CEREE LEDBETTER PHOTOGRAPHY Eager to Promote Deer Farms and Preserves
Sponsored by WVDFA
ALABAMA DEER FARMERS STRIVE FOR EFFECTIVE INSECT CONTROL
Sponsored by ADA
LEGISLATIVE RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
Sponsored by ILDFA
President’s Message
MEET YOUR NEW PDFA
PRESIDENT!
Hello Fellow Deer Farmers:
Let me introduce myself, my name is Robert Monheim. I am the newly elected president of the PDFA and have been deer farming since 1998. I started out working at a rehab facility for wildlife taking care of the fawns. One day my daughter came to me and said, “Dad, I want a deer” so, we went and bought a fallow deer. I like fallow but after dealing with them for a while I decided I wanted to let them go and start working with whitetail deer and that is where we are today. I have been a member of the PDFA since the beginning of the PDFA.
Along the way I have met many interesting people and learned many new skills to go along with my deer farming. I am always open and willing to learn more and to help fellow deer farmers with what we can do for this industry and for the animal itself.
God Bless,
Robert J Monheim Monheim Family Farm
BOARD OF OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Robert Monheim (2027)
Robert Monheim (2027)
Monheim Family Farm
1176 Monheim Lane
Vandergrift, PA 15690
Cell: (412) 849-2516
Email: monheimrobert@gmail.com
TREASURER
Jason Stefanowicz (2027)
Awesome Whitetails
990 French Hill Road
Middleburg Center, PA 16935
Cell: (570) 418-3109
Email: awesomewhitetails2@gmail.com
Isaac Martin (2027)
Bambi’s Paradise
230 Dusty Hollow Lane
McClure, Pa. 17841
Cell: (570) 412-0064
Email: ike@pikrite.com
Lloyd Stoltzfus (2026)
Walnut Ridge Whitetails 142 Churchtown Rd.
Narvon, Pa. 17555
Office: (717) 768-3471
Email: wrwhitetails@yahoo.com
Bob Byers (2025)
Triple B Whitetails
455 Byers Lane
Knox, PA 16232
Cell: 814-229-0226
Email: bob.byers@agriking.com
Josh Newton (2025)
Cervid Solutions, LLC
Red Ridge Whitetails 15223 Route 87 Hwy
Williamsport, Pa. 17701
Office: 844-478-2870
Cell: 484-951-3229
Email: jnewton@redridgewhitetails.com
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
Andy Goodman, Partner
Milliron & Goodman
Governmental Relations
200 N. Third St.
Harrisburg, Pa. 17101
Office: 717-232-5322
Email: andy@millirongoodman.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Mick Goodman (2026)
Goodman’s Whitetail Haven
751 Logan Rd.
New Stanton, PA 15672
Cell: (724) 493-1040
Email: gwhaven@hotmail.com
SECRETARY
Kelly Monheim (2027)
Monheim Family Farm 1176 Monheim Lane
Vandergrift, PA 15690
Cell: (724) 290-8291
Email: Kellylynn1157@gmail.com
John Fisher (2025)
World Class Genetics 152 Meadow Lane
Loysville, Pa. 17047
Cell: 717-582-1896
Email: 5starjohndaniel@gmail.com
Jarrid Barry (2026)
Powder Ridge Outfitters PO Box 6
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Cell: 717-821-0669
Email: powderridgeoutfitters@gmail.com
Tucker Sellinger (2025)
The Valley Deer Farm 1506 Wells Road
Williamsport, PA 17702
Cell: 570-660-0143
Email: tuckersellinger@aol.com
PDFA ADMINISTRATOR
Tess Stevenson PO Box 394
Harrisburg, PA 17108
Office: 717-801-0533
Email: office@padfa.com
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
Kerry Lange, Senior Associate
Milliron & Goodman
Government Relations
Kerry Lange, Senior Associate
200 N. Third St.
Harrisburg, Pa. 17101
Office: 717-232-5322
Email: kerry@millirongoodman.com
CEREE LEDBETTER PHOTOGRAPHY
EAGER TO PROMOTE DEER FARMS AND PRESERVES
EBy: Gail Veley • Sponsored by the West Virginia Deer Farmers Association, Inc.
arly dawn brings soft light to a landscape silhouetted with rolling green and shadowed hills, along with deer who seem to welcome, if not rejoice, at the start of a new day. Ceree Ledbetter quietly kneels, her camera fixed on a large buck stretching high for the treasures found in oak trees. With the touch of her finger, click. The image is permanently captured.
“I knew from the moment I was in fifth grade and held my first blue digital camera that I wanted to be a photographer,” Ceree said, reflecting back on her most treasured birthday gift. “I was so excited and thought at first that it would just be some hobby I would do after school. But when I started showing people my photos and getting their reactions, I realized maybe I had a knack for
this. That this could be something I could do professionally,”
While Ceree may be a mere 20 years old, her love of photography and her experiences are akin to someone well-entrenched and well-versed in their craft. While taking a picture may seem like a simple task “the raw lighting and the angles of the photo contribute heavily to the overall structure of it before editing,” Ceree, a Sandyville, West Virginia native and stepdaughter of Mark Cobb, explained. “Editing is also a substantial part of the process. Developing your eye for a great photo is also key. I’d love to travel to any state and shoot photos on both deer farms and preserves. I’m absolutely not nervous about being in a preserve. I’ve even photographed bison up close.”
Her base fee is $250 per day, not including travelling and lodging fees. “If I could stay in the lodge at someone’s preserve, I wouldn’t need hotel lodging,” Ceree explained. “It would probably take one to two days to shoot all the photos we would need. I would especially love to travel to Texas, Ohio and Florida and take photographs. I enjoy meeting new people. I would just really love to expand my business.”
