MI Summer 2023

A TRUE NORTHWOODS HUNTING EXPERIENCE

Located

HUNT HIGHLIGHTS

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NOW BOOKING FOR 2023

Availability is limited. Group and corporate rates available.

989-732-8427 to schedule your hunt!

TABLE OF CONTENTS / ADVERTISERS

MAGAZINE GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PUBLISHING

Kathy Giesen, Editor/Publisher

305 E. 350 N., Ivins, UT 84738 deerassociations@gmail.com

435-817-0150 • Fax: 435-359-5333 Website: deersites.com

(Editorial Provided by Contributing Writers)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President – Doug Roberts Phone: 810-241-9554

droberts@conquestdeerfarm.com

Vice President--Ken Brown Phone: 517-525-4036

kennybrown988@yahoo.com

Secretary / Treasure – Tricia Davis Phone: 231-878-2229 (Cell) pedavis69@gmail.com

Legislative Chair – Gina A. Bozzer Phone: (989) 619-3495

gina@stormwhitetails.com

Membership Chair – Terry Edwards Phone: 989-657-3628

northernselectgenetics@gmail.com

Board Member – Merle Shepard Phone: 313-268-1727

scishep@aol.com

Fundraiser Chair – John Wilson Phone: 989-324-0543

platinumwhitetails@yahoo.com

Board Member – Kyle Eckert Phone: 989-350-0483

kyle@br2whitetailsalesandservice.com

Fall Deadline

October 18th

Legislative Chair– Ryan Halfman Phone: 517-281-2936

blacklabelwhitetails@gmail.com

Secretary – Mathias Dekker

Phone: 989-415-6201

mathiasdekker@gmail.com

Marketing Chair--Quincy Querfurth Phone: 269-325-8101

quincyquerfurth97@gmail.com

Scholarship Chair--Jason Kanouse Phone: 231-342-9642

jrk8_98@yahoo.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

DOUG ROBERTS

UDFOM Members,

Wow! Here we are at the end of July and are already thinking of all the fall work that is right around the corner. It seems like we were just there a few months ago.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful spring and summer so far. Since the convention in March, we have all been watching the fawns being born, the antlers growing every day and trying to get the hay in the barn for the Winter feeding program.

The UDFoM board has already started working on the 2024 convention. We are really hoping to get donations in early this year so we can spend more time on producing a great auction booklet that can be sent to you in the mail ahead of time. The board was also able to sign a two-year revolving contract with the Ellison place for the second weekend of March. The UDFoM convention dates for the next three years will be. March 8-9, 2024. March 7-8, 2025 and March 13-14, 2026. We are happy to have found a great venue with a great staff in Gaylord Michigan.

On the political side of things there are a few things the board is keeping an eye on and participating in. In Lansing, the Cervid advisory

council is working with the Dept. of Ag on shortening the length of quarantine time with the CWD trace outs. They are also working on coming up with a system for identifying harvested bucks for CWD testing, when the tags have been removed for pictures. On a bad note, the Dept. of Ag. was denied federal grant money for genetic testing of our fawns as well as money for culling our GG animals due to the lack of someone in the dept. not signing the grant in time. We are still trying to get to the bottom of this mess up.

The last thing I want everyone to be aware of is that the Federal CWD standards are going to be opened for comments, recommendations and changes for moving forward. Gina is taking the lead on creating our UDFoM comments and suggestions for making much needed improvements to the standards. If you have any suggestions, please reach out to a board member so we can take all your concerns and ideas into account.

Thank you again for your support of UDFOM! Blessings to all of you,

Doug Roberts President

2023 UDFoM

Corporate Sponsors

Antler Competition - Armada Grain

Auction - BR2 Whitetails

Silent auction - Gutierrez Cervid Company

Gun Safe - CG Financial Services

Beverage - Storms End Whitetails

Cornhole - Kalmbach Feeds

Meals - Riverdale Feed

Golden Ticket - Great Lakes Sire Service

Entertainment - Black Label Whitetails

Balloon Game - Jim Werning Chevrolet & GMC

Thank you for your support!

