SETTING UP YOUR DEER FARM ADVICE FOR OPTIMUM SUCCESS
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By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by KALA
pon venturing forth to build a deer farm, one crucial question needs to be answered first. “How many deer do you plan on raising?” asks veteran deer farmer Henry Woodard of Woodard Whitetails in Glasgow, Kentucky. “Most people tend to underestimate the amount of deer they are going to end up with. Always plan for expansion.” Having “benchmarks” or clear business goals and a clear vision of where you’d like to be in five or ten years can make designing, building and utilizing your deer farm an easier endeavor. Although there are several factors to take into consideration, first analyze the land where you plan to build your pens, Woodard advises. Avoid low spots that don’t have excellent drainage. Next, consider an optimum location for a handling facility should you plan on having one, and place deer pens and crowding alleys in convenient proximity. However, don’t think of a handling facility as merely a place to do A.I. procedures. “Think of it as a place to load or unload bucks without having to dart them,” said Woodard, whose 200acre deer paradise includes a breeding farm as well as a hunting preserve.
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Next, consider an ideal place for a fawning facility should you include one on your farm. Ideally, it would be nestled amongst pens where expecting does would ultimately reside. Although this may seem obvious “some people have no clue when they set out to create deer pens,” said Mike Sulfridge of Big Antler Ranch in Annville, Kentucky. Crucial to the success of a deer farm is not only the location and size of deer pens, but their shape as well. Considering deer are prey animals, avoid making your pens too small or square-shaped but rather make them long and narrow such as 100 x 300 feet, Sulfridge said. “This gives them the ability to run from perceived danger rather than the feeling of being in a fishbowl that a square-shaped pen gives them.”
cause immeasurable stress for them and lactating does. Stress is perhaps responsible for claiming more cervid lives than anything else and although Woodard is content with the functionality of his farm begun in 2003, “if I had to do over I would build an observation deck over my deer pens,” he said. “It would give me and my customers a chance to see the deer without having to go into or next to the pens.” An observation deck would also allow Woodard to more easily spot a sick deer.
Spotting and treating sickness is paramount to your overall herd health, along with the awareness that deer tend to hide illnesses as an instinctual form of survival. Spending time in your pens provides you the opportunity to keep your pulse on the health of your charges, Woodard emphasizes. With health and low stress at the forefront Within each pen both food and water of any decision making, stress is also sources should be placed within close greatly reduced in deer that do not proximity of the human gate, for your undergo darting. With that in mind, safety. Shade should also be provided either naturally with trees or by artificial should your farm also include a hunting preserve, design your pens such that structures such as carports or lean-to sheds. Ideally, cover would be provided bucks can be released directly into it, without first having to dart and over food and water sources as well to transport them, Woodard said. “This make it more palatable for deer to eat obviously makes the transition much and drink, ensuring proper nutrition smoother and less risky.” and hydration year-round particularly in summer months. Quantity of deer Because successful deer farming requires inside each pen is an important factor a considerable investment upfront, as well. In general, allot for 3,000 ensure you have adequate funds set square feet per deer or about 15-16 deer per acre (an acre measuring in aside as banks are not especially keen to provide loans for this type of endeavor, at 43,560 square feet.) Sulfridge said. However, the State of Kentucky could be a viable resource for Next, take into consideration business loans and grants and doing the type of fencing you wish research is highly recommended. Above to use in constructing each all, do your homework and study all the pen. Although chain link fence information that is available out there, is more expensive compared Woodard added. “Talk to successful to game fence, fawns are less breeders to learn their habits and likely to get stuck in chain link secrets. And always be open to other or escape through it, which can ideas besides your own.”
