one of the Top 3 states for deer farming. Everyone wants to do business in Indiana, and we are here to welcome you.
We also had our most lucrative fundraiser to date and are extremely grateful to each and every state that made that happen. In addition to paying our lobbyists, part of the funds raised went towards helping other states that are standing firm in their quest to keep or regain their life and business, as they once knew it. While Indiana enjoys having an
abundance of deer farms and more freedom to raise deer, I feel we could use additional hunting preserves. Currently we stand at about 17 and would like to see that number increase in the future.
Adding to the enthusiasm of our event are the progressive Saturday meals and farm tours. Of the 300 or so attendees that participated, we started out at Clear Creek Whitetails for breakfast, then moved onto Backyard Whitetails, Pit Side Whitetails and gathered again for lunch at 5 Star Genetics. Afterwards we toured Zehr Brothers Whitetails, X-Factor whitetails and topped off the day with dinner at Springfield Whitetails. What an unforgettable day. Here in Indiana, we do make an effort to stand out as having one of the best events and encourage anyone who wants to participate to come next year. We would love to meet you and make you feel welcome. Thank you.
2025 IDEFA Board of Directors Meeting Schedule
Meetings are open to all current members. Members, please contact one of your Board of Directors for call in codes and/or locations 2025
Monday, August 18TH, 2025 @ 6 PM – Face to Face @ Lester’s
Monday, October 6TH, 2025 – @ 7 PM – Phone Conference 2026
Monday, January 19th, 2026 @ 6 PM – Face to Face @ Lester’s
Monday, March 9th, 2026 @ 7 PM – Phone Conference
Monday, May 11th, 2026 @ 6 PM – Face to Face @ Lester’s
Monday, June 15th, 2026 @ 6 PM – Face to Face @ Lester’s
Friday, August 7th, 2026 @ TBD – Face to Face @ Annual Meeting/Fundraiser & Picnic
Monday, August 24th, 2026 @ 6 PM – Face to Face @ Lester’s
Monday, October 12th, 2026 @ 6 PM – Phone Conference
Address: Lester Eicher 14659 Springfield Center Rd Grabill, IN 46741
Conference Call: 1-605-475-4700 Ext. #386360
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 IDEFA 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.
Email to:
Erica Bratton indianadeer@gmail.com
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EHD PROTOCOL
PROACTIVE PREVETION FROM FORGOTTEN MILE WHITETAILS
As another summer ends, and seeing the first frost of the year, you can almost hear a deer farmer’s sigh of relief. Hopefully everyone survived another year of the dreaded three letters, EHD. Some areas were hit hard and others it never reared its ugly head.
After being hit hard 4 years ago, we have been rebuilding from such a devastating loss. Looking at ways to combat and prevent from being impacted again, I recognized my prevention efforts were very minimal. After talking to
Protocol:
farmers across the country and gathering information how they prevent and treat EHD, I created a protocol we follow on our farm. Last year while other farms were being impacted around us, our deer continued to remain healthy.
I cannot say this will work on all farms, but I can say it has helped mine and a few others that have implemented these changes. In my opinion, EHD is all about prevention because being proactive is more effective than being reactive once it hits.
My prevention starts in May, and I begin putting a mixture of “Cydectin sheep oral drench” and “Apple elite electrolyte” in the water daily until at least the first frost. I give the apple electrolyte to help mask the flavor of the Cydectin. (Our deer love apple flavored treats so they enjoy the electrolytes as well!) I also begin putting garlic in my feed mixture. I begin with 5 pounds per ton and continually increase from May-July to reach 20-25 pounds of garlic per ton.
• Cydectin Sheep Oral Drench-6 cc per 5 gallons of water
• Apple Electrolyte-1 ounce per 10 gallons of water
• Garlic mixed into feed-5 pounds per ton, increasing to 20/25 pounds per ton
• Fogging property consistently (daily if able)
I also fog with a thermal fogger on days with calm to no wind. I typically do 2 laps around the farm and an additional 2 laps around the pond (which is in the center of the farm).
