Kentucky Fall 2023 by DandKDesign

KENTUCKY Fall 2023 l Volume 6 l Issue 3

LOUISIANA DEER FARMERS SHARE

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW – WHAT I MAY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY STARTING MY DEER FARM

Sponsored by wol

MINNESOTA DEER FARMERS FIND CHALLENGES WITH AMENDED 35.155 STATUTE Sponsored by MDFA

RAISING AND KEEPING EXOTICS KANSAS FARMERS OFFER INSIGHT Sponsored by keda

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CONTENTS Winter

Deadline Dec 27th

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PUBLISHING Kathy Giesen, Editor/Publisher 305 E. 350 N., Ivins, UT 84738 deerassociations@gmail.com 435-817-0150 • Fax: 435-359-5333

Website: deersites.com (Editorial Provided by Contributing Writers)

FEATURED ARTICLES: Louisiana Deer Farmers Share – If I Knew Then What I Know Now – What I May Have Done Differently Starting My Deer Farm............................................................ 45 Minnesota Deer Farmers Find Challenges with Amended 35.155 Statute......................................... 37 Raising and Keeping Exotics – Kansas Farmers Offer Insight............................................................... 24

Featured Farm Story: Solid Rock Whitetails..............................................12, 13, 14

IN THIS ISSUE

Activity Pages.....................................................33, 40, 48 Advertising Information............................................... 51 Board of Directors........................................................... 4 Business Cards............................................................... 30 KALA Classifides............................................................. 10 KALA’s Kitchen................................................................ 22 Membership Application............................................. 10 Members Message.......................................................... 7 Presidents Message........................................................ 2 Quarterly Calandar.......................................................... 8 Summer Showcase Photos.................................. 17, 19 Thank You - Sponsor & Donor Page.............In. B. Cov ADVERTISERS INDEX Antler Ridge Whitetails..................... 48 AR&R Antler Replica & Repairs....... 46 Blessed Bayou.................................... 29 Blosser Whitetails.............................. 23 Blue Creek Whitetails........................ 50 C&E Wildlife Products....................... 46 Cervid Central Market Place..............9 Cervid Solutions, LLC........................ 11 Clear Creek Whitetails...................... 25 CuddliEZ............................................... 28 Dan-Inject North America...................5 Droptine Studios................................ 36 EZid, LLC.............................................. 28 Five O’s Ranch......................... In. F. Cov Head Gear, LLC.................................. 15 Hilty Whitetails.................................... 47 Illini Whitetails..................................... 32

Jo Jo’s Whitetails................................. 39 Kentucky Whitetails.................... 20, 21 Major League Whitetails.................. 41 NexGen Animal Health..................... 35 Outskirts Whitetails........................... 16 Picture Perfect Whitetails...................6 Pine Creek Deer Farm...................... 34 Pneu-Dart............................................ 31 Prime Acres Whitetails..................... 49 Purina................................................... 38 Rocky Ridge Whitetails............... 42, 43 Springfield Whitetails............................. ..................Center Spread, Back Cover Trophy Whitetails............................... 52 Woodard Whitetails.........Cover, 3, 44 Zehr Bros Whitetails......................... 18

Watch for these symbols for interactive links in the eBook! This symbol indicates there is a video linked This symbol indicates there is a link to email, website, or facebook

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE JASON BECKER

It’s a great day to be a Kentucky Deer Farmer! I’d like to start with a heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors and farms that donated to last month’s KALA Summer Showcase. This year’s event was another huge success and ensures KALA can continue its mission and protect the rights of Kentucky Deer Farmers. It was also an opportunity to get so many of us in the same room to talk about our deer, show off some pictures, and get questions answered directly from the Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian. There was a great group of Kentucky Deer Farmers, and we had some out of state guests as well. As we do business and decide where to spend our money, I would encourage everyone to start with the farms and companies that support us. We have reserved a section of this issue to list our sponsors and donors, we couldn’t have done it without them. Just a week and a half after the Summer Showcase, Kentucky had its first annual Bluegrass Buck Auction. Although not a KALA event, I was very proud of the hard work David Miller, Joe Miller, and their team put into putting on such a successful event. Kentucky represented well with over 100 impressive bucks that sold for good prices. An important takeaway from the buck auction was the importance of being TB/Brucellosis tested. There were a ton of out of state bids on deer that were certified and that helped their prices tremendously. If you would like information on how to get your farm TB/Brucellosis certified, please contact KALA or the Department of Agriculture. It is an investment on your farm that pays big dividends when selling your deer.