FEATURE STORY

SIZE MATTERS WHITETAIL –PROPELLING A PASSION FOR WHITETAIL DEER

By: Gail Veley

Adam Lindsey doesn’t hesitate when asked what inspires him to raise whitetail deer. Having grown up on a cattle farm with parents devoted to agriculture, he offers “whitetails are the most sought-after big game species in North America. And there’s nothing like a whitetail deer. I love them.” However, it appears to be more than love, but rather dedication, that has kept him in the business with his wife Ashley and their five children for 20 years and counting.

As a deer farmer, his most satisfying moments are seeing the results of his breeding efforts. “My entire breeding operation is about making does,” Adam said. “All of the others are byproducts. I want to create super does who will produce over and over and provide that proven consistency. I have very good production animals and always sell out of deer.” Currently, Size Matters Whitetail is home to approximately 45 deer and 35 fawns. “I have tried to stay with and ahead of what the industry wants and breed deer that survive. As of now I haven’t gone 100 percent CWD resistant, but we are focusing on that, and also what’s important to our customers,” he added.

Located on 15 acres in Bronson, Michigan, Size Matters

Whitetail raises both typical and non-typical deer, yet attributes much of their success to anchor doe Matilda. Matilda, who at 14 is still producing incredibly sizable offspring as well as reliably producing daughters, is responsible for bucks who have grown to 600 inches. A thoughtful combination of line breeding, match breeding and outcrossing, with does capable of mirroring Matilda’s production, has given Size Matters Whitetail a reason to be proud of their bucks. These include Big Money, Cliffhanger, Gone Platinum and Permafrost, to name a few.

Adam, a life-long hunter, enjoys both bow and gun hunting, yet remembers a moment hunting with his son Mason, who was 12 at the time, as perhaps one of his favorite hunting stories. “When he was old enough to go out hunting, I took him out during youth season to bow hunt,” Adam, 39, said. “We were sitting in a tree stand when this 147” buck showed up right on time and he got him. It was one of my coolest moments as a Dad.” Today, that buck is still mounted in Mason’s bedroom.

Overseeing the general health of the deer is Ashley, 34, who also enjoys bottle feeding. In her spare time, she raises and sells “red” Labrador retrievers. While Adam would ultimately like to be a full-time deer farmer, he currently also works in the maintenance department of their local Walmart store. He credits his hard work and Ashley’s as well as the good people in the deer industry, for making them so successful. The Lindsey’s also enjoy attending events such as The United Deer Farmers of Michigan annual convention to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. “We have a lot of customers we like to talk to,” Adam said. “We like to ask how their deer are doing and how they are. Some of these people are mentors and we all bounce ideas off each other. It’s a great time and we feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”

FEATURE STORY

WILD MICHIGAN RADIO AND BLAINE’S REAL-WORLD TELEVISION – PROMOTING PASSION FOR THE OUTDOORS

By: Gail Veley

Duran Martinez and Blaine Anthony have a message to spread about deer farming. Martinez, host of Wild Michigan radio show, and Anthony, host of Blaine’s Real World television show, strive through their unique media to ignite and perpetuate an enthusiasm for the outdoors. To this end, they have also worked to bring a renewed and positive perspective about the role of deer farmers as land conservationists and stewards of both farmed and wild deer, by speaking at events such as The United Deer Farmers of Michigan annual convention. “It all starts with education and understanding each other,” Martinez, 56, explained. “By coming to events like this and having a radio show like Wild Michigan, we can talk to top leaders in the industry and help share their message and their mission.”

Anthony’s recently created television show, Blaine’s Real World, is a cumulation of 30 years of living and breathing the outdoors, and the associated lifestyle that goes with it. Through his show “we want the bonding of brotherhood and sisterhood,” Anthony, 56, said. “When we have that, we are unbeatable. When there is division, it makes it very difficult to come together. The show is very reflective. I’m going to be the guy that says the truth. Our world today can be so self-absorbed. We want to focus on the realness and genuineness of things.”

Both Martinez and Anthony were invited speak at the March 2023 UDFOM Convention by President Doug Roberts, a longtime friend and associate. At least 300 people attended their very well-received presentation, which aimed to convey “let’s everybody unite in the outdoor world,” Anthony said. “Let’s understand what deer farming is and let’s gather facts so we aren’t picking on something or someone we don’t understand.”

