The Benefits of Using Deer Tunnels

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by Whitetails of Oklahoma

Although a smaller deer farm might get by without a handling facility and tunnel system, larger deer farms can operate much more efficiently with one, explains Chris Ezell, owner of Dangerous Whitetails of Oklahoma, in Adair, Oklahoma. Deer tunnels, along with a handling facility, can allow a deer farmer to run several head of deer through in a matter of hours, greatly reducing stress on the deer while potentially negating the need to dart them.

“In my opinion, darting may hurt their immune system,” Ezell said. “If not done correctly, it could be detrimental to put them to sleep.” Yet many deer farmers depend on darts, developed by several companies through thoughtful technology intended to safely deliver antibiotics and sedatives to whitetails. While numerous farms depend on these efficient and carefully designed darts to accomplish a variety of goals including antler cutting, CIDR insertion and medication administering, for larger deer farms darts might prove Although it would cost more today to construct the same facility, over time it would not only pay for itself, it could you save substantial time and money in the long run. “We put CIDRs in 60 does last year and then later, pulled them,” Hochstetler explained. “If our farm, as a larger operation, had to dart those does instead for the same procedure, it would have been a substantial cost. When you think about all the times you would use your facility, in two or three years that handler might be paid for.”

costly to buy. In addition, darting is thought by some to be best accomplished during cooler parts of the morning or evening, whereby with a tunnel system, the weather isn’t usually a huge factor, said Ivan Hochstetler of Double H Whitetails in Dundee, Ohio.

At his 23-acre farm with close to 200 typical deer, Hochstetler, like Ezell, maintains a CWD-Monitored herd. In addition to using their tunnel systems for procedures such as vaccinations, A.I. and (at Ezell’s farm) antler cutting, both men are required to test every three years for TB and brucellosis. Running them through their facilities for these purposes may take an entire day. However, in lieu of having a facility “it would take several days,” Hochstetler said. “For us, it would be a nightmare.” Yearlings, mature bucks with or without antlers and does can all be run through a handling facility. Two minutes is the maximum amount of time any deer should spend in the final phase, the squeeze chute, as additional time would be too stressful on them, Ezell emphasized. After leaving the facility, alley ways allow deer to find their way back to their pens at both farms.

When Hochstetler built his barn in 2009 with the support of his wife Ruby, he had visions of running a substantial deer empire. Even though at the time they only had two deer, the first thing Hochstetler did was put in a handling facility and tunnel system complete with solid wooden walls for added safety. Back then, the total cost was close to $10,000.

Deer Tunnel System and Handling Facility

Ezell and his wife Jodie shared the same vision as Hochstetler when they first entered into the deer business 13 years ago and bought a farm with an existing facility. Through the years of using it, Ezell has realized the safety, comfort and ease of accomplishing whatever job that needs to be done. Although he was grateful to have bought a farm with a handling facility already in place “I would have done it anyway,” Ezell said. “When you think of all the benefits, how could you afford not to?” Consulting services for constructing handling facilities are offered by Ezell by calling him at 918-697-5389.