Looking ahead, another busy time of the year on everyone’s farm is breeding season. Matching the right does with the right bucks to make the next legend of the industry is an exciting endeavor. On top of getting the pedigree you’re looking for; many farms are also looking to improve the genomic markers of their deer to improve resistance to CWD. You’ve probably seen the push for “SS” markered buck straws being advertised. This can be a confusing topic and requires additional genomic testing of your deer with NADR, but it is the direction the industry is heading. We will cover the basics of genetic markers at the next KALA meeting on December 2nd. One of the best parts of being a Kentucky Deer Farmer is the network of support available to us. KALA is a strong organization that is always willing to help and get answers to your questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out through Facebook, email, or a phone call. I even appreciate being called out publicly, “What is KALA doing about this?”. KALA has drastically improved our industrial and political connections over the past several years. If you see or hear about an issue that affects Kentucky Deer Farmers, please let us know. Good luck with breeding season and I look forward to seeing you at the next Quarterly KALA meeting! Sincerely, Jason Becker KALA President 757-692-5820

KENTUCKY ALTERNATIVE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION - BOD’S WWW.KALAKY.NET

EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tony Maddox CHAIRMAN 725 Rabbit Town Rd Winchester KY 40391 solidrockwhitetails@yahoo.com 859-556-7253 • 239-340-1171

Jason Becker PRESIDENT Campbellsville, KY jasonbecker757@gmail.com 757-692-5820

Jake Anderson VICE PRESIDENT 925 Guston Rd Guston KY 40142 janderson@theluskgroup.com 270-547-8432

PRESTON THOMAS SECRETARY Princeton KY 42445 prestonthomasfarms@gmail.com 270-889-1001

WES BREWER TREASURER Hodgenville KY 42748 mwb5304@yahoo.com 502-297-1309

DIRECTORS Chance Groves

11158 New Bowling Green Rd Smiths Grove KY 42171 hdwhitetailbreeders@gmail.com 270-308-0973

David Miller

1873 Forestville Rd Mumfordville KY 42765 270-537-5357

Joe Miller

4195 Penchem Rd Guthrie KY 42234 jmgreenlandsod@safecom.link 270-483-2140

Henry Woodard

9776 Roseville Rd Glasgow KY 42141 woodardpropertiestn@gmail.com 423-595-8898

Ethan Woosley

9064 Shrewsbury Road Leitchfield, KY 42754 Singlecreekwhitetails@gmail.com 270-316-9698

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MESSAGE FROM MAGAZINE CHAIRMAN: ETHAN WOOSLEY

Its Fall yall! On behalf of K.A.L.A. I would like to express gratitude to everyone that was instrumental in ensuring that this year’s fundraising efforts were successful! We greatly appreciate the donors, sponsors, and those who actively participated in the preparation and execution of the event. As usual we had the kids events and games, and we couldn’t have achieved that had it not been for Latrisha Moore for volunteering to manage that for us! Thank you all!

As the days are continuing to get shorter every day, it is time to start planning for the upcoming breeding season. It is good to have a strategy for your breeding plans, and a potential backup plan if the need arises. As fall is typically our busiest time of the year, please remember to be thorough in your paperwork and communication as it can be easy to drop the ball in the midst of it all. Ethan Woosley Magazine Chairman

Quarterly Calendar Update ~ Ad Deadlines & Events

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Provided by D&K Design, Publisher for State Association Magazines l VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE EVENT DETAILS: DEERSITES.COM

Tri-State Associations Fall Deadline

Labor Day Columbus Day

Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association Fall Classic Stocker and Breeder Auction & Annual Pennsylvania Deer and Outdoor Expo

Louisiana Fall Deadline

Quest for Michigan’s Best Fall Deadline

2023 SOUTHERN TOP 30

Tri-State Associations Fall Deadline Kentucky & New York Fall Deadline

Labor Day

Whitetail & Specialty Extravaganza Great Wolf Lodge, Grapevine, TX

Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association Fall Classic Stocker and Breeder Auction & Annual Pennsylvania Deer and Outdoor Expo