Now in its 14th year, Wild Michigan is a weekly two-hour radio show that shares useful information on issues such as “Ice Safety” that anyone can benefit from knowing. Perhaps one of the most listened to radio shows in Michigan, it is based on a lifetime of Martinez’s passion for the trails, woods and waters of the state known for the beauty of the Great Lakes. Like Martinez, Anthony aims to share his love of the outdoors through his television show whose motto is “It is our job. Our heart. Our life.” It reflects the same passion felt by Martinez and every UDFOM convention attendee. “We really appreciate the chance to attend this convention,” Martinez said. “You won’t find a better group of people to be around.”

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BLUE CREEK WHITETAILS FOCUSED ON PRODUCING ELITE WHITETAILS

By: Gail Veley

Blue Creek Whitetails Manager

Jimmie Neeley pauses at the pen of Royal, his favorite doe on the farm he breathes life into seven days a week. As Royal approaches him, it isn’t so much the treat he’s holding that she’s interested in, but rather, the affection he offers along with it. She nuzzles and licks his hand as he strokes her neck and softly talks to her. Her sheer delight in seeing him is obvious. And vice versa. And just like the farm itself, there is a lot to appreciate about Royal, whose pedigree includes Blue Chip, Freeze Frame, Shadow and Tasha among others. This four-year-old doe is also perhaps a symbol of what is good and right in the deer industry and at Blue Creek Whitetails. Their superior animal husbandry skills combined with breeding superior genetics, finds Blue Creek Whitetails producing some of the most elite whitetails in the industry.

The sprawling 250-acre farm in Falfurrias, Texas, is home to approximately 1,150 deer including bucks and does. What that number does not include is the 400-500 fawns expected this season. And while those sheer numbers of deer may seem overwhelming from a management perspective, Neeley, who always keeps the big picture in the back of his mind, lives by this decree. “We take things one step at a time and one deer at a time,” he

explained. “You don’t only focus on the big picture. You learn to slow down and simplify and to keep your goals clearly defined. We have a great team of employees that always goes above and beyond in every circumstance.”

Neeley and his wife Kayla are as devoted as anyone could be in their positions. Yet, both realize how lucky they are to have the dedicated team of employees working right alongside them. “We have one gentleman working here that no matter what time you decide to start that day, he always the first one there. He refuses to show up second to work,” Neeley, 41, shared. “We also have an employee who’s a licensed veterinarian in Mexico. After seeing to the deer, he’s not one bit scared to work hard and pick up a weed eater or get on a tractor. He’s 70 years old and he’s amazing. All of the employees here are amazing and work together seven days a week. Every one of them is a valuable asset. We deeply appreciate everything that they do.”

Neeley, along with farm owners Billy and Alice Oehmig, also appreciate the partnerships they have on a few prized breeding bucks. These include Ice Man with Jade Webster of MVP Whitetails, Simply Irresistible and Wanted with Brad Hassig of Prime Acres as well as Are You

Ready with MVP Whitetails, Prime Acres, Jesse Boger of Limitless Genetics, Kiser Creek and Billy Sage. “With our business partners and production record, we believe we are moving in the right direction,” Neeley said. “Our customer base is growing immensely. They are extremely important to us along with building and maintaining good relationships. We do everything we can to make things right. And we are always looking to improve and make the herd better.”

In their spare time the Neeley’s enjoy going to the beach and also going to the gym to workout. Yet, coming back home to the farm is a feeling unlike any other. At the end of the day, crimson colors cascade as the perfect backdrop to a pen with 100 does thriving among evergreen live oak trees endemic to the Texas terrain. From his back porch Neeley takes the sight in, which never gets old. He lets out a grateful sigh that another day has gone well at this deer paradise. As he lays down next to Kayla and prepares for a good night’s rest, his last waking thought has been known to be “How can we grow bigger deer?” Check out Blue Creek Whitetails on Facebook as well as their website www. bluecreekwhitetails.com.

