I'm new to the industry

Visit more farms. If you are starting, start with a bottle fed doe. It will hook you forever.

Many on here will give you their opinions on this either way. I can tell you that bottle feeding bucks can be a real No NO because they can be very dangerous when they loose that fear of you. Now the does on the other hand is a different story. I will not own a doe that is not bottle fed. A calm doe herd I feel is very important in the all around health of my does. The stress levels stay low, they are much easier to handle and administer vaccinnes and medications. I have one bottle fed doe that I have to keep on a special diet because she tends to stay on the heavy side. She was the largest fawn I have ever seen. I guess what I am saying is that my does have a low stress level and take much better to being in a farmed environment than the does I used to have that were wild. I haven't had any more issues with my bottle feds than the ones I had that were not. Plus with my deer being bottle fed I have a much better chance of catching any issues they may have as they come right up to me and I can really check them out where as non bottle fed sometimes tend to stay as far away as possible which makes it real hard to see issues early on. This is just my personnal opinion so take it for what it is worth. Welcome to the site!!

if you can get bottle fed that is the way to go. They are easier to take care of.

Welcome to deer farming. My opinion is like a few of the others, bottle fed does are the only way to go. They make the whole project easier. I too, don't care for bottle fed bucks however, I'm feeding four bucks now do to late fawns. Do plenty of farm visits, ask a lot of questions and get referrences before buying anything. 99% of my deer will let you, me or anyone pet them, it is the 1% that were not bottle fed that stir up my problems and they are weeded out quickly. Good luck to you and I hope you grow some good ones......

I have only been in the business since last fall. I bought two bottle fed fawns and four does not bottle fed. I will be selling all my non bottle feds as soon as the heard is a little bigger. Its not that non bottle feds are trouble, its just much easier to handle the bottle feds.

Our farm was started April 2009 - the best advice I can share is go to lots of farms. The farmers who already exist are very helpful & allow you to come to their farms with open arms. My wife & I have been to several farms & it has helped tremendously. This business is very expensive to start out with - but it will be well worth it when you see your first fawn born. I do agree with tame does. We have a total of 3 does. Two of them are wild & you can not get close to them at all. We have some issues with one of them now & it is extremely difficult to treat her.

You have positives and negatives when you bottle feed deer yourself, but if you are buying deer to start out I would recomend bottle feed does and a calm buck. You have to visit other farms and pic up as much info as you can. Give me a call in the evening after six, and we will wok out a visit. 334-346-2255. Ask for Troy

I for one like to have lots of people come and visit and bring kids-- I have to make sure the kids don't run at them but it seems the more people they see the less stressed they are. The same with strange noise, kids hollering and playing you just have to ease them into the situation

Bottlefed does are the way to go. Call me and we would love for you to visit out farm.



Thanks,

Will AInsworth

(256)302-1724

The challenge of raising bottle babies can be very rewarding! Walking into a set of pens with 200-300 bottle babies and you raised all of em is a special feeling. Mamma fed doe is a waisted doe! But then I'm a little partial! ZZ Will, send those shoes!!

Welcome to the club. I am only in the business for 3 years. I have bottle feed and had fawns I didn't bottle feed. I too do no like bottle feeding bucks unless I have too. Like this year I had a buck fawn that for some reason his mom didn't want to take care of him. I found him half dead so I brought him in my house and started to try to save him. I did and he was just weaned this week. My first buck I did bottle feed and now at 3 he has no fear of me and man does he get nasty come rut. My first doe I bottle feed and became very attached to her. Told my husband she will never leave the farm. You will need to decide on your own exactly how much time you want to put into this business. I have twin does that were born on my farm and I didn't bottle feed them. One is calmer than the other one. If you don't bottle feed there are other ways on making an inprint on your does. The twins that I mentioned I spent more time in the pen with the one that is calmer than the other on. Saddie was smaller than her sister Susie. This were the first fawns born on my farm so I was a nervous reck of loosing them since Saddie was smaller I use to go in the pen all the time and sit with her pet her talk to her. I didn't do that with Susie. I must say I did get over being nervous reck about loosing fawns. It happens and that is part of the business this year I lost 4.

My advise to you is --do what you think you should do--you will get a lot of input on here and it is good advise. I also meet other deer farmers and most of them are willing to help you out with any questions you have. Like someone else said --visit other deer farms that is what I did. I wish you the best of luck with everything.