Louisiana Fall Deadline

Halloween

OCTOBER NOVEMBER

Kentucky & New York Fall Deadline

Mulit-Magazine Winter Deadline Southeast Tines Winter Deadline

Columbus Day

The IDEFA Journal Winter Deadline

Veterans Day (Observed)

Veterans Day

Quest for Michigan’s Best Fall Deadline

Tri-State Associations Pennsylvania Fall Deadline Winter Deadline

Labor Day Columbus Day

Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association Fall Classic Stocker and Breeder Auction &

Louisiana Upper Midwest Annual Pennsylvania Deer and Outdoor Expo Fall Deadline Fall Deadline Thanksgiving Quest for Michigan’s Best Fall Deadline Halloween

NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Kentucky & New York Fall Deadline

Halloween

Mulit-Magazine Winter Deadline Southeast Tines Winter Deadline

The IDEFA Journal Winter Deadline

(Observed)

Veterans Day

Mulit-Magazine Winter Deadline Southeast Tines Winter Deadline Pennsylvania Winter Deadline Columbus Day

The IDEFA Journal WinterMidwest Deadline Upper Fall Deadline

Veterans Day (Observed)

Thanksgiving

Quest for Michigan’s Best Fall Deadline

Pennsylvania Winter Deadline

Upper Midwest Fall Deadline

Veterans Day

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Veterans Day

Memberhip Application Member Name:________________________________________ Farm Name:___________________________________________

MEMERSHIP DUES:

New Member: ________

Regular Voting Membership $100 Out of State Associate Membeship $50 (non-voting)

Address: ______________________________________________

I hereby make application for membership the Kentucky Alternative Livestock Assocation.

Phone:________________________________________________

I agree to conf irm to the bylaws and code of ethics governing the association.

__________________________________________ Signature Date: ______________________

Renewal: ________

_______________________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________________

Online application avaliable on our Website: kalaky.net Mail to: Jason Becker 737 Finely Ridge Road Campbellsville, KY JasonBecker757@gmail.com 757-692-5820

KALA CLASSIFIEDS SOLID ROCK WHITETAILS Selling 18-22 pedigreed Does. Ranging in ages. Fast Producing Genetics. Doe Fawns also available. TB/Brucellosis Certified.

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If you would like to place an ad in the KALA Classifieds, please contact Ethan Woosley, or Josh Moore to place an Ad. It is totally Free advertising for KALA members!! If you have a business card and you would like to see it in the magazine section it is also free to KALA members, please contact Ethan Woosley to get those in!

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KALA FARM FEATURE TONY MADDOX & MARYANN HALL WITH SOLID ROCK WHITETAILS By: Kathy Brooks

Have you ever tried to dig fence post holes through solid rock? If you need some pointers and tips on how to make that happen, check no further than with Tony Maddox of Solid Rock Whitetails in Winchester, Kentucky, located about 40 minutes east of Lexington and the Bluegrass Airport. Tony and his partner, Maryann Hall, have first-hand knowledge and lots of experience with that difficult task since they unfortunately encountered solid rock many times while trying to build the fence for their future deer farm. After much frustration and the frequent use of a jackhammer, they were finally able to get the posts in the ground, and, as a result, their new deer farm earned its name. Solid Rock Whitetails is a fitting moniker for the busy and thriving business that Tony and Maryann are very proud to call their own. After about a year of researching and making farm visits in order to educate themselves on deer farming, Tony and Maryann bought their first deer in 2018. Tony had been interested in deer farming for several years, but he