Iceman

If you would like your farm or business featured on our business card pages, email a digital pdf file or scanned image (must be readable resolution) of your business card to:

Quincy Querfurth quincyquerfurth97@gmail.com

EFFECTIVE BOTTLE FEEDING – TIPS FROM WOODARD WHITETAILS

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by Kala

Dustin Blosser enters the fawning facility at Woodard Whitetails and kneels beside their latest spring arrivals. Blosser, a young West Virginia native, may only be 24, but his experience growing up on a pig, cattle and whitetail deer farm, combined with his maturity, has found him in the role of Farm Manager since September of 2021. Now, nestled inside a calving hutch, curious, eager and hungry fawns come forward, some nibbling at Blosser’s arms, jeans and well-worn leather boots. Sticking his face down to their level, he rubs his hair on their heads to make them realize they are fine. They are safe. Then, with hands outstretched, he carefully gathers one in his arms and offers a bottle, precision filled with milk, and attached to a one-inch goat kid nipple, to what he hopes is a fawn who grows up to live a very healthy life.

While raising a healthy group of fawns requires vaccinations and meticulous care, among other things, it also requires an extensive knowledge on the best and safest way to bottle feed, should your farm practice bottle feeding. After receiving colostrum

from their mother for 24 hours, bottle fed doe fawns are typically pulled and placed on a regimented milking schedule, along with struggling buck fawns and sometimes, a third fawn. While every farm may have it’s preferences on feeding times, Woodard Whitetails suggests bottle feeding at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. for the first seven days. And although fawns will drink as much as you choose to offer, problems can occur if you feed them too much, Blosser explained. “We start out with two to three ounces four times a day during the first week,” he said. “They’ll drink whatever amount you give them and if they have too much, they can bloat or milk can overflow into their rumen, and you can kill them. You want to develop their rumen and they won’t if they aren’t eating and just getting all the milk they can ask for. Another important factor is that from Day One we have water and dirt from their pens inside their hutches to help build their immunities.”

Building a fawn’s immunities along with their desire to eat solid food begins slowly during week two, when the schedule shifts to three times a day at 7 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and more milk is gradually offered to the eventual tune of 12 to 13 ounces per feeding. “By the time week three comes around, we are feeding twice a day at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and they are eating more solid food,” Blosser said. “Sometimes they don’t make it all the way through week three because they are getting antsy. We make a practice out of giving them a bottle in whatever will become their permanent pen so that they aren’t losing two things at once while also being put somewhere unfamiliar. If you want to keep them really calm,

it’s better this way.” While most fawns adapt immediately to bottle feeding, occasionally there are fawns that don’t. “Rather than putting stress on them by trying to catch them and force the bottle, I just put them back out with Mom and they do fine,” Blosser said. Regardless of how they were raised from birth, Blosser keeps track of each fawn, taking note of their appetite, stool quality or overall health. Should a fawn have diarrhea, Blosser finds that three cc’s of pumpkin baby food usually straightens it out. “You need to watch being too invasive with antibiotics and overcorrecting things,” he emphasized. “It might just kill all the bacteria in their gut. I like to start at the least invasive point and work my way up and see if it’s working first.”

Fawn survival rate at Woodard

Whitetails is usually around 95%, said Owner Henry Woodard. “We may lose 5%. This count includes every fawn whether they were born sick or not. Raising fawns is a labor of love and you are handling them and basically replacing their mother and you become attached. If they are sick and you save them, you felt a bond with them. We wouldn’t have a chance to save them otherwise and bottle feeding can give us the best opportunity to stay on top of things.”

GRILLED VENISON KABOBS

Deliciously marinated grilled venison kabobs – the perfect summer grilling recipe for your venison steak or tenderloin. Pair them with your favorite vegetables and you have a quick and easy weeknight wild game dinner.

IngredIents

• 1 lb. venison tenderloin tips or sirloin steak cut into chunks

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup liquid aminos or soy sauce

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp. minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

• 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

• 8 oz. whole mushrooms

• 32 oz. bag mini sweet peppers

InstructIons

1. Combine the olive oil, liquid aminos, Worcestershire, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl in a bowl and whisk together.