With this combination, we rarely have flies on our property, and it keeps the deer from having flies on them as well. Hopefully this can help another farm implement some prevention protocol and see results. Again, this is not a guarantee to prevent EHD on your farm, just the steps we have taken on our farm. We wish all farmers good luck and a prosperous year.
Forgotten Mile Whitetails Heath & Cassie Alexander
By: Gail Veley
Rocky Ridge Whitetails would like to introduce “Mega Star,” a 2025 yearling they are super excited to breed with. Rocky Ridge sold a half interest in the Choice Yearling off the farm at this year’s Northern Top 30. “Thank you” to Samuel King at Rocky Top Whitetails, for purchasing the Choice Yearling off the farm. Samuel picked Mega Star a few weeks before the deadline and before he was completely finished growing, which wasn’t a hard choice at all since Mega Star is a very rare yearling with a GEBV of -0.296, codon 96 SS, great frame and a loaded and stacked pedigree (with triple Heather on the bottom side.) His sire is the famous “Champion” from Lone Hollow. Champion has most likely been the hottest buck in Texas the last couple years, sporting a GEBV -0.342 and codon 96 SS with typical style antlers.
ROCKY RIDGE WHITETAILS
INTRODUCING “MEGA
STAR”
John Ervin Stoltzfus is hoping to get a successful semen collection from Mega Star in October and if so, plans to give back to the buyers by having a contest for all the semen that is used in 2025. The top three 2026 Mega Star fawns that are DNA certified and GEBV tested by September 1, 2026, with the best GEBV’s, will be the winners. The First Place winner will be required to be a codon 96 SS deer, but second and third place do not. The winners must have their GEBV’s turned on by August 31st, 2026, with NADR to be eligible to win. The First Place winner will receive $5,000 cash. The Second Place winner will receive a $4,000 farm credit for Rocky Ridge Whitetails semen in 2026. Third Place winner will receive a $3,000 farm credit for Rocky Ridge semen in 2026. Rocky Ridge Whitetails is well known for attention to detail and improvement at the highest levels possible. Whether it pertains to genetics, pedigrees, antlers, the largest mainframes, largest typicals,
largest nontypicals, longest beams, longest tines, width, body size, herd health (and now codon 96 SS markers and the lowest GEBV scores for healthy CWD resistant deer) John Ervin pays astute attention to all of these things. Rocky Ridge Whitetails has received more than 100 awards from the DBC Golden Buck and NADeFA antler scoring contests. The First Place typical and First Place nontypical harvested in the SCI record books were also bred and born at Rocky Ridge Whitetails.
John Ervin started deer farming at 12 years old with his father and has seen some very exciting times in his 28 years of deer farming. Now with his wife Mary Ann, along with their family of six children (four boys and two girls with the oldest being 13 years old) want them to have the same opportunity he has had growing up on a deer farm. The most exciting times were when borders were open to most states, and you could sell and move deer easily. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before, with an auction room full of over 1,000 deer farmers looking to improve their genetics and with it, the ability to buy from virtually any breeder. Now, sadly due to CWD, many states closed their borders and today we are extremely limited in whom we can buy or sell deer to, as many states do not allow you to bring in an out-of-state deer if within 15 miles of a CWD positive.
For many years it seemed impossible to alleviate regulations without scientific research pointing to eradicating CWD. Thanks to Dr. Seabury, his scientific research has
greatly aided us in this quest. As our state and national leaders work hard to educate our legislators as to what deer farmers are doing to lower the risk of spreading CWD, we are finally seeing some positive light. This includes Oklahoma passing a bill to release CWD resistant deer into the wild in 2026. We are also hopeful more states will follow Oklahoma and also hopeful in the near future we can move CWD resistant deer to currently none deer farming states, close boarder states, and move resistant deer from farms that are within 15 or 30 miles from a CWD positive. This could make deer farming great again!
John Ervin’s ultimate suggestion is to have good healthy discussions with your very own Department of AG, along with senators and regulators on what makes sense in improving regulations, while acknowledging the latest scientific research that points to lowering the risk of contracting CWD. The faster we get there, the better for all of us. The faster that resistant herds get established within our industry along with more and more proof that breeding for resistance is working, the better chance we have to get our anti deer farming wildlife
agencies on our side and pave the way for new deer farming states to open up and flourish.
