As deer farmers, what do you guys do....

with all of your does? I'm on the preserve side of things, but was thinking about all of you deer farmers. What do all of you do with all of your does? Sure, sellingthem would be ideal, but it doesn't take long for them to multiply for someone new in the business as a starting herd, and there's not much of a market for "shooter does" =) ....sooo there's just no way to sell ALL of them...and of course ALL of them come from a decent bloodline, assuming we're all doing our jobs....so it seems to be such a waste to harvest/butcher them, but I'm not sure what else could be done. So, how do all of you deer farmers handle this doe surplus and cut your losses?

Whitetails, When you get to that point you simply have to cut the size of your herd and not look back!

Whitetail Sanctuary said:

Whitetails, When you get to that point you simply have to cut the size of your herd and not look back!

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So how do you go about it? No arguments here, just curious of how farms do it.

Here's an opinion from a small deer farm, you can try and sell your breeder does to other farms for them to use, but they better be darn good genes if you expect any money for them. in the current market you will only get shooter prices (like maybe $100) on 200" genes, so it is best to just send them to the preserves IF they can take them. That way it eliminates anyone taking them and breeding them and getting more doe fawns that will never sell for more than shooter prices. Sorry to sound negative, but the prices are down, so i was giving my honest opinion. I think we can all consider the need to be cautious to breed only our best, and keep numbers down, there is alot of doe fawns for sale. look in the classifieds, there are already alot of doe fawns listed. i know we have to breed deer every year to keep our stocker bucks in supply, but when people breed mass quantities of deer that is ALOT of doe fawns to worry about to. I got antsy and bought more bred does than i should have this fall since the prices were down so now I have 10 bred does this year, despite all the does being FAR superior to anything I have ever had, I put several ads on for some doe fawns for alot less $ than I should have, but the ads have thus far generated no response. Why? because there is an overwhelming amount of good doe fawns for sale elsewhere. Good does are a dime a dozen. So what do i do if no doe fawns of mine sell this year? Do I breed all my does again next year? Absolutely not, that would be insane. I will breed only 1/2 if I feel thats necessary because i would rather have very few doe fawns and actually sell some than have alot and struggle with moving them. I just used my self as an example, I dont mean to sound like i am suggesting this to everyone, some farms animals are in more demand than others. I have learned that I just have to trust the Lord to handle those things, allowing me the wisdom to breed deer as the market shifts. Breed few in the bad times, and that will demand more in better times.

As with any livestock based industry and really any legitimate breeding program regardless of specie a cull program needs to be in utilized as less superior animals are removed from an operation.



-To improve, is to manage through a culling system.

Cold as it may sound, and hard as it is going to be, I will be shooting all my doe fawns this year. And I have good does that are producing 170 to 220 inch basically typical bucks at 2 years old. If the state would allow, I would love to turn them all out in the wild once weined, but they don't! Sucks!

I have no use for them Nick. Am having trouble selling the bucks out of the does that I now have. Questioning my wisdom in staying in the business.

Has any farmer brought deer to Louisiana from Minesota? And if so how are they doing?

Cassie, don't know about Minnesota but thre have been lots from Missouri make the trip and are doing fine just ask Bill Holdman,Chris Patton and David Cooper just to name a few and they might be able to tell you and all live in Louisiana

Stevel has taken animals from Ohio down there as well, and from what I hear, with good results. Hope that helps too.

shootin em aint a bad idea. There is no market and you dont wanna feed them, eat them.

I can pay $2/lb (hanging weight) for them...helps with the feed bill! You can email me at [email protected].

I was afraid someone was going to say that, some things are better not spoken for everyone out there to see? Why do you think other industries are so quiet about things that they do.......kill adults for meat no problem, but not????

Rick,

If that was directed at me I was talking about adults...not fawns! Thanks!

it was not, and really was not directed at anyone, but just a reminder ...

Lets not lie to them either and, they ask a question and got a opinion. That is our problem, too many junk does were sold to new farmers, and now the market is flooded. I have never seen dirt swept under a rug just disapear.