2. Add the tenderloin tips to the marinade and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

3. Preheat the grill to medium heat or 350 degrees F.

4. After the marinating time, remove the tenderloin tips and place them on their own skewer, separate from the veggies.

5. Add the sweet peppers and whole mushrooms to the skewers. Tip: keep veggies on their own skewer to allow correct cooking time for both the veggies and the steak.

6. Grill the tenderloin tips until they reach medium-rare – about 130-135 degrees F. Remove from grill.

7. Grill the veggies until soft and tender. Remove from grill and serve immediately.

8. Serve with your favorite steak dipping sauce.

Word Search

Fishing

Crossword Puzzle

Answers to puzzles will be available in the next issue, or can be found on our website: www.deersites.com

PREPARING YOUR BUCKS FOR THE HUNT –COMMON SENSE ADVICE

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by WOL

Preparing your bucks for the hunt begins long before warm and humid summer months turn into cooler and crisper fall days. Although the feeling of autumn ascending upon the earth makes hunters usually think of only one thing – hunting – preserve owners have begun preparing for those hunts months before. In fact, it may feel as though they are always perpetually preparing in one form or another. However, February can be a crucial month in this overall process. “After the hardest part of the winter is over, I start in February making sure I have enough protein available to my bucks in my preserve who were not harvested the year before,” said Brandon Bollinger of 2 Brothers Whitetail in Loranger, Louisiana. “Protein gets them from the rut back into condition. The key is their body condition.”

An essential source of protein can be found in clover plots. “You want to make sure those are ready for spring,” Bollinger, 47, said. “The key to growing big deer is putting a buffet in front on them and as little amount of stress as possible.” Bollinger, who makes a point of closely watching and surveying his bucks all summer, starts rolling his preserve cameras in July, in an effort to

ensure those bucks, currently residing inside, are ingesting enough adequate protein to meet size standards for the upcoming season. Bucks currently residing in pens are also closely monitored as plans progress to stock the preserve. And although Bollinger raises enough of his own bucks to not need to buy more, he feels that selling some of his own while acquiring some from other farms, keeps his inventory varied and perhaps more appealing to hunters.

Bollinger, in addition to knowing how to raise the most appealing buck, has also learned through the years the most appealing circumstances of introducing bucks into a preserve. “I start in August while they are still in velvet,” he said. “Don’t do it the day before a hunt. Put them in the preserve in August while they are in velvet and learning where they want to be, and they are calm. You also need a 30-day buffer to make sure the medications they need for transport are out of their system.” Preceding these precautions is the most valuable advice: Introduce them into the preserve at night. “You have much less of a chance of losing them because it’s not as hot.” Although some preserve owners prefer a method of introduction referred to as “soft launching” by first placing deer in a large pen inside the preserve, Bollinger finds that “day of” or prompt introductions can work just as well.

In an effort to make this type of introduction as safe as possible, Bollinger also advises to not only have food and water sources located interiorly of your preserve, but all along the fence line as well, as deer tend to gravitate to the fence

and pace and without easily accessible water and food, could dehydrate and die. In also realizing that deer learn the sound of an ATV or truck means food is coming, he makes a habit out of dropping hunters off during hunting season from a vehicle, making it easier for them to slip into advantageous places. Although Bollinger takes every precaution necessary to make sure his deer thrive, fatalities are inevitable. “I always have or carry a 10 buck “buffer” from what I grow compared to what I buy, which is about a 20% buffer overall,” he explained. “We hunt about 60 bucks a year.”

While the thrill of the hunt is the most compelling part of deer farming, feeling compelled to create understood payment terms between seller and buyer is what may keep a deer farmer in business. “When you are buying stockers, you should have a very clear warranty period. This is very important. The general rule is seven days. Should deer purchased not survive beyond seven days, the seller usually compensates the buyer in some form or another, Bollinger said. “Make sure you have an agreement in place.”

FEEDING DIRECTIONS: WHITE-TAILED DEER:

• Fawns up to 1 week of age: Feed 16 oz. of formula daily, divided into 4 – 6 feeding.

