Whitetails of Wisconsin
This is an industry worth turning your
attention towards. We are growing and
invite you to grow with us. The people that
you will meet in this industry are second to
none. We are all here to help each other
grown and learn. If you’ve come this far,
you owe it to yourself to take the next step!
To find out more information on starting a
deer farm, please visit the Whitetails of
Wisconsin website. There you will find
useful information which will give you a
better understanding of what to look
forward to when you take that next step.
Even if it is just a few questions that you
need answered, W.O.W. is here to help.
Joining W.O.W. is also a great first step, as
each member receives his or her own copy
of our Cervid Farming Handbook. This
handbook is full of useful information
about the industry, from getting your farm
registered with the state, to raising those
first fawns, to marketing your animals or
venison for sale. It is one of the many
benefits of being a member of this great
organization.
Deer Farming 101
Websites to help you get started:
Whitetails of Wisconsin
www.whitetailsofwisconsin.com
WI Department of Agriculture, Trade &
Consumer Protection (DATCP)
http://datcp.wi.gov/Farms/Deer_Farming/
index.aspx
WI Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/captive/
captive.htm
Deer farming is quickly
becoming an industry that is
worth turning your attention to.
Not sure where to start?
Look no further.
This brochure will enlighten you
with information and resources
about beginning a deer farm!
To get more information on our association
or whitetail deer farming in Wisconsin,
please visit our website or contact our
office.
www.whitetailsofwisconsin.com
920.462.4528
[email protected]
Whitetails of Wisconsin
www.whitetailsofwisconsin.com
2533 Southerland Circle
Kaukauna, WI 54130
phone: 920.462.4528
email: [email protected]
There is a great market for deer
and elk throughout the United
States. It is one of the fastest
growing Ag Industries in rural
America!
- Texas A&M
Whitetail deer are a passion to most of us,
and to some of us, raising them is also our
job. This is an industry to consider.
Whether you raise these wonderful
animals for the pure pleasure of having
them around to enjoy as a hobby, or
raising them for the challenge of
producing that first 200” buck on your
farm, it is an adventure. Never think that
you know all you need to know. You will
learn something new about these
magnificent animals on a daily basis. They
are full of surprises!
Who farms deer?
Deer farming is not just for men! You
would be surprised how many women take
an active role in deer farming. They are
involved in every aspect and take it
seriously. You think the men can talk up a
storm about deer, just get one of these
gals going and you’re in for a treat! And
let’s not forget the kids! They come in real
handy when it’s time to feed the fawns!
Deer farming can be a bonding experience
for the whole family.
What type of market is there in this
industry?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Breeders
Hunting Ranches
Sales to other farms for genetic
enhancements
Semen
Meat & Food
Antlers
Urine
How much land do I need to start and how
high must the fence be?
Currently, a half an acre is the minimum allowed,
and the fence needs to be 8 feet high. If starting
out small and your deer are tame, this will work
just fine. If you choose not to have tame deer,
you should be thinking about a larger pen. Deer
that are not tame need their “space”. They do
not like to be crowded. A minimum of 80
contiguous acres is required to operate a hunting
preserve.
Who regulates deer farms?
Currently, all whitetail farms are regulated by the
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection (DATCP). The Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) regulates the fencing.
What do I feed the deer?
Some farms have their own “recipes” and some
feed corn. Straight corn is not recommended
however, as it may cause health problems. Deer
need fiber, which they get from browsing, so they
need hay if browse is unavailable. There are
numerous feed distributors out there who sell
feed that is pre-mixed and bagged.
It’s all up to you, and it’s part of the trial and error
process. Whatever works! Oh, and deer love
treats! On a side note, deer are unlike cattle and
horses that eat consistently. A whitetail deer’s
metabolism changes as winter comes and the
eating patterns slow down quite a bit for the
season. This is a nice break for the pocketbook if
you have big herd!
What about CWD?
Most deer farms are on a monitoring program
through DATCP. When an animal over 16 months
of age dies or is harvested, it is tested for CWD.
Between the years 2002 and 2008, 20,623 CWD
samples were taken from farm-raised cervids in the
state of Wisconsin. Of those 20,623 samples, .09%
had tested positive by Feb 07 2008. Some of the
positives have been linked back to the wild herd.
Our industry continues to rack up numbers proving
that deer farms are not the problem. As of 2008,
499 herds were enrolled in the monitoring program
(info from the DNR website). To date, it has not
been proven where CWD came from and it very well
may never be. There is a strong feeling by many
that CWD has always been present in the wild, it is
just now being found. Remember, facts are what
you need to listen for, not hearsay or speculation.
What’s the best thing about farming deer?
If you asked deer farmers what their favorite time of
the year would be, you would get mixed answers.
For some of them, it would be the anticipation of
the birth of the fawns. No one can resist a newborn
fawn with its spotted coat and big eyes. Another
favorite time of the year would no doubt be
watching the bucks’ antlers grow, trying to figure
out which one will be the “monster”!
Protecting the farm and farmland
“It may be a well-worn refrain, but the family farm
remains an endangered species. Across the United
States two acres of farmland are lost to
development every minute. In Wisconsin alone, over
550,000 acres of farmland were lost between the
2002 and the 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture. By
diversifying their practices, farmers adding cervids
to their operations can blunt the highs and lows
associated with farming to some extent. Cervid
farming also helps protect open lands that might
not be suitable for other farming purposes and
which would in some cases be sold and developed,
further protecting the state’s natural resources.
The average cervid operation in Wisconsin protects
69 acres of farmland.”
- 2011 Economic Impact Survey of the WI Cervid Industry