5 minute read
Dustin Blosser Woodard Whitetails
from KY Spring 2022
by DandKDesign
DUSTIN BLOSSER • WOODARD WHITETAILS OF KY
Written By: Mrs. Kathy Brooks
Being obsessed with something isn’t always a good thing; but, for Dustin Blosser, falling in love with Whitetail deer has turned into his dream job.
Dustin was introduced to the deer farming industry in 2012, when while he was a teenager, his family added deer farming to their already existing livestock operation on a small farm in West Virginia. He was immediately hooked and knew that he wanted deer farming to become a big part of his life.
While being heavily involved in the day-to-day work on his dad’s farm, Dustin also enjoyed researching the genetics and the true potential of deer; so, when he went to college, he originally planned to get a Veterinarian degree and specialize in deer. However, in order to start working with deer earlier than the eight years it would take to get his vet degree, he decided not to apply to Vet School. Rather, he chose to finish his degree in Animal Nutritional Sciences while gaining valuable hands-on experience through summer internships on a Whitetail ranch. This revised plan would propel him into his career much earlier.
During Dustin’s second year of college, he applied to a few summer internships with larger deer operations in an effort to gain experience while doing what he enjoyed. When none of those internships materialized, he compensated by working for a nearby hunting ranch that summer. The next year, he applied to over 30 Whitetail internships from Michigan to south Texas and accepted a summer internship at Keeper Ranch, a 1900-acre Whitetail & Fallow operation in Texas.
While working toward his degree, Dustin had an opportunity to travel on an AI tour with his farm veterinarian and visited several Whitetail farms in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky. It was while on this tour that he became acquainted with the owners and staff of Woodard Whitetails in Glasgow, KY, not knowing that this deer farm would one day play a big role in his future.
After graduation from WVU, Dustin returned to Texas and continued his work at Keeper Ranch. While working there, his deer farm dream was solidified. It was here that Dustin realized that he could have a career working with deer without owning his own farm.
Because he wanted to avoid returning to West Virginia’s cold climate and didn’t plan to stay in the Texas heat indefinitely, Dustin had a yearning to work in Kentucky where the climate was milder. When he discovered a job posting for a Ranch Manager at Woodard Whitetails, he applied and, just a few months after graduation, was awarded the coveted position. This job was a sooner-than-expected fulfillment of Dustin’s dream to have a career working with deer. Through his experience and research, Dustin has learned much about the deer industry and advises anyone interested in becoming involved in deer farming to do their homework. He recommends that you visit as many farms as you can, help them with treating animals, and ask plenty of questions. If your situation allows, he proposes that you consider working an internship as a way of learning how to raise deer while also finding out if it is right for you.
Dustin also suggests that it is best to start with quality rather than quantity. Buying from a trusted farmer and purchasing deer who have been DNA tested and matched to their pedigrees is critical to your success in his opinion. “You get what you pay for,” said Dustin. He wishes that he would have known earlier that it is important to have animals with proven genetics that are DNA-confirmed on NADAR. He also advocates that both prospective and current
FREE business card ads for members of Kentucky Alternative Livestock Associationdeer farmers spend time talking with knowledgeable breeders in order to develop productive breeding strategies. He feels that the biggest challenges in the deer industry are regulations and public perception of deer farming. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources have restricted the cervid farming industry in ways that other livestock producers do not experience. However, according to Dustin, deer farmers are passionate about this industry and its profitability, so they are willing to jump through the hoops to make it happen. “My greatest accomplishment is having this job with Woodard Whitetails where I can realize my dream,” Dustin declares. “I’ve worked my tail off in the Texas heat and West Virginia cold in hopes that I would eventually get to a place like this. I feel extremely lucky and will keep working to produce that dream buck!”
Dustin’s farm goals are to:
1) raise deer that are as healthy as possible,
2) consistently produce the biggest typical-framed deer at two-years old that he can,
3) make the hunting experience on the preserve be the best possible, and finally,
(4) to have fun while doing all this. Farms tours at Woodard Whitetails are encouraged and welcomed. Dustin lives on the farm and would love to show you around. He enjoys showing off their does and breeder bucks, so if you are interested in scheduling a farm tour, call Dustin at 304-698-5798.
Thank you, Dustin Blosser. The Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association wishes you much success in your ventures within our industry!
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.
