We just started deer farming about 2 years ago. We bought our first deer in 2006 and then rented some ground from my in-laws to put the deer on. Our intensions were to buy the house and about 20 acres off my wife’s grandmother where we are currently renting ground. The land is already broke up between my Mother in-law and her brother. They both agreed that we could buy the house and the 20 acres. So we had everything worked out before we ever bought any animals. We have spent right around 40k in the last 2 years out of our own pocket to get started. We only have 1/2 acres under fence and currently have only 5 deer. We live about 2 minutes away from our deer farm and wouldn’t buy the house or land until my wife’s grandmother was ready for us to do so. We were in no hurry with out a land payment this was perfect for us to build the farm up and save up a down payment. So here is where I need some advice. We had no issues at all when we just had does in our pin. But as soon as we put our breeder buck in there we have had 1 issue after another with the family messing with our deer. Too many to explain, how should I approach the family? My wife hardly speaks to her mother anymore because of the extent of everything that has happened. I mean their relationship will never be the same after the way her mom has acted and things that she has said to us. I would be lying if I said I didn’t resent the in-laws at this point. We now are going to have to buy somewhere else and start over, which means we have to sell our deer so we can have enough money for a down payment. On a business stand point we are small potatoes but you have to start somewhere. I know that as long as we have deer at the current location we might as well be peeing in the wind or throwing money down the drain. But how should I handle these people? I haven’t blown a gasket so to speak yet, but I’m afraid that I’m on the verge. Money wise we have to get a certain amount of money for our breeder and our does to just break even, because we have only bred them one year. I could see taking less money for him if I had 8 or 10 fawns on the ground that I could sell. Can a guy justify losing several thousand dollars selling off his herd and then spend thousands to start over? I don’t want to be huge, but I don’t want to just have an expensive hobby. My goal is to be able to sell five too ten 200” shooters a year. As of right now we want to sell what we have this coming fall (2010). Then sell our house and move during the winter and start back up in the spring of 2011. We have one really good doe that we bought this summer and she is being live bred to a really good buck now. We paid extra money so they could hold her and the fawns till we moved, but here is another question. Should we buy another bred doe, and take a chance on having a buck fawn then waiting until we can stud him, or buying another breeder, or a buck fawn? I know that I have a lot of questions but this is a weird situation. I know there is a lot of knowledge on here and I would like any suggestions or ideas that you may have. Thank you for your time and god bless.
Advice needed
- Thread starter Myersdeerfarm
- Start date
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
When I read the second sentence I was already cringing at what was coming ahead. It never works having your deer in a place other than where you live, and especially on land owned by someone else.
First off I feel really bad for you guys because this will not end well. It will cost you money, and it has apparently already cost you friendship and family.
I will assume for a moment that the buck caused the "messing around" because they wanted to look at the deer. You could saw off the antlers and maybe that would help the current situation for the immediate time being.
Looking at your picture with your username it looks like you already have up shade cloth. Can you put it up all the way around the pen to stop them from going by the deer? If so lock the gates then also.
If you have a "really good" doe at another farm being bred maybe finding a way to pay for housing the deer until you find a new location is possible.?.?
Only you and your wife can decide what cost is worth staying, or leaving.
Me personally, I would have moved them out yesterday. I don't dink around.
All I can say is don't buy more animals yet. You have to have a solid and permanent location before you invest anymore money in deer.
I personally would move, sell or kill what you have. You need to end the pain that all this is causing the family relationship. At some point this will eat at your marriage if your not careful.
Good luck in whatever happens.
First off I feel really bad for you guys because this will not end well. It will cost you money, and it has apparently already cost you friendship and family.
I will assume for a moment that the buck caused the "messing around" because they wanted to look at the deer. You could saw off the antlers and maybe that would help the current situation for the immediate time being.
Looking at your picture with your username it looks like you already have up shade cloth. Can you put it up all the way around the pen to stop them from going by the deer? If so lock the gates then also.
If you have a "really good" doe at another farm being bred maybe finding a way to pay for housing the deer until you find a new location is possible.?.?
Only you and your wife can decide what cost is worth staying, or leaving.
Me personally, I would have moved them out yesterday. I don't dink around.
All I can say is don't buy more animals yet. You have to have a solid and permanent location before you invest anymore money in deer.
I personally would move, sell or kill what you have. You need to end the pain that all this is causing the family relationship. At some point this will eat at your marriage if your not careful.
Good luck in whatever happens.
