does anyone here farm deer?

[myrandaandkids]

im not sure this belongs here, but there aarent any general livestock pages and no deer pages, so i figured id ask here. family and i have been talking about it for a while, love the idea, but realy know nothing about caring for deer or if there is even profit in it, or are there specific laws that guide deer farmers, what breeds do you prefer and why? just out of curiousity, and have they benifeted your farm at all in your opinion? i would love to see a fawn being born and watch deer playing in my yard. :baby04:

[tamsam]

hi don't know how much this will help. last year we raised a babie deer that lost her mother.. now she is a permant part of our family. she comes everyday.. visits eats lays in aircondition till about 5 or 6. then goes on her way. we named her babie girl and it was the most wonderful and fullfilling experience we have..
but on your question about deer farm we have friends in penn. whom run a ranch and stuff. give u the web site. u can go look it over read and i figure email them or call them and ask questions.. hope it helps. cause i know there all kind of laws and rules. i know they have to have papers on everydeer. etc..
its www.doublediamonddeerranch.com
you spell out every word of it.. good luck take care tam sam and our clan.........

[tuvold]

Hey,

Try here, they might be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

http://www.nadefa.org/deerfarming1.html

My 2 coppers,

tuvold

[Hoop]

Chronic Wasting Disease has devastated the deer farming industry here in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources is attempting to make all deer farms enclosed by a DOUBLE fence, so that contact between "wild" and "tame" deer is impossible.
With increased regulation, and prices 50% of what they were before the CWD outbreak, deer farms are shutting down left & right. In reality, it is a hobby moreso than a "for profit" entity.

The Chronic Wasting Disease has had the effect of making venison a less sought after product, at least here in Wisconsin.

A CWD outbreak can occur anywhere. Its effect on the market will certainly mirror what happened to deer farming in Wisconsin.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but letting you know some of the risks out there.

[gryndlgoat]

It's the same in this area. Deer farms were a fad but pretty much have all disappeared (not sure if it was CWD or not that did them in). You still see the occasional pasture with 8 foot high fences, but usually empty. You have to remember that deer, even farm-raised ones, are still wild animals and therefore more dangerous to handle than domestic large stock. I know of at least one farmer who was killed by a stag when he went to feed his herd and accidentally got in between the stag and his does. Unless you really have a lot of experience with large stock animals, not to mention a lot of money for special fencing, deer are probably not for you.

[Old John]

Hi Y'all,

Looks like they are still going strong in Indiana.

Here's a List of them.............

http://www.deerfarms.com/in.shtml

We have been by a couple of them.

http://www.carleyelkfarm.com/

Good luck.............

[HeatherDriskill]

My dad has been a professional deer farmer for about 10 years. His is actually an outfitting business. His business has been dessimated by CWD. You can not ship deer across state lines because of the disease. This makes it impossible to have a successful business because the demand for deer in a small local area can't support you. I would advise you to stay away from deer farming. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but it would be a big mistake. You also have to consider the cost of keeping deer. Of course it varies depending on how many you keep. They have to have at least 8 foot fences, though, because they are very good jumpers. They are also VERY skittish and many of my dad's have died because they spooked, ran into the fence and broke their necks. They are very delicate and get sick/injured easily. Right now is the worst possible time to get into commercial deer farming.