• Fawns 1 week to 1 month of age: Feed 24 to 30 oz. of formula daily, divided into 4 feedings.

• Fawns 1 month to 2 months of age: Feed 30 to 35 oz. of formula daily, divided into 2 to 3 feedings.

• Fawns 2 months to weaning: Gradually decrease formula and number of feedings to approximately 15 oz. of formula once daily until fawn is fully weaned at 12 to 14 weeks of age. Provide a weaning diet and fresh clean water to the fawn. For oral use only. These feeding directions are guidelines. As each animal is an individual, the feeding rate may be increased or decreased according to the needs of the neonate.

Feeding directions for other species can be found on our website.

OKLAHOMA DEER FARMERS FLOURISHING UNDER MONITORED OR NON-MONITORED STATUS

By: Gail Veley - Sponsored by Whitetails of Oklahoma

Ooklahoma can boast about something few states can. There has never been a confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in either farmed or free-range whitetail deer. However, Oklahoma has been very fortunate in this regard. Through a program developed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture in conjunction with Whitetails of Oklahoma (WOO), deer farmers within the state have the option to operate their farms under a CWD/TB/ Brucellosis Monitored status or a NonMonitored status.

Which one you choose could depend on what part of the deer industry you are catering to and the potential amount of sales you wish to generate, among other things. Oklahoma farmers with monitored herds can sell deer to any state that will or can accept them. Oklahoma farmers with non-monitored herds can only sell their deer within the Oklahoma state borders.

However, raising a non-monitored herd has never been to the detriment of Barry Reed, 47, owner of Big Head Whitetails in Pryor, Oklahoma. “I sell out of stockers every year,” said Barry, who leans towards raising non-typical deer with a good frame. “I can’t raise enough to keep up with the demand. This year I sold all of my available inventory including bred and open does.” To further guarantee his deer are marketable in light of his nonmonitored status, Reed infuses quality genetics from the likes of Maxbo, Express and Pay Day into his herd and also promotes his prize breeding buck “Titties.” While he finds being nonmonitored less stressful on his daily farm operation “there are advantages

to being monitored,” he said. “There is a bigger breeder market and doe market if you can sell to other states like those up north.” Yet, if he was monitored, he admits he could find himself needing to be more closely concerned about overall production.

While agreeing that being monitored has it’s advantages, Don Elder of Oak Hollow Exotics feels he has absolutely no need to be, as he easily sells all of his genetically-proven inventory every year to the tune of at least 25 deer. “I’ve had several friends that were monitored, but it got too costly and time-consuming,” he said. “Now I only know two to three people who are still monitored.” While Elder, 67, used to raise and sell elk and fallow deer, he became nervous when CWD began to show it’s face among elk. According to internet research, in 1998, a case of CWD was found in a captive elk at a neighboring Oklahoma farm that had been imported from Montana. As a result, the entire elk herd was euthanized. Consequently, since 2008, Elder has only raised and sold whitetails, and finds immense gratification in doing so.

Yet, gratification in having and maintaining a monitored herd is what motivates Chris Ezell to do so at his farm, Dangerous Whitetails of Oklahoma. “To qualify as a CWD/TB/ Brucellosis Monitored herd, you must test for CWD, TB and brucellosis. To do that, you need to run all of your deer through your handling facility and pull blood from them to be sent off for testing. This is a costly expense,” Ezell explained. “You also must test every animal over 12 months of age that dies on your farm. This means you must take the head of the deceased animal to your vet and pay to have the test done. You must also keep

up with all of the paperwork and use multiple tags on your deer. All of these requirements take time, cost money and put extra stress on your animals. And, if you damage one deer in the process it could cost you $5,000 to $10,000 or more to treat it. So, with that being said, if you do not do all of these things you can only sell your deer within the state of Oklahoma. I personally own deer in several states and have partners who wish to move animals to different states that have been born in Oklahoma. These deer usually possess high end, nationally marketed genetics. Therefore, the value offsets the time and expense and headaches of doing what it takes to be monitored,” he added. “If you feel your deer are worth the time and expense to be monitored, you owe it to yourself to explore that option.”

SUDOKU

The rules for sudoku are simple.