John Ervin is optimistic about Pennsylvania’s deer farming future and has just started his third farm in Lancaster County, with no traceback connections from his other two farms (using all embryo’s at the most recently established farm and all 2025 fawns with codon 96 SS along with one was a HS -0.38.)
John Ervin feels he has been blessed with all of the 2025 doe fawns GEBV results have come back as -0.30 or better at the new farm. John Ervin is trying not to have his eggs or deer all in one basket or farm, so if a quarantine would happen on one farm, the other farms can still move deer. Remember, let’s not forget to use the Golden Rule and work together for the best of our industry!! And give God the glory for
the
Rocky
John Ervin Stoltzfus
Member Message
FALL 2025
As the morning sun rose above the early August horizon, I glanced at the time. 7:36 am. I needed to be in Nappanee by 8 am, and I was still at work. I grabbed my belongings and headed out the door. I was home by 7:50 and my driver was waiting. I quickly changed into suitable clothes and was gone in a flash. And after a 15-minute commute, we were pulling into the blacktop driveway of a beautiful event center called Sammlung Platz. I noted the nice landscaping around the parking lot and building. I noticed the brand-new Double Drop Hunting Blind situated outside the front door. I noticed a red truck with a trailer parked up front and knew it was Erica Bratton without even seeing her. The faithful and committed Administrative Assistant of IDEFA for many years. (Thanks Erica)
The week of the IDEFA picnic was action packed. On Wednesday night, we had visitors from Texas at Pine Creek. Dad grilled Ribeye steaks and we had an enjoyable evening by the fire and took a stroll through the deer pens. On Thursday, my cousins and I participated in the IDEFA Open golf outing. And guess what, we even got first place! It must be that closing our eyes for every other shot really was the difference. Hah. Thanks to Dave Schwartz and Tom Kellums and all the sponsors, it turned out to be a great outing. 48 players participated and many more were there to help or to watch. I’m already looking forward to next year’s outing. Later that evening a lot of the out of state folks and those who participated in the golf outing were all invited to Dave Schwartz for dinner. They had Ribeye steak, Sushi, frog legs, fish, a crawfish boil, and more. I was disappointed as I couldn’t make it for dinner. But from what I heard, it was a meal for the ages.
Back to the morning of the benefit auction… Soon the other board members arrived and the setup was in full swing. Banners were hung from the railing, the auction items were put in order, food was prepared, tables were set up and things began to take shape. At 12 noon, the snack bar was opened and we dove in headfirst to replenish our bodies after a “busy” morning of setup. Then I left for a short while and when I got back, people were piling in. Dinner was served at 4pm and by that time, we had a full house. We had to set up more tables and chairs so everyone could have a seat. The place was packed and many of them were from out of state. And this, folks, is what makes the IDEFA picnic one of the highlight events of the year.
We as board members spend a lot of time planning this event. Meetings, phone calls, emails, conversations, etc., are performed throughout the year. But all this would be in vain if fellow deer farmers wouldn’t show up in droves. What if no one donated auction lots or bid on auction lots? We wouldn’t have the funds to go on. What if no one showed up at Sammlung Platz? A lot of fish and chicken would have spoiled on that night. What if no one showed up at the golf outing? What if no one showed up at Dave Schwatz’s place after the golf outing? Well, Dave would have gotten sick eating leftovers. What if the bags of Deadly Dozen wouldn’t have sold? We would have had to take back the new 7x7 blind. What if no one bought the gun cases or the keys to the cooler of meat? Lester would have had to take back his cooler full of meat. And IDEFA would have had to have a garage sale to get rid of some guns and cases.
What I’m getting at is no single person gets the credit for this great event. It’s everyone working together. Buying, selling, donating, giving, eating, stopping in, golfing, and so much more. An industry working together to enjoy the process of deer farming. Giving back to the organization that helps keep their farms going. And here I am, in Indiana, the home of this event. And I better not take it for granted. What I need to do is be thankful and continue to support in any way I can and I will ask you to do the same. If you are from Indiana, help us continue. If you are not from Indiana, thanks for coming and please come back soon! We hope to see everyone next year!