just had not taken the time to really dive into the research to get the ball rolling until 2017. A cattle farmer for most of his life, Tony became interested in diversifying his operation because the cattle market was so unpredictable and it was becoming more difficult to turn a profit. So, Tony and Maryann began looking into multiple avenues in which to invest; from land investments to chicken farming to deer scent facilities, they explored the possible routes that they could take. Tony has always loved being outdoors and has been an avid hunter since he was a little boy of six or seven. In 2011, he introduced Maryann to hunting early in their relationship, and she was hooked from day one. Their mutual love of the outdoors, as well as their desire to start a business that they could both enjoy, led them to research the possibility of getting involved in whitetail deer farming. The Solid Rock Whitetail family is passionate about deer farming and proud of what they produce. It is still managed as a family business with Tony and Maryann doing all of the demanding work by themselves with no hired help. However, they are quick to give credit to Tony’s son, Luke, who also really enjoys working with the deer. Maryann proudly sings Luke’s praises when she says, “Luke has a great work ethic and has been a tremendous help to us on the deer farm.” Although deer farming has been very stressful at times, especially when trying to manage the farm on their own, Tony and MaryAnn admit that it is very rewarding when they see the results of their hard work.

Much has been learned by this deer farming family, and they have been generous in sharing their wisdom with others. With that being said, Tony and Maryann, like most other seasoned deer farmers, are adamant proponents of doing much research before ever making a move to start a deer business. They stress that it is extremely important to do your homework before the beginning of your investment, so that you can make smart, educated choices that fit into your budget and business plan. They advise anyone considering an investment into the deer industry to start by taking several farm tours. “The gathering of information on animal husbandry, pen layouts, as well as some of the pros and cons of the industry is a vital step to starting right,” stated Tony. In addition to that helpful information, Maryann suggests that you also need to be wellinformed about the medications needed to treat your deer and confident that you have a good, reliable veterinarian who is knowledgeable on how to treat cervids as well as being available to help you with your animals when you need a vet! Additionally, Tony and Maryann advise prospective new farmers to set a budget from the beginning and to buy quality over quantity. Whitetail deer farming can be an expensive investment, especially if you enter into the breeder market. There are a lot of learning curves when dealing with whitetail deer as well as hidden operating expenses. Another wise bit of guidance from this experienced couple

is that, while doing your initial research, it is advisable to learn the importance of pedigrees and to familiarize yourself with some of the various genetic lines from northern and southern genetics. You will then be able to implement a successful strategy for breeding--from the beginning. They added that they have had unfortunate conversations with some new deer farmers who were not properly educated about pedigrees and had initially bought “brown deer” (those without a known pedigree), which caused them difficulty in transitioning over to pedigreed deer. Tony and Maryann stated that researching pedigrees is as simple as logging onto the Northern Deer Registry to familiarize oneself with some of the various breeding lines in the industry. Tony warns that much hands-on time must be invested in order to have a healthy and profitable herd, so it’s important to realize that a good deer farmer must be able to dedicate a large portion of his/her time and energy into the business. Maryann added, “Deer farming is not an endeavor where you can just decide to take off on a quick vacay without having the appropriate “help” in place to tend to your herd!” Looking back, the Solid Rock Whitetail family feels that they were very well-researched and prepared when they started

into the whitetail industry and are happy with how they have progressed. When asked to name one thing that they wish they had known before starting their deer farm, Maryann answered, “I wish I’d known that I didn’t have to bottle feed my fawns in order for them to be tame.” When Tony and Maryann started their farm, they invested a lot of time into building a bottle-feeding facility and initially planned on bottle feeding most of their doe fawns. However, after their first year of bottle feeding and realizing the time it takes to commit to raising healthy fawns, they decided that bottle feeding was not the right choice for them. “Because we spend a lot of time with our herd,” she explained, “we are able to maintain a very calm herd without the expense and excessive time investment needed to bottle feed our fawns. You just can’t duplicate what Mother Nature provides to the fawns,” she continued. They noted that their bottle-fed fawns even seemed to be smaller than their fawns that they had left with the does in the field, so that was all the more reason for them to stop spending countless hours and dollars on bottle feeding just for the sake of taming. They now bottle feed only out of necessity if a fawn is orphaned or rejected and are happy with that choice. One of the challenges that most deer farms encounter is in trying to market their deer in this competitive industry. At Solid Rock Whitetails, they recognize that it is easy for new farmers to get caught up in the “hype” of the breeder market, so they recommend that farmers strive at first

