who thinks we could push for a better venison market?

Trust me, those of us (including myself) that have some really "generic" genetics: Rainbow and Always Save deer would jump on this bandwagon at least once per year. Last year I sold 10 does just to get them off my inventory and to avoid a $22 CWD testing fee imposed by the state per head. I was going to make jerky out of about 6 but when I was offered what I was, and the market was...well, we all know, I had to take it. The problem in this state (at least for now) is that we have no allowance from the state to "sell" venison. We can sell a hide or antlers, but no meat. I've been desperate enough-though I never followed through, to advertise "free meat" with the purchase of a hide. I'd be totally for the sale of venison in this state.



And for the record, I'm unable to cast a vote on this thread for some reason, so I'll say I'd go for it. I'm too addicted to my whitetail friends to let them go, though they're eating my business profits right and left, down and up.

Could the hunting preserves use these does to bring in new hunters.

When someone books a hunt with them they could bring someone with to harvest a doe for free. This would open the eyes of someone that may not have initially paid for a hunt to begin with. Who knows he may see those big bucks and get the fever and decide he wants to try for a buck while hes there. I would be all for donating cull does to a preserve that would promote like this.

Yes there is a market to sell does on hunting ranch’s. There is not much profit in them but as you said it does bring hunters in and sooner or later they will hunt something else. It’s also a great way to introduce young hunters to the joy and accomplishment of their first kill with dad.

How ever know that purchasing does and hunting them will not work on all ranch’s. One of our ranch’s is 175 acres, it is plenty big enough for a hunt but small enough to find all the deer and harvest them. Most all the bucks and does are killed by April so I do not have to feed them for the next six months. We have all found out feed chews up profits.

On out main ranch of 325 acres we only turn loose our best does to propagate the hunting area for better genetics , producing better shooters. Bigger hunting ranch’s that focus on breeding in the right direction must be very cautious of the quality of does being released into their ranch’s. If not done right all deer must be hunted out 6-8 years later just to start all over again.

Have some of the smaller ranch owners email me and I will share with them how to make money hunting your does. We shot over 80 doe sand 23 bucks on 12/19/09. If you live in Pa. I need 150 does for next year and we already have deposits from hunters for half of them.

Wisdom said:

If you live in Pa. I need 150 does for next year and we already have deposits from hunters for half of them.

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I know of an older man that wants to cull out his herd next year what will you be offering per doe? And I'll let him know.

We have a hunting preserve and we have does on it. We do not count on production from them but whatever we get is a bonus. We like to shoot them out every couple years and put in new ones to upgrade any genetics we might get. The market for hunting does is very small I believe. We do get some that will shoot one as a second deer or let a child shoot one as their first deer - but we sure don't make any money at it. Our hunts are 3 days and we include lodging and meals and a guide, so we have to cover our costs at a minimum. We would much rather see someone shoot a small buck for a second deer or for a child's first deer.

Please have him give me a call. I may be able to help him thin down his herd this winter and save some feed bills.

The more deer we can move this year makes more room for next year sellers.

814-931-4400 Andy

Tundra Ridge Whitetails said:

I know of an older man that wants to cull out his herd next year what will you be offering per doe? And I'll let him know.

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[quote name='ANTLER VALLEY'].... The problem in this state (at least for now) is that we have no allowance from the state to "sell" venison. We can sell a hide or antlers, but no meat. .....

Antler Valley: What State are you in. Perhaps this is a project for NADeFA to tackle.





the industry needs a viable meat industry to clear out the culls.

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there is market for deer from older hunters who like meat but cant hunt to guy who wants some smokies or sausage made its the variety of choices a seller gives the c ustomer plus your ratio of adding pork beef fat or trims two mix for unique flavor profiles you need to come up with a plan to raise deer as grind only and then use deer meat as a base for variety of products based on grinds not just straight deer meat

I think the night hunters here would have a field day if you could sell venison. They shoot them now just to see if they can hit them. The state conservation departments would croak if this happened but they could make money from fining the road hunters. I think the game wardens could forget sleeping at night. The good thing is people would have to come to an enclosure to hunt because there would not be any deer left in the wild within a few years.

In reallity I would like to be able to sell does that do not produce well for meat but I can't see the conservation departments allowing this.