Joined Apr 2009
1,428 Posts | 0+
Northeast Wisconsin
You can get good genetics very reasonably. If you can grow bucks that score from 170 - 200 when they are two years old, you will be able to sell them. This will cover your feed bills and hopefully make you a little money. If you buy bred does to start, you will have a variety of genetics right off the bat. You can keep mixing it up for a lot of years before you need to go out and get more. You just need a couple pens so you can divide your group - one year breed one group to a certain buck and then switch it up the next. Once you have your own yearling bucks you can use those to breed, then sell them the next year and use some of your next crop of yearlings - etc. You aren't doing a lot of inbreeding then. Line breeding can work but if you are just getting started you may want to do something like above.
Depending on where you are located, laws for selling venison vary and can be overbearing, making it not worth the effort, or even illegal.
Depending on where you are located, laws for selling venison vary and can be overbearing, making it not worth the effort, or even illegal.
But wouldn't I be breeding my yearly bucks to their mothers? Isn't that direct inbreeding? That's the part in confused on... Would I start with bred does then get a breeder buck too?
Joined May 2011
296 Posts | 0+
Linesville, PA
Let's say you got 2 bred does and each had a buck and a doe. The following year you could breed the buck from one doe to the other, or the buck from one doe to the doe fawn from another, etc. I think that was the point Wild Rivers was trying to make.
As far as average fawns I would say two. Normally, if a doe fawn gets bred at like 5 months she will only have 1 but it varies. Usually, my mature does have two but sometimes you can get trips.
The basics of AI are as follows: there are two options, conventional and Laparoscopic (LAP AI). With conventional you usually put a whole semen straw into the doe to breed it but you can learn to do it yourself so you could save some money that way. However, with Lap AI, a vet comes to your farm and performs a laparoscopic procedure to inseminate your doe which costs about $300 per deer. One big advantage of Lap AI is you can have the vet split the straw 2,3, and sometimes 4 times so if you paid $1000 for a straw and put it in 3 doe, you would have $1900 wrapped up in that breeding.
Regardless of the options there are some things you have to do to get the does to cycle at the precise time of insemination but you can learn those details later.
You have a lot of good questions and you're on the right track.
As far as average fawns I would say two. Normally, if a doe fawn gets bred at like 5 months she will only have 1 but it varies. Usually, my mature does have two but sometimes you can get trips.
The basics of AI are as follows: there are two options, conventional and Laparoscopic (LAP AI). With conventional you usually put a whole semen straw into the doe to breed it but you can learn to do it yourself so you could save some money that way. However, with Lap AI, a vet comes to your farm and performs a laparoscopic procedure to inseminate your doe which costs about $300 per deer. One big advantage of Lap AI is you can have the vet split the straw 2,3, and sometimes 4 times so if you paid $1000 for a straw and put it in 3 doe, you would have $1900 wrapped up in that breeding.
Regardless of the options there are some things you have to do to get the does to cycle at the precise time of insemination but you can learn those details later.
You have a lot of good questions and you're on the right track.
Joined Oct 2009
3,165 Posts | 1+
upstate ny
MnMoose1022721431046956
But wouldn't I be breeding my yearly bucks to their mothers? Isn't that direct inbreeding? That's the part in confused on... Would I start with bred does then get a breeder buck too?
Thats why you have different pens. To change things out. Its pretty simple really. Dont let them be together and they wont inbreed. How you do that is you choice. If you have 2 does bred to 2 different bucks then you have two different breeding. When they have sons and daughters you mix them up and let them have at it.
But wouldn't I be breeding my yearly bucks to their mothers? Isn't that direct inbreeding? That's the part in confused on... Would I start with bred does then get a breeder buck too?
Thats why you have different pens. To change things out. Its pretty simple really. Dont let them be together and they wont inbreed. How you do that is you choice. If you have 2 does bred to 2 different bucks then you have two different breeding. When they have sons and daughters you mix them up and let them have at it.