to concentrate on doing well with animal husbandry and herd management while “getting their feet wet” before investing into the breeder market. Tony laments, “I’ve sadly seen times when new farmers invest into the breeder market from the beginning without understanding the industry and get caught up in the “bling” of advertising.” He added that it doesn’t matter how much you pay for a straw of semen or how much percentage you buy of a highly-advertised breeder buck to add to your herd if you do not yet have that “Big Farm” name. Your animals will not likely be as marketable as the one that has been advertised and marketed from the breeder market side. “For example,” Tony said, “you may have this beautiful buck with the same genetics as that “Big Farm” marketed deer, but he will not bring the same money.” In other words, if you want to be in the breeder market, Tony recommends that you don’t just dive in from the start; make sure that deer farming is right for you before making the big investment that it takes to compete in the breeder market. “However,” he continued, “if you just want a tax write-off in advertising, or if you just have money to burn, then maybe it is okay.” Tony and MaryAnn are especially proud of their accomplishments in both animal husbandry practices 13 Continued on page 14...

Continued from page 13...

and fawn survival success rates. They have spent much effort in tweaking their vaccine protocol and polishing up on good husbandry skills and believe that implementing a vaccine program into the deer herd management is vital to success in the whitetail industry. Taking an animal out of its natural environment provided by Mother Nature and keeping it in captivity is subjecting it to other illnesses and ailments that are different from those encountered in the wild, so they realize that vaccinations and health management are critical. Tony prides himself on having a keen eye when it comes to daily checking his herd which is evidenced by his ability to pick up on early cues when a deer is not feeling well or is just a little “off” that day. Because he is very passionate about deer farming and enjoys animal husbandry, Tony loves to share his experiences and knowledge with others. Maryann stated that Tony never fails to answer a call about an issue that a fellow deer farmer is having with his herd. Since he never sees a stranger, Tony can frequently be seen sharing his wisdom about many facets of deer farming when he is attending deer meetings, auctions, or when hosting visitors and buyers at the Solid Rock Whitetail Deer Farm.

Tony cites this love of sharing his experiences as one of the perks of buying deer from his farm. When a customer buys a deer from Tony and Maryann, the client can expect them to follow up on how that deer produces because they love seeing how their animals perform and want their clients to succeed and prosper. The hard-working couple continues to receive positive feedback from their buyers and have found that they are so appreciative of the client relationships and friendships that is developed with them. Their clients often comment on how much they value the help that Tony and MaryAnn provide by answering their questions and concerns along the way. “It sure is a good feeling when we hear “thank you” from our buyers” Maryann states. “That appreciation shown lets us know that we are doing things right!” At Solid Rock Whitetails, the farm goals continue to be the same as when the business started--to prosper in their business while producing marketable stocker bucks and healthy animals with good genetics, and to continue to help in promoting the deer industry by forming business relationships with other farmers and sharing first-hand knowledge to help them succeed. Tony and Maryann would like to encourage all Kentucky deer farmers to get actively involved with KALA. They believe that healthy debate and shared decision-making can build a stronger association and promote success in meeting long-term goals of the association. While very much involved themselves in KALA, they want to motivate others to become active in committees and be a part of implementing change and in growing the industry. KALA gives opportunities to voice your concerns at a state level

and stresses the need to be in touch with your state senators and representatives to help push any changes in crucial legislative actions. Because of their strong belief that it is vital to be actively involved with your state organization, this dedicated couple is leading by example. Tony is currently on the board of KALA and is heartily supported by Maryann in his efforts to make the organization a success. Both Tony and Maryann would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of their farm customers, to the preserve owners that have bought their stocker bucks, to the deer farmers that helped them get started years ago, and to anyone else that has helped with their success along the way! After all the “blood, sweat, and tears” that they had to put into drilling through the SOLID ROCK while putting in their fence posts, I guess we can be glad that they didn’t name their business “Jackhammer”! Congratulations and best wishes to Tony and Maryann for a job well-done and for the example that Solid Rock Whitetails sets for others in the industry.

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VENISON MUSHROOM & SWISS BURGER BY SOLID ROCK WHITETAILS INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • •

KALA’S Kitchen If you are a Kentucky Hunting Preserve and would like to share one of your game recipes to KALA’s Kitchen and be featured in one of our upcoming KALA Magazine issues please contact Maryann Hall at solidrockwhitetails@ yahoo.com or call 859-556-7262. All you have to do is be a KALA member to participate!