God Bless, Derek Borkholder.
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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.”
SPREADING A POSITIVE DEER FARMING MESSAGE: PROMOTING AN INDUSTRY UNDERSTANDING
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association
“Every time we put a fence around land, we are preserving it for future generations.” This sentiment spoken by Red Ridge Whitetails Owner Josh Newton, echoes perhaps the most important reason to understand and support hunting and a deer farmer’s role in it. Deer farmers (a majority of which are hunters) promote land conservation, environmental stewardship, economic and community benefits, job creation as well as local establishment patronage.
“The trophy status sport of hunting also provides the economic means to sustain land in its natural state,” Newton explained. “Numerous other species propagate as well inside a preserve including turkeys, pheasants, grouse, songbirds, ground rodents, bear, coyote and the list goes on and on.” Reflecting the North American Wildlife Model, a framework that guides wildlife management and conservation, hunting preserves uphold the very practice of science-based management while ensuring the long-term viability of vast and expansive wildlife populations.
Given that close to 900,000 hunting licenses are sold annually in the state of Pennsylvania alone, the national economic impact of hunting is, putting it simply, impressive. And when taking into consideration the genetic improvements included in breeding decisions, deer farmers themselves are working to eradicate disease such as CWD, an everlooming concern in wild and farmed populations. “Look at the work being done in Oklahoma integrating deer farms and creating structured programs for improvement and reintroduction of genetics. Hunters drive that,” Newton said. Through improving farmed genetics and ultimately improved genetics in wild populations, the agencies that support these types of programs are the winners, he emphasized.
As these messages are spread through concise communication and outreach advocacy, public perception could start to shift in a more positive and sustained direction. “Before you take a side, understand both sides,” said Micheal Goodman of Goodman’s Piebald Haven in New Stanton, Pennsylvania.
“If someone from the general public wants to see my deer, just knock on my front door and ask. I’d be happy to show you.” Along with transparency “we as a group should stop saying shooter bucks,” shared Chase Baker of Baker Whitetails in Junction, Illinois. “We need to stress that in hunting preserves deer are not quick bait in confined spaces. In an industry that is so over-looked for the good work we are doing and so over-regulated, this is very important.”
Thoroughly understanding the role of genetics in conservation is another vitally important message to promote to a concerned public. “Most people who have studied GEBV’s have some level of excitement about our controlled breeding programs,” Newton said. “Those outside the industry have looked at this and at our genetic progress which continues to be a focal point nationally. Ultimately if this continues, we will be able to provide a genetic reservoir for wild populations that allow healthy biodiversity to come full-circle and remain that way.”
THE BENEFITS OF FEEDING TREATS TO DEER
WHY, WHEN AND WHICH KINDS ARE SAFE?
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by The Illinois Deer Farmer’s Association
Staying on top of herd health finds many deer farmers to be big proponents of feeding treats to their whitetail deer. Safe options could include animal crackers, peanuts, marshmallows, horse treats made with oats, golden oreos or other similar non-chocolate cookies. “Feeding treats helps me to get a good look at them every day,” said Chase Baker of Baker Whitetails in Junction, Illinois. “Each deer has a distinct personality and if they aren’t acting like themselves then I know something is wrong. If I can get closer to one that normally I couldn’t or pet one I normally can’t, there’s a problem. Or if one that is normally friendly and right up front is hanging out in the back, then I know I need to attend to it. There could be any number of things wrong from a soundness issue, a wound or a virus.”
Baker, who prefers to feed animal crackers and buys them in bulk, also adheres to certain safety rules while feeding treats. He only feeds bucks outside the fence and never touches them. He also never wears gloves, to allow his deer to be familiar with his scent. Baker
also recommends feeding treats during a specific time of the day, to help ensure that expectant deer will be ready, waiting and easier to find. Through Baker’s year-round routine of feeding treats, it allows him to check for ailments specific to certain times of the year such as pneumonia in the fall or EHD in the summer months. While feeding treats year-round can be ideal, in places such as New York where winters can be much colder and more brutal, Dana Hoover of Mountainside Whitetails in Penyan, New York abstains in the winter from doing so. “Starting after NADEFA when the weather turns nicer, we start feeding treats again,” Dana shared. “I like to feed peanuts for the protein aspect and that way I won’t get sticky hands like I would feeding something like diced up apples. Peanuts rattle when they hit the ground, and the deer know the sound.”