Padencreek1022771431052521
Let's say you got 2 bred does and each had a buck and a doe. The following year you could breed the buck from one doe to the other, or the buck from one doe to the doe fawn from another, etc. I think that was the point Wild Rivers was trying to make.
As far as average fawns I would say two. Normally, if a doe fawn gets bred at like 5 months she will only have 1 but it varies. Usually, my mature does have two but sometimes you can get trips.
The basics of AI are as follows: there are two options, conventional and Laparoscopic (LAP AI). With conventional you usually put a whole semen straw into the doe to breed it but you can learn to do it yourself so you could save some money that way. However, with Lap AI, a vet comes to your farm and performs a laparoscopic procedure to inseminate your doe which costs about $300 per deer. One big advantage of Lap AI is you can have the vet split the straw 2,3, and sometimes 4 times so if you paid $1000 for a straw and put it in 3 doe, you would have $1900 wrapped up in that breeding.
Regardless of the options there are some things you have to do to get the does to cycle at the precise time of insemination but you can learn those details later.
You have a lot of good questions and you're on the right track.
Would you miss a year of fawns or would you AI the first year?
Let's say you got 2 bred does and each had a buck and a doe. The following year you could breed the buck from one doe to the other, or the buck from one doe to the doe fawn from another, etc. I think that was the point Wild Rivers was trying to make.
As far as average fawns I would say two. Normally, if a doe fawn gets bred at like 5 months she will only have 1 but it varies. Usually, my mature does have two but sometimes you can get trips.
The basics of AI are as follows: there are two options, conventional and Laparoscopic (LAP AI). With conventional you usually put a whole semen straw into the doe to breed it but you can learn to do it yourself so you could save some money that way. However, with Lap AI, a vet comes to your farm and performs a laparoscopic procedure to inseminate your doe which costs about $300 per deer. One big advantage of Lap AI is you can have the vet split the straw 2,3, and sometimes 4 times so if you paid $1000 for a straw and put it in 3 doe, you would have $1900 wrapped up in that breeding.
Regardless of the options there are some things you have to do to get the does to cycle at the precise time of insemination but you can learn those details later.
You have a lot of good questions and you're on the right track.
Would you miss a year of fawns or would you AI the first year?
Joined May 2011
296 Posts | 0+
Linesville, PA
I would probably start with 1 or 2 bred does to start so you have a full year to learn about AI and decide what genetics you want to use the following year.
Joined Apr 2014
1,245 Posts | 0+
Greensburg, IN
Wait until the fall shooter bucks auctions. Watch the shooter bucks sell. When you see a quality clean typical stocker buck sell, approach the owner and ask about buying the bucks mother. Folks generally don't sell these doe because they are the ones that make them money. There will likely be less than five clean typical 200" bucks available in the entire industry for hunters this fall. We aren't selling any doe until the federal CWD standards document is reopened and revised. We do have semen available from sires that have resulted from disciplined typical breedings. Good luck
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
zmcgill1022831431054404
Another scenario would be to buy two bred doe. Make arrangements to leave them where you bought them until after the next breeding season, and either have them ai'd or live bred on the already established farm.
Very solid plan.
Another scenario would be to buy two bred doe. Make arrangements to leave them where you bought them until after the next breeding season, and either have them ai'd or live bred on the already established farm.
Very solid plan.
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
Just remember score pays the bills. In my opinion any buck under 190" is a loss not a break even or profit. Unless it is age two. Then 180" is good yet. And not non-typical at those scores. They better look good.
So is it just better to have bucks with a typical base and then some junk and try to get up to the upper 200s? I don't like those bucks that score 500 but don't have any tines or even a main beam if you know what I mean
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
How would I find out when the auctions are? I'd like to go and experience it even though I am a few years out
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
MnMoose1022911431092270
How would I find out when the auctions are? I'd like to go and experience it even though I am a few years out
Contact Mark Mast at this email address.
[email protected]
How would I find out when the auctions are? I'd like to go and experience it even though I am a few years out
Contact Mark Mast at this email address.
[email protected]