2 pounds ground venison ¼-½ teaspoon of celery seed 1 medium onion sliced 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons mushroom powder 1 pound fresh portabella mushrooms chopped or halved 6 slices Swiss cheese Dukes mayo or mustard dash of worcestershire brioche or pretzel bun

INSTRUCTIONS First, it’s important to make sure that your ground venison has fat added at processing. This allows the burger to hold together while cooking and retain juiciness. Beef or pork fat works well. Beef makes it taste more like your regular hamburger and if you’re watching your cholesterol, pork has less saturated fat and a milder flavor to allow the venison taste to shine. 1. Combine the celery seed and mushroom powder to your ground venison and then shape into patties like you would a typical hamburger. 2. Saute the mushrooms for about 2 minutes alone, then add your olive oil, dash of worcestershire, pinch of salt & pepper, and your onion. Saute for a total of about 7-8 minutes or until browned to your liking, then set aside. 3. Now grill your burger for approx. 5-6 minutes per side. Once your burger has been flipped and almost done, add your swiss cheese and let it melt. Provolone cheese works well also. While the cheese is melting, we like to slightly toast our buns on the grill. It’s best to spread a little mustard or Duke’s mayo on the bun to help it brown well and to add flavor. Now it’s time to put your burger together. Simply, place your grilled burger on your toasted bun then add your mushroom and onions that you sauteed earlier. This mushroom & Swiss burger goes well with fried morels, homemade potato chips or some good ole bacon-wrapped tater tots. Hope you enjoy this easy venison burger recipe! Maryann Hall

Solid Rock Whitetails

RAISING AND KEEPING EXOTICS – KANSAS FARMERS OFFER INSIGHT

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by KEDA

olding a homemade plywood shield in one hand and several peanuts in the other, red deer farmer Kevin Constant walks out to his deer pens in the spring to tag newborn red deer calves. A fiercely protective hind (female) stands ready in an instant to defend her baby. Constant, who is also ready to defend himself, tosses peanuts on the ground and then with hyper-focused precision, gets the job done as quickly as possible. While red deer may be heartier and perhaps easier to raise then whitetails, they can also be very aggressive when it comes to protecting their young. Raising red deer is akin to raising “big cows with big antlers,” said Constant, who, along with his wife Delores, own K & D Wildlife in Meriden, Kansas. “Red deer are very disease resistant and not as flighty as whitetails and are more adaptable to situations. They are more curious than cautious by nature. If you have a pair of gloves in your back pocket, they’ll try to steal them. If they grab them and take off and you chase them, it’s like ‘game on!” he said. “They’ll even climb into your vehicle if you let them.” Started in 2019, Constant, 61, was looking to raise livestock on their 80-acre sprawl. When a local farmer decided to part with his red deer herd,

the Constants purchased it and have been raising red deer ever since. While they appreciate their hardiness, they are also grateful for the low mortality rate the farm has experienced in keeping them. “We only lose about 10% of our babies a year,” he said. “We lost one from sickness that died four years ago, and we might lose one or two a year from new inexperienced mothers or if one comes out backwards.”

Exotic wildlife in general enjoy a more stress-free existence as collectively they are known for their hardiness and inquisitive, laid-back nature. However, curiosity can also prove deadly, as Brad Farmer of Farmer’s Fallow Deer in Viola, Kansas accidentally found out. While he has successfully and diligently raised fallow deer since 1990, he learned early on how much they like to chew on things. “I would caution people to take off the plastic twine and net wrap around hay bales,” Farmer, 63, said. “If ingested, it forms a calcified mass or “rim” around their rumen and fills it up, causing them to starve to death. But, you don’t know it until they are dead.” Shade cloth is another item that exotic deer farmers may want to avoid using as it often gets caught around antlers of curious bucks. “As long as you practice