Dana and his wife Ella feed treats from early spring until early fall and revel in the time they spend in the deer pens. They have found that throughout the winter, their deer tend to get wilder due to reduced interaction. As soon as the peanuts
come out and Ella resumes her daily practice of walking though the pens, the deer calm right down (and fawns get used to seeing humans from the very onset.) “This really helps our program,” Hoover said. “We can safely watch them grow and catch stuff early on. It also gives us a head start on any potential antler infections. We’ve definitely caught most of them early on during the years.”
Medicinal benefits from other types of food such as raw pumpkin, also perceived by deer as a treat, is a natural dewormer as a result of the fiber content. In addition, acorns, watermelons, apples, alfalfa, soybeans and legumes provide vitamins, protein and energy. However, certain foods such as cucumbers, rhubarb plants, potato leaves, tomato leaves, onions, garlic, daffodils, foxgloves and poppies are either toxic, or generally unpalatable to deer, and should not be found near where they thrive. “If you have a garden, make sure it is fenced off properly and your deer are unable to get in there,” Baker said. “Regardless of whether you’re growing watermelons or tomatoes.”
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DIGESTIVE HEALTH & IMMUNE SUPPORT CERVIDS OF ALL AGES
Supports digestive health and a healthy immune system
Natural formula contains Encrypt®, egg proteins, enzymes, micro-encapsulated probiotics and a prebiotic
Top dress or mix in feed during fawning season, weather changes, times of stress and when top performance is desired
Ingredients
• 4 venison steaks*
• Coarse sea salt
IDEFA Recipe
GRILLED BALSAMIC VENISON STEAK
If you fish the Guadalupe river in central Texas, you might find yourself at a popular river-side restaurant known for their balsamic ribeye steak. It’s sweet, sour, meaty, and incredibly delicious.
This is my version of that dish using venison, a homemade balsamic reduction, and the best tomatoes that summer has to offer. Because venison is so lean, I like to drizzle toasted garlic olive oil across the top to balance out the acidity of the vinegar. It also pairs really well with grilled zucchini and summer squash on the side.
• Coarse cracked peppercorns
• Minced fresh rosemary leaves (or crushed dried rosemary)
• High-smoke point oil, such as avocado or grapeseed
• Balsamic reduction, store-bought or homemade
• Toasted garlic olive oil**, fresh chopped basil, and tomatoes for serving (optional)
Miso Balsamic Reduction
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons miso paste
• Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
1. Grill the steaks
2. Prepare a grill for high-heat cooking. Season the steaks to taste with salt, pepper, and a heavy pinch of rosemary. Set aside about ¼ cup of the balsamic vinegar to baste the meat, reserving the rest to drizzle at the end for serving.
3. Coat the steaks with a light layer of oil and place on the grill. Sear on one side for 1-2 minutes, then flip. Using a pastry brush, baste the top side of the meat with the balsamic reduction. After another couple of minutes, flip the meat again, and baste the top. Continue this process of flipping and basting for 6-10 minutes (depending on the thickness), or until the meat is cooked to your liking, and the outside is caramelized. You can test for doneness using the tongs to feel for density, or use a meat thermometer. Aim for about 130°F for medium-rare.
4. Allow the meat to rest for 8-10 minutes. Serve with fresh sliced heirloom tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of both toasted garlic olive oil and some of the reserved balsamic reduction across the top.
Notes:
*My favorite steaks to use for this recipe are the backstrap (loin), tenderloins, top (inside) round, and sirloin tip.
**You can make your own toasted garlic olive oil by sauteing two cloves of minced garlic with about ½ cup of olive oil over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until golden in color. Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a dish to cool off. Don’t let it burn and use within a few days.
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