Joined Apr 2009
519 Posts | 1+
Rivesville, WV
This is a question that I have. How do we place value to our deer when something happens to them? This has haunted me for a while. In the Health and Wellness catagory, rider655 just lost his prize fallow buck from an infection caused by a fence insulator in the batch of feed. How do we find a value of this animal to seek restitution?
I have had the same question over me the last few months. Here is my scenerio, and please make comments or suggestions.
In May, the local power company sent a crew to cut the growth on the power line right of way. The power line does cross our property along the road, and does go by our deer pens. The protocol for these crews is to have permission from the land owner before entering the property. I did give them permission to enter and cut, and stated that I needed to be there when it happens to keep the deer calm. The crew showed up as agreed and the right of way was cut. They only cut larger growth and left the briars and bushes untouched. When I inquired about that, they stated that they didn't cut small stuff that wouldn't grow up tall enough to get into the wires. I asked if they were done, and they stated that they were done. They left and nothing else was said or asked.
Then on AUGUST 27, I arrived home from work to find that the crew had showed up again, without my permission or knowledge, to "finish" cutting the briars and bushes that were left from months prior. I was LIVID !! I told them that they refused to cut them earlier in the spring, and they said the power company now wanted them cut. As I entered my pens the deer were totally freaked out. My pen of yearling bucks, most of them IN FULL VELVET, was the worse shape. One buck had a broken tine, not too bad. Another buck, a full white yearling 11 point (Zeus), had one main beam completely ripped out of his head, with part of the skull still attached to the antler. He had blood everwhere. Apparently he had leaped into the fence to escape the intruders outside the pen. He probably would have died in the fence if it weren't for his antler and skull breaking. Pictures attached.
I immediately called and filed a complaint. Then I had to submit a claim to report my damages. This is where I need some advice. I initially valued the animal at $20,000. He is from excellent proven genetics and he is completely white. I valued one semen draw of 100 straws @ $250/straw at $25,000. I also valued my potential loss of fawns at 14 fawns per year, $1000 per fawn and over a three yr period. 14 x $1,000 x 3 = $42,000. Creating a grand totoal of $87,000.00 potential loss of income from this buck. Which I felt could be on the low side. I could have easily had three semen draws and had as much as 420 straws, which semen alone could be valued at $250 x 420 straws = $105,000 (This white buck, Zeus, is a full brother to my huge white buck Morton. Morton scored 168@3 and produced 140 straws as a 1 yr old)
I beleive this buck will have permanent antler damage, therefore hindering his future value. Thus hindering the value of his offspring and semen sales. Who wants to breed with a buck that has crooked antlers or maybe only one antler.
The representatives from the power company did arrive a couple weeks later to investigate the complaint. They did acknowledge that the crew did not have permission to re-enter my property on that day. Now they have processed my complaint to the insurance adjuster. It has now been turned over to an attorney. Can you beleive that I get trespassed on, damages to my livestock, and then apparently I am getting sued. ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS !! This is the third incident that I have had with these crews over the past 10 years. The first incident found a crew inside my deer pens, "checking out my deer". The second incident found a crew leader, driving through my yard so he could sit next to my deer pens and eat his lunch. I was astounded of the BALLS that it took for these guys to attempt what they did.
This is apparently a major issue for me and I must do what I can to get it stopped. Hitting them in their pockets may be the only way.
Anyone that has any advice or first hand dealing with any problem like this PLEASE, speak up. Do we have any deer farmers that are attorneys?
I have had the same question over me the last few months. Here is my scenerio, and please make comments or suggestions.
In May, the local power company sent a crew to cut the growth on the power line right of way. The power line does cross our property along the road, and does go by our deer pens. The protocol for these crews is to have permission from the land owner before entering the property. I did give them permission to enter and cut, and stated that I needed to be there when it happens to keep the deer calm. The crew showed up as agreed and the right of way was cut. They only cut larger growth and left the briars and bushes untouched. When I inquired about that, they stated that they didn't cut small stuff that wouldn't grow up tall enough to get into the wires. I asked if they were done, and they stated that they were done. They left and nothing else was said or asked.
Then on AUGUST 27, I arrived home from work to find that the crew had showed up again, without my permission or knowledge, to "finish" cutting the briars and bushes that were left from months prior. I was LIVID !! I told them that they refused to cut them earlier in the spring, and they said the power company now wanted them cut. As I entered my pens the deer were totally freaked out. My pen of yearling bucks, most of them IN FULL VELVET, was the worse shape. One buck had a broken tine, not too bad. Another buck, a full white yearling 11 point (Zeus), had one main beam completely ripped out of his head, with part of the skull still attached to the antler. He had blood everwhere. Apparently he had leaped into the fence to escape the intruders outside the pen. He probably would have died in the fence if it weren't for his antler and skull breaking. Pictures attached.
I immediately called and filed a complaint. Then I had to submit a claim to report my damages. This is where I need some advice. I initially valued the animal at $20,000. He is from excellent proven genetics and he is completely white. I valued one semen draw of 100 straws @ $250/straw at $25,000. I also valued my potential loss of fawns at 14 fawns per year, $1000 per fawn and over a three yr period. 14 x $1,000 x 3 = $42,000. Creating a grand totoal of $87,000.00 potential loss of income from this buck. Which I felt could be on the low side. I could have easily had three semen draws and had as much as 420 straws, which semen alone could be valued at $250 x 420 straws = $105,000 (This white buck, Zeus, is a full brother to my huge white buck Morton. Morton scored 168@3 and produced 140 straws as a 1 yr old)
I beleive this buck will have permanent antler damage, therefore hindering his future value. Thus hindering the value of his offspring and semen sales. Who wants to breed with a buck that has crooked antlers or maybe only one antler.
The representatives from the power company did arrive a couple weeks later to investigate the complaint. They did acknowledge that the crew did not have permission to re-enter my property on that day. Now they have processed my complaint to the insurance adjuster. It has now been turned over to an attorney. Can you beleive that I get trespassed on, damages to my livestock, and then apparently I am getting sued. ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS !! This is the third incident that I have had with these crews over the past 10 years. The first incident found a crew inside my deer pens, "checking out my deer". The second incident found a crew leader, driving through my yard so he could sit next to my deer pens and eat his lunch. I was astounded of the BALLS that it took for these guys to attempt what they did.
This is apparently a major issue for me and I must do what I can to get it stopped. Hitting them in their pockets may be the only way.
Anyone that has any advice or first hand dealing with any problem like this PLEASE, speak up. Do we have any deer farmers that are attorneys?
Good luck....I hope things work out for you.