safety measures, fallow deer do really well and adapt to a wide variety of climates,” Farmer added. Credited for bringing fallow deer to the United States is NADeFA Founder Josef Kerckerinck, who started Lucky Star Ranch in 1979 in Chaumont, New York after immigrating from Germany. Upon establishing his farm, he became steadfast in his desire to promote the venison market, his main motivation for establishing NADeFA. Soon, fallow deer became viable livestock on numerous farms throughout the U.S. and highly sought-after for their meat value. Fallow deer, the most popular exotic species to raise, are either of Mesopotamian descent (larger bodied with wide-base antlers) or European descent (smaller bodied and narrow-base antlers.) Profit margins for selling exotics such as red deer and fallow can be very reasonable, as both Constant and Farmer feel the market value for their deer makes their efforts worthwhile. While both feed their herds hay, grain and silage (green fodder stored in a silo and fed throughout the winter), they also do quite well with naturally foraging. Raising exotics also requires farmers to obtain a state license. As with Farmer, Constant feels blessed to be able to raise exotics. For this opportunity “thanks be to God,” Constant said. “We believe in the promise of blessings and have seen it over and over in the success of our herd.”

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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: Ethan Woosley: Singlecreekwhitetails@gmail.com This gives KALA 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. Please Note: Business Cards will be rotated as space allows, if you don’t see your card here it should appear in the next issue. If you have any concerns please double check that your membership is up to date and feel free to contact us or resend your card.

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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.

Coloring Activity!

Be Creative and add in a background for Bunny!

Send in this picture with your childs name and age for a chance to be featured in the next magazine or on our facebook page! All ages welcome to participate! Pictures can be emailed to deerassociations@gmail.com or mailed to

Samantha Uchytil 19291 59th St NE New London, MN 56273

Yo u

bet

ma ga

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Websites promote you 24/7: no employee will do that.

830-368-4285 | www.DroptineStudios.com | Admin@DroptineStudios.com 36

MINNESOTA DEER FARMERS FIND CHALLENGES WITH AMENDED 35.155 STATUTE By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by MDFA

egislative changes made effective July 1st, 2023, are making many Minnesota deer farmers question whether or not they can afford to stay in business. These changes include, among others, constructing an additional type of fencing or barrier outside of a farm’s standard 96” high fence, as well as tight restrictions on who an existing deer farm may be gifted or sold to. “If I knew when I got started in the year 2,000 how tough it would be today to run a deer farm, I may not have ever gotten started,” explains Scott Fier, President of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association and owner of Buffalo Ridge Whitetails in Porter. “Back then, we were encouraged to raise deer. CWD was not something that was really talked about very much.” Although the Minnesota Board of Animal Health had governed over whitetail farms since 2005, sole authority now rests with The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and with that, perhaps more costly deer farm mandates. While new legislation requires deer farmers to construct an additional barrier outside of their existing fence “it does not necessarily mean a double fence,” said Mike Oehler, Farmed Deer and Captive Species Coordinator for The MDNR. In his newly created position, Oehler shares the four various fencing options acceptable to the DNR, intended to

prevent wild deer from making contact with farmed deer and spread CWD. The first is a standard double fence, a simple mirror image of a farm’s existing fence. The second is a “secondary fence” made of smaller mesh type material that wild deer cannot penetrate. The third option is a wooden fence or shade cloth barrier. The fourth option is an electric fence. Yet, many deer farmers such as Steve Uchytil, Vice President of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association and owner of Crow River Whitetails in Atwater, feel any type of additional fencing is extremely cost-prohibitive. He feels the expense is not worth the risk, especially if new additional costly compliance measures are made into law in the future. As a result, as of December 6th, 2023, Uchytil plans to clear out his entire existing herd and later, start over in another state. Although Uchytil has found potential buyers for his property, current law requires him to either sell to an immediate family member (should the property remain a deer farm) or sell to an unknown buyer who will use the property for other purposes. Immediate family includes cousins, siblings, children, adopted children, parents or grandparents, according to the MDNR. Regardless, the property is required to remain high-fenced for 10 years and along with that, deed restrictions. “This is where the property value crashes,” Uchytil explained. “This legislation is impacting our state very badly.”

