Hurricane Creek Whitetails

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We used to have around 50 clients. That's about the amount of bucks we are able to annually churn out of our breeding operation. We are not looking to make millions. I don't want my path to heaven to be through the eye of a needle.
 
I think you will find that things have changed since 2005. There are a lot more preserves and some that are real price cutters. A lot more competitive.
 
Wild Rivers Whitetails1053261444770674


I think you will find that things have changed since 2005. There are a lot more preserves and some that are real price cutters. A lot more competitive.

We have sold hunts for about half our bucks without much effort. My families connections in the gun business are a blessing. I don't have time to look for stocker bucks. We may just hunt our own bucks born on the property each year. When they are gone we will be done for the year.
 
We have a look that seems to sell well to more hunters. It is true there is a hunter for every deer. Some hunters for certain bucks are harder to find. We hope that the discipline of our breeding program has resulted in the kind of deer the majority of hunters are after.
 

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Are your hunts $3900 up to 200 inches? I might have read that wrong.Yes,

They are bucks I have raised. Most are big smooth tined 4 by 4's and 5 by 5's. We are charging a flat fee of 3,900 for one buck. It will be up to the hunter's skill and discretion what size buck they harvest. Clients who book early each year will get the opportunity at the most bucks. Most of the bucks in our preserve are 160"-180". There are a few bigger. We will try and harvest around 75% of the bucks each year and leave the remainder until the next season. We plan on putting our yearlings into the preserve in the future. We will harvest them at 3 years. Typicals are very hardy and do well on a high fiber natural diet. We are not guaranteeing a hunter any certain size.
 
Jonathan I respect your opinions and the work yo and your father have done for Indiana and all deer farmers, But;


 


Do you ever feel with your prices being this low that you might be hurting or undercutting breeders and other controlled hunting areas?  I understand that you are not out to make big money, but if all the other preserves have to sell their hunts that cheap to compete that will drive the prices down on shooters.  Great for the hunter, but very very bad for the small farmer trying to feed his animals.
 
I see and understand.  Just on the face value all I saw was you were hunting bucks at prices lower than I would sell my clean 190's. It is more of a sticker shock now that I look at it. I assume more hunters will walk away without a buck or smaller buck. I just talk to a lot of growers that are just feeding deer with no profit at some of the prices these days. I also get calls weekly from guys trying to sell bucks. If the buyers start quoting me your prices I just wanted to be able to inform them that these are not 190 prices.
 
The hunter will never support the breeder market spending 1000+ for semen. It isn't right to expect preserves to compensate folks for making poor decisions in the breeder market and buying hyped overpriced stock. Profit can be made raising clean typical 160-180" two year olds. We plan to prove it.
 
I couldnt agree more! Hunters want cleaner looking deer. If you can raise those types of deer in two years you will do well.
 
We could make the argument that we are at competitive disadvantage to ranches that are seeking out farmers who are selling out their herds for dirt. In addition we could say we are at a competitive disadvantage to the preserves that guarantee success or sell specific bucks before the hunt. Furthermore, I guess we could be at a competitive disadvantage because we aren't going to have 300" +bucks in our preserve. I am relying on the simple natural look of our bucks to satisfy our customers. Typicals are hardy, durable, and grow antlers well on a natural high fiber diet in the preserve.
 
Jonathan, just curious, how many acres is your preserve. Are you selling a "up to 200 inch" hunt knowing your bucks are going to be 160-180? Just curious? I have never sold a typical 180 for less then a non-typical 220. I'm pretty sure if I have a preserve and have 160-350 inch bucks all for the same price, the 350 will be the first to hit the dirt if they are both standing in front of the hunter. More people can afford a $3900 deer hunt as opposed to a $8,000 hunt, not because they would rather shoot a smaller buck. The reason smaller typical bucks are in demand is because most people don't want to raise an animal for a loss, less people raising them. For the prices that are offered by most preserves for the 150-180 typicals, they simply don't cash flow enough to pay the feed bill. just my opinion.
 

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