I'll start off by saying I know this has come up a time or two but I have some questions. I think working with deer would be the greatest job anyone could wish to have. A few of my questions are 1. How did you all get into the business? 2. Do you see a great enough market to make a living out of deer farming? How much money would one have to put in in order to start to be able to make a living from raising deer? 3. Is there a good demand for "shooter bucks"? .... Basically any thoughts you guys might have about starting up and getting the ball rolling? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Interested In Deer Farming
- Thread starter Northern Kid
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Joined Oct 2009
3,165 Posts | 1+
upstate ny
Northern Kid904711393119439
I'll start off by saying I know this has come up a time or two but I have some questions. I think working with deer would be the greatest job anyone could wish to have. A few of my questions are 1. How did you all get into the business? 2. Do you see a great enough market to make a living out of deer farming? How much money would one have to put in in order to start to be able to make a living from raising deer? 3. Is there a good demand for "shooter bucks"? .... Basically any thoughts you guys might have about starting up and getting the ball rolling? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Really way to many different answers to all of those questions. The love of the animal is what comes first most times. The animal and hunting them. There are many of us that make a decent living with deer and many that..well lets just say do much better than decent. The sky is the limit on the cash invested and would matter where you want to start your venture. In most states there are not enough stocker bucks to supply the demand. With the way the people in charge of the different states wild herds are letting the herds go by the wayside i believe the future is bright in well ran high fence operations.
Bottom line is dont ever spend more than you can stand to lose because when you have livestock..You will have dead stock. Good Luck.
I'll start off by saying I know this has come up a time or two but I have some questions. I think working with deer would be the greatest job anyone could wish to have. A few of my questions are 1. How did you all get into the business? 2. Do you see a great enough market to make a living out of deer farming? How much money would one have to put in in order to start to be able to make a living from raising deer? 3. Is there a good demand for "shooter bucks"? .... Basically any thoughts you guys might have about starting up and getting the ball rolling? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Really way to many different answers to all of those questions. The love of the animal is what comes first most times. The animal and hunting them. There are many of us that make a decent living with deer and many that..well lets just say do much better than decent. The sky is the limit on the cash invested and would matter where you want to start your venture. In most states there are not enough stocker bucks to supply the demand. With the way the people in charge of the different states wild herds are letting the herds go by the wayside i believe the future is bright in well ran high fence operations.
Bottom line is dont ever spend more than you can stand to lose because when you have livestock..You will have dead stock. Good Luck.
Four Seasons Whitetails904721393121169
Really way to many different answers to all of those questions. The love of the animal is what comes first most times. The animal and hunting them. There are many of us that make a decent living with deer and many that..well lets just say do much better than decent. The sky is the limit on the cash invested and would matter where you want to start your venture. In most states there are not enough stocker bucks to supply the demand. With the way the people in charge of the different states wild herds are letting the herds go by the wayside i believe the future is bright in well ran high fence operations.
Bottom line is dont ever spend more than you can stand to lose because when you have livestock..You will have dead stock. Good Luck.
Thanks for responding! I guess I've been really intrigued by the thought of having a life filled with deer. Growing up i was introduced to hunting early and loved seeing the deer and how they grow throughout the year. Currently I'm in college and am taking a class to help decide what I'm interested in, whatever we do, wildlife keeps coming back and peeking an interest to me. I'm from Michigan and have been messaging some farms trying to get some insight back and trying to possible visit some farms and see what it is all about. I just think it would be amazing if i were able to work with whitetails and were able to make a living at the same time. So i guess if it were something I were to get into I would guess I would be starting small and trying to go from there, so really any thought about the business is appreciated!
Really way to many different answers to all of those questions. The love of the animal is what comes first most times. The animal and hunting them. There are many of us that make a decent living with deer and many that..well lets just say do much better than decent. The sky is the limit on the cash invested and would matter where you want to start your venture. In most states there are not enough stocker bucks to supply the demand. With the way the people in charge of the different states wild herds are letting the herds go by the wayside i believe the future is bright in well ran high fence operations.
Bottom line is dont ever spend more than you can stand to lose because when you have livestock..You will have dead stock. Good Luck.
Thanks for responding! I guess I've been really intrigued by the thought of having a life filled with deer. Growing up i was introduced to hunting early and loved seeing the deer and how they grow throughout the year. Currently I'm in college and am taking a class to help decide what I'm interested in, whatever we do, wildlife keeps coming back and peeking an interest to me. I'm from Michigan and have been messaging some farms trying to get some insight back and trying to possible visit some farms and see what it is all about. I just think it would be amazing if i were able to work with whitetails and were able to make a living at the same time. So i guess if it were something I were to get into I would guess I would be starting small and trying to go from there, so really any thought about the business is appreciated!
1) We got into it through friends who were and are deer farmers.
2) Not without a huge investment. There's money to be made, but making a living is another ball game. If you already have ground but nothing else, you're going to have $100k in it to make a living.
3) Yes, but prices are all over the place.
My best advice: don't go into it to make your living, at least not right away (unless you have a truckload of cash to throw at it that you feel comfortable risking). Figure out how much you can throw at it, take enough visits and get enough advice to plan some pens out well, and get good quality bred does to start with. Get your feet wet, make some connections, take your lumps and THEN decide if you want to make a living at it. That is WAY oversimplified, but that would be my "getting started" advice.
2) Not without a huge investment. There's money to be made, but making a living is another ball game. If you already have ground but nothing else, you're going to have $100k in it to make a living.