A 9×9 square must be filled in with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in each line, horizontally or vertically. To challenge you more, there are 3×3 squares marked out in the grid, and each of these squares can’t have any repeat numbers either.

Coloring Activity!

Send in this picture with your childs name and age for a chance to be featured in the next magazine or on our facebook page!

All ages welcome to participate!

Pictures can be emailed to deerassociations@gmail.com or mailed to

Samantha Uchytil

19291 59th St NE New London, MN 56273

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Use PeaceMaker to “keep the peace” during pre-rut, rut, transportation, weaning and anytime destructive behavior may occur

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Use in does before fawning, during lactation and all cervids during times of environmental stress

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Feed powder for 14 days to bottle fed fawns

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Last Issues Puzzles ~ Answer Keys ~

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW, WHAT I MAY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY STARTING MY FARM

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by NDDRA

Mike Ryckman knows he couldn’t be in a better place than his home state of North Dakota to raise whitetail deer. Drawing in a full breath of fresh morning air in a place nestled interiorly between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains, he cherishes the start to his day as he works in this peaceful and picturesque setting. However, the trouble is, Ryckman doesn’t have one truly flat spot on his property. His current deer handling facility, located on one of the highest points of his property, has required him to “chase” his deer uphill during every past vaccine, antler trimming or A.I. season. This year, he’s changing all that by moving his facility to one of the lowest points of his property, while staying out of a flood zone.

Before starting his farm, Ryckman Whitetails, in 2014, “I had seen a couple deer farms but not enough in reference to handling facilities,” Ryckman, 40, said. While he focused initially on genetics and designing handy alley ways, looking back he realized he needed more knowledge regarding how deer react to

the actual handling facility itself. “Our first handling facility, the original one, had gaps or holes that were too big, and we had to reconstruct it and seal those gaps up,” he explained. “I should have spent more time understanding how deer respond to certain situations like seeing daylight.”

After revising the original facility to be completely deer safe and foolproof, Ryckman, through working with his deer and studying their behavior, became very keen on one subject. Deer have a very strong flight instinct, and as such, need to feel as though they’ve gotten away from you. Using that pretense, Ryckman installed guillotine (dropping) gates on his property to move deer from one location to another, and also determined that sending deer downhill would be far easier than sending them uphill. “I would say Number One when you start your deer farm, study the lay of your land and consider all the variables before deciding where to put your handling facility,” he emphasized. Ryckman, with the help of his wife Kristy and three children, hopes to have his third (and final) facility moved and ready for deer by July of this year. “There is also a lot of cost savings doing it right the first time,” he added.

Understanding the lay of the land and winter weather patterns better, would have been very useful when Clark Schafer and his younger brother Shawn started their deer farm, Schafer Whitetail Ranch, in 1998 in Turtle Lake. “We would have put a little more thought into the snow part of it and made easier access inside the alleyway leading to the deer barn, so we could clean it out with the toolcat and snow blower,” Clark Schafer said. “Instead of

permanent walls, we might have made gates on hinges to make things easier when it comes to clearing snow out of the way.” Although times were different back then and superior genetics weren’t fully developed, producing quality deer was always at the forefront of their operation.

In addition to breeding quality deer and the desire to more easily clear snow out of the way, Clark Schafer, 56, feels they may have constructed more pens from the very beginning, had they more accurately predicted how quickly deer multiply and that separating them becomes a necessity, to practice efficient animal husbandry by having less deer per acre/pen. Ryckman, as with all conscientious deer farmers, agrees and is grateful for the mentoring and good examples set by farms like Schafer Whitetail Ranch. “At the end of the day, we love our deer and are infatuated with them,” Ryckman said. “We realize our obligation to practice great animal husbandry and to treat them the best we can and whether that’s more adequate space or a properly located handling facility, we are committed to caring for them and raising the best deer we possibly can.”

North American Deer Talk Texas Deer Association Update

The Texas Deer Association has a long history of advocating for whitetail deer and deer rancher's rights. In this conversation the Executive Director of TDA Kevin Davis gives an update on critical information regarding the work TDA is focusing on right now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG5tNT-t9Og