I agree with roger, It took me almost to age 48 till I felt I had enough land 40 acres, and knowledge before I jumped in. and it will probabley take another 48 years to get really good at it. well I hope not that long. good luck!!
Yes we do have privacy screen up but only around the buck's pin. We were going to do all the pins but the family stepped in and told us we weren't to put anymore up because they didn't like it.
I do keep every single gate under lock and key. And I try to be at the farm as much as possible. I also go at different times each day just to try and keep everyone honest. I always feed at the same time but I will go down and go into the pins at different times. I wanted to put up cameras as well but that was shot down by the in-laws as well.
As fare as adding anymore animals we wont be doing that until we move. But I was wondering if any one would recommend a bred do over a buck fawn when we start building at the new place. We bought a doe this summer from Ben Waldbeser that is being bred to BB Snaps, and he was more than helpful. We paid a little extra so he could hold her and the fawns till we were ready for them. That being said I would not feel comfortable having the deer there any longer than I needed to. I wouldn't want to take advantage of his willingness to help. He has helped me so much as it is. I'm not one for charity I would rather be the one doing the favor for someone else.
We will start over. I’m to bull headed to quit. We have worked to hard to get this far. As far as my marriage is concerned, I know enough to keep in mind that it is my wife’s family that we are dealing with. That said I watch what I say and how I say it. She on the other hand would rather move out of state just so she didn’t have to ever see her mom. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to deal with them on a business level until we can get everything moved. I do have insurance on all our animals but that really doesn’t help me sleep at night either. I know that I do have some rights as far as cash renter, but not really sure If I have a leg to stand on in court either if it got to that.
But as I said earlier this is a weird situation and any advice will be much appreciated. Thanks for your input Roger and any one else who can add anything.
I do keep every single gate under lock and key. And I try to be at the farm as much as possible. I also go at different times each day just to try and keep everyone honest. I always feed at the same time but I will go down and go into the pins at different times. I wanted to put up cameras as well but that was shot down by the in-laws as well.
As fare as adding anymore animals we wont be doing that until we move. But I was wondering if any one would recommend a bred do over a buck fawn when we start building at the new place. We bought a doe this summer from Ben Waldbeser that is being bred to BB Snaps, and he was more than helpful. We paid a little extra so he could hold her and the fawns till we were ready for them. That being said I would not feel comfortable having the deer there any longer than I needed to. I wouldn't want to take advantage of his willingness to help. He has helped me so much as it is. I'm not one for charity I would rather be the one doing the favor for someone else.
We will start over. I’m to bull headed to quit. We have worked to hard to get this far. As far as my marriage is concerned, I know enough to keep in mind that it is my wife’s family that we are dealing with. That said I watch what I say and how I say it. She on the other hand would rather move out of state just so she didn’t have to ever see her mom. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to deal with them on a business level until we can get everything moved. I do have insurance on all our animals but that really doesn’t help me sleep at night either. I know that I do have some rights as far as cash renter, but not really sure If I have a leg to stand on in court either if it got to that.
But as I said earlier this is a weird situation and any advice will be much appreciated. Thanks for your input Roger and any one else who can add anything.
As far as bred doe vs buck fawn. I would definatly go the doe route. buying a sale quality breeder buck can be expensive and you can always AI even if you have nothing to back up with. As for the family situation I would rent some room at some farm any where they would let me, even if I had to truck them 4 states away. Or sell now and buy again after I had new space.
Shannon Thiex
Shannon Thiex
If you are a cash renter and have a written contract, in Illinois you have lots and lots of rights. If they are harassing your live stock you can talk to the County Sherrif and take legal action. Since you have rented the ground they can't stop you from putting cameras up in the pens. If it is not in writing you have to prove that you paid for the land rights. Your situation realy sucks, and I hope others can learn from your mistakes. Sometimes if it isn't in writting it never happened. I hope you wrote a check when you paid them.
gcw matt said:
I do pay with a personal check and make out a receipt that says what the check is for and have it signed so we both have a copy. But we don’t have a contract. The land is split between my wife’s uncle and her mom. Her uncle is the county sheriff. There is a little conflict of interest there. I realize not having it in writing is stupid but I never thought any of this would be an issue since it was with family. Boy was I ever wrong. I have learned a lot of things the hard way in my life but this one really takes the cake. What do people usually charge to board deer? If I were to supply enough feed for my animals, and take care of all the vet a vaccinations for them.
Sorry about your dilema.