3) Yes, but prices are all over the place.
My best advice: don't go into it to make your living, at least not right away (unless you have a truckload of cash to throw at it that you feel comfortable risking). Figure out how much you can throw at it, take enough visits and get enough advice to plan some pens out well, and get good quality bred does to start with. Get your feet wet, make some connections, take your lumps and THEN decide if you want to make a living at it. That is WAY oversimplified, but that would be my "getting started" advice.
So basically in order to make a living a few years down the road, one would have to drop great amounts of money up front. I'm assuming most people get there feet wet as you said, starting with a few deer and growing from there?
Hey Kid . Go visit as many deer farms as you can . Talk to as many farmers as you can and use your head and make good decisions from what you hear . To make a living in this business ? Depends on how well you want to live ? Many make huge amounts of money and many barely make a profit . Selling shooters all depends on who you can get to buy them and for what price . If your buying all your feed verses raising it on your own land that adds to costs . If your going into the breeder markets , well thats an all together different game and takes much more money , much more time ,much more traveling , advertizing and sometimes a big name to go in it with you . I like having deer but to make a living ? That wouldn't be my first choice. Get a great job then see where the deer can take you ! I'm thinking for most it's a great hobby but not their living. Just a thought !
Joined Oct 2009
3,165 Posts | 1+
upstate ny
Northern Kid904751393124391
So basically in order to make a living a few years down the road, one would have to drop great amounts of money up front. I'm assuming most people get there feet wet as you said, starting with a few deer and growing from there?
Yes making money and making a living has alot of air between the two. Alot of people dont have jobs that make them 50 grand a year, some dont make 30. It does make a difference of what you have to start with. If you have to buy say the house and land and then add all the deer stuff, well that will add up for sure. Everybody has different needs when it comes to..Making a living! I would guess with you being young and in collage you will need to start at the very bottom. You are in a great state to learn. Maybe you can meet some farmers and offer them a hand on the farm, you will learn alot fast. There are many guys on this site from your state that would help you out. I'm sure of it!
So basically in order to make a living a few years down the road, one would have to drop great amounts of money up front. I'm assuming most people get there feet wet as you said, starting with a few deer and growing from there?
Yes making money and making a living has alot of air between the two. Alot of people dont have jobs that make them 50 grand a year, some dont make 30. It does make a difference of what you have to start with. If you have to buy say the house and land and then add all the deer stuff, well that will add up for sure. Everybody has different needs when it comes to..Making a living! I would guess with you being young and in collage you will need to start at the very bottom. You are in a great state to learn. Maybe you can meet some farmers and offer them a hand on the farm, you will learn alot fast. There are many guys on this site from your state that would help you out. I'm sure of it!
all the thoughts are appreciated! I'm definitely going to try and check out a few farms over the summer and speak more with them!
Northern Kid904751393124391
So basically in order to make a living a few years down the road, one would have to drop great amounts of money up front. I'm assuming most people get there feet wet as you said, starting with a few deer and growing from there?
Seems to me there are two ways of going about things:
1) Ease into the business gradually; learning, meeting people while building your infrastructure and herd.
or
2) Drop some serious coin, make some serious connections and go "all-in".
Which way you go is dependent on both your finances and your goals. I would guess the majority of all deer farmers took baby steps getting into the business, and the majority do not make their living from deer.
Get to know some deer farmers that you can trust and that will help you- that is the single most important step.
So basically in order to make a living a few years down the road, one would have to drop great amounts of money up front. I'm assuming most people get there feet wet as you said, starting with a few deer and growing from there?
Seems to me there are two ways of going about things:
1) Ease into the business gradually; learning, meeting people while building your infrastructure and herd.
or
2) Drop some serious coin, make some serious connections and go "all-in".
Which way you go is dependent on both your finances and your goals. I would guess the majority of all deer farmers took baby steps getting into the business, and the majority do not make their living from deer.
Get to know some deer farmers that you can trust and that will help you- that is the single most important step.
Joined Nov 2010
704 Posts | 0+
Annville, PA
Northern Kid, when you need items for the farm, we sell all items so give me a call and I can assist you, thanks and good luck, it is fun but expensive, LOL
Northern, my name is Alex, board member of United Deer Farmers of Michigan. On March 7th 3:00PM and after and March 8th 9:00 AM and after til ??? at Soaring Eagle in Mt Pleasant we are having our annual fund raiser and meet & greet. It would be a good time to come up and meet some of the Michigan Deer breeders and ranches. We have had good participation with donations and there are games and fun for all. Anyone can attend the gala.
I just got into the deer farming this year and I didn't invest a ton of money in it this summer when I was getting pens set up and getting my deer. I put in just shy of 10K and have 5 solid producing does and a good 2 year old breeder buck. The biggest thing that helped me is doing my research and learning that it is almost better to go out and buy good producing does and buck than it is buying all the big name genetics out there. All my does have 200-250" 2 year olds on the ground this year which is perfect for the shooter buck market. Like everyone is saying go visit farms and meet fellow deer farmers because I have never met a fellow deer farmer not willing to help me. If you have any more questions feel free to message me on here or get ahold of me. 7402251848
If those 2 year old bucks that you produce down the road are typical heavy wide frames and not freaky looking tree stumps you will have what our hunters want to harvest on the hunt preserves. It is almost impossible to get a hunter to shoot anything over 220" anymore and it better be over 22" wide and have a distinct typical frame less than 10% extras. You can't give away a narrow 250" now days. Good luck with your venture.
Kevin
Kevin