“We realize fear over CWD has caused these changes to occur. We would like the MDNR to acknowledge the diligence that deer farmers have practiced in breeding for CWD resistance,” Fier said. “While it may not be considered an exact science today, this is cutting edge technology and we’ve seen quantifiable results. And while we may not be able to prevent wild deer from getting CWD, we will prevent it on our farms. There isn’t a deer farmer in existence who doesn’t want to eradicate CWD. Sadly, many deer farmers in Minnesota are now closing their farms.” Steadfastly, Oehler and the DNR believe that wild deer, unless separated by fencing from farmed deer, can still pass on CWD. Should a deer farm test positive for CWD, current legislation requires biohazard signage to be placed every 50 feet of a farm’s property, perhaps cutting a property value in half, Uchytil said. Considering the multi-milliondollar revenue that high-fence hunting brings to the state of Minnesota, Uchytil and Fier both feel this is unfair and unnecessary. Deer farmers have until September 1st of 2024 to comply with the new laws. Minnesota Senator Andrew Lang and House Representative Dave Baker, deer advocates and lobbyists, were unavailable for comments.

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LOUISIANA DEER FARMERS SHARE – IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW – WHAT I MAY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY STARTING MY DEER FARM

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by WOL

he deep coolness and darkness of night shifts as an eastern predawn sky begins its deep blue transformation to ultimately welcome the sun in northern Louisiana. And while Kristina Rothschild, owner of All in Whitetails in Eros, Louisiana is up and preparing to leave the house for her full-time job, she pauses and looks out at perhaps her most favorite thing – the deer farm she’s shared with her husband Steve since 2017. A sense of contentment is felt about their herd they strive to maintain as conscientiously as they can. From focusing on a smaller herd of 60 to having a farm that’s functional, Rothschild is grateful for all of it. Yet, she remembers times in the beginning when things weren’t always so. While the Rothschild’s had initially built a barn for handling deer, their runs going into the barn were wider rather than narrower. “We only had four deer at the time, and I told my husband we needed to run these deer,” Kristina, 45, reflected. However, rather than going forward into the barn “one of the deer turned back on us and I ended up on the back of it and rode it about 10 feet.” The very next day the Rothschild’s installed a slide wall for pushing them forward into the barn. “It was a very enlightening experience,” Kris said. “We just didn’t fully understand at first. If I

had to do over, I definitely would have looked at more designs and gathered more information on how to process deer,” she said. The mistakes made in processing deer are realized by every deer farmer at some point in time, and perhaps felt most poignantly with darting. “The very first year we darted deer we accidentally broke the leg of a doe fawn,” Kris shared. “We had the right yardage and right amount of pressure, but she stepped forward the moment we released the dart. Of course, we were devastated and talked to other deer farmers who had similar experiences. We put a rod in her leg. Today that doe is seven years old and uses that leg.” Should a health situation ever arise for James Clark of Seldom Seen Whitetails in Greensburg, Louisiana, he calls Daniel Thomas of Daniel Thomas Whitetails in Springhill, Louisiana for additional advice. Thomas, who Clark admits was completely responsible for inspiring him to begin deer farming, sold Clark some of his first deer in 2014. “I picked up a Whitetails of Louisiana magazine and saw his two-page spread and called him out of the blue,” Clark said. “I wanted to see if I could grow deer that big and was all about getting good doe pedigrees.” Those purchased deer, along with others from Bill

Holdman of Elam Woods Whitetails in Winnsboro, Louisiana, were the foundation of Clark’s herd. While he first began his deer farm in Vidalia, he later moved to Greensburg in 2019 and bought enough land to also have a hunting preserve. Gleaning off the insight of Josh Kaplan of Golden Ranch Whitetails in Gheens, Louisiana, Clark had Kaplan design his entire barn from pen layout to building locations. Looking back, what would he have done differently? “Absolutely nothing,” Clark, 68, said. “I’ve talked to lots of deer farmers and 98 to 100 percent said they would have done this or that differently,” Clark said. “But I can’t say I wish I had done this or that. I tried very hard to do it right the first time. And maybe facilities at other farms are finer, but my stuff operates just fine. I’m very satisfied.” The Rothschild’s also feels very satisfied with how well their farm is doing today, and also credit Thomas for getting them off on the right foot by selling them high quality bred does. “The biggest thing for us was buying quality deer,” Kris said. “We were grateful to have Mr. Daniel to turn to. Every new deer farmer should have passion for whitetails and turn to those more experienced for guidance. It really pays off.”

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