Ceree’s passion for photographing livestock and nature began to flourish in 2020 when she moved to Mark’s farm and “he had so many animals like red deer, elk, horses and chickens and emus,” she said. “People loved seeing the photos I posted on Facebook. I also interned at Woodard Whitetails taking care of fawns, which allowed my love for the ‘veterinarian side’ of the industry to grow.”
Anyone interested in hiring Ceree as their photographer can call or text her at 304-531-7515 or email her at cereelphotography@ gmail.com. While Ceree is open to photographing any livestock you’d prefer, her favorite thing to photograph are bucks in hard antler. “That time of year is one of my favorites,” she said. “So, make sure to give me a call.”
I realized maybe I had a knack for this. That this could be something I could do professionally,” “
THE ART OF BOW HUNTING
GUIDANCE FROM PROFESSIONAL BOW HUNTER AND T.V. HOST TOM NELSON
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by The United Deer Farmers of Michigan
Tom Nelson sits quietly during the predawn of a crisp morning inside a deer blind, nestled deep among a meadow of mature trees and dense vegetation. He’s studied this copious area in his native Michigan, where he’s certain his next harvest will be found. His keen senses tell him a deer is coming, and he silently lifts his bow. Confident in his ability to take an ethical shot and efficiently utilize his effective range, he zeroes in on the broad side (where the heart and lungs are located) of a buck that’s just come into view. Knowing this shot for him cannot be a “maybe” but must be certain, Nelson, 67, knows exactly when to draw back the arrow and release. He does so with the precision that 50-plus years of experience has given him and is shortly thereafter standing over his patiently sought-out treasure.
“Bow hunting for me is my way of speaking to the woods with a stick and a string,” explained Nelson, a professional bow hunter and host of the television show “The American Archer.” To be an effective bow hunter “you must be woods-wise and deer savvy,” he said. “Unlike a gun that can do massive damage to an animal, an arrow doesn’t do that. An arrow essentially slides in and takes a little bit of time to take effect and then (hopefully) causes a quick and humane kill. That should be the objective of a bow hunter. You don’t want to be hitting them in the leg or in their back end.”
Nelson, who has hunted all over the world and harvested a wide variety of animals from mountain lion, moose, elk, turkey, mule deer and whitetail, has done so exclusively
with a bow. “I don’t know how many hunts I’ve been on where things might not have looked promising and the guide is telling me ‘Take my gun Tom, take my gun,’” he reflected. “But I will not be a ‘turncoat’ at that point. It won’t mean anything to me if that’s how it ends.”
Nelson, who has primarily made his entire living off of the sport of archery, still feels his very first harvest is and always will be his favorite. At the age of 14 he bought his first bow, a now vintage red wing hunter bow (with a 45-pound pull weight) and 12 fiberglass arrows at the now defunct Anderson Archery Store, where every conceivable bow hunting device could be found. “I lived three miles from the store,” Nelson said. “After I saved up enough money, I was able to buy my first bow. I thought I was all set. But I spent many fruitless years with nothing to show for it.” It was then over Christmas break during his sophomore year of high school, that he took triumphant aim and got his first deer.
Today, Nelson relives that very moment with the youth (both male and female) that he mentors and takes out bow hunting. “I show them the right way, how to figure out the whitetail puzzle,” Nelson explained. “Your learning curve is shorter if you learn the right way. I show them where to sit and why. I explain deer scat. I point out the small details such as why the deer will be coming a particular way to feed. They learn how to effectively operate a bow, when to draw back and release and to develop their personal effective range for taking a successful ethical shot. I teach them to aim exclusively at the chest cavity. Above all I teach patience and the love and reverence of being in the outdoors.”
“Bow hunting may be the more challenging and the harder way to hunt, but to me that is what makes it so rewarding,” Nelson said. “It’s also something my wife Beth and daughter Sara and I enjoy doing together. Like other bow hunters, we share a common bond as a family and a love of nature.”
Supporting the States
Alabama Deer Association
Illinois Deer Farmers
Indiana Deer And Elk Farmers Association
Iowa Whitetail Deer Association
Kansas Elk and Deer Association
Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association
Minnesota Deer Farmers Association
Missouri Deer Association
New York Deer and Elk Farmers Association
North Dakota Deer Ranchers
Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association
South Dakota Deer & Elk Breeders
Southeast Trophy Deer Association
United Deer Farmers of Michigan
West Virginia Deer Farmers Association
Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio
Whitetails of Louisiana
Whitetails of Oklahoma
LIGHTER WEIGHT. MORE EFFECTIVE. MINIMAL TRAUMA.
IF YOU HAVEN’T TRIED PNEU-DART’S RDD S , YOU’RE MISSING MORE THAN YOUR TARGET
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KEEP YOUR DEER HERD ORGANIZED WITH A PROFICIENT TAGGING SYSTEM
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by The Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association
As your deer herd grows in number, it becomes increasingly more important to keep them organized through the use of ear tags. In a farm setting, ear tags are typically used to help monitor disease, maintain accurate health, movement and sale records, establish potential research protocols and breeding programs. Using specific colored and numbered ear tags could also “help you keep track of which bucks your deer were produced from,” offers Dustin Blosser, manager since 2021 of Woodard Whitetails in Glasgow, Kentucky. “It’s also a very good way to make sure age classes are in order. While each farm has different ways of doing it, it’s important that it’s done accurately.”
Assessing accurate population trends, survival rates and utilizing proficient management strategies can be several reasons wildlife agencies use ear tags. Tags can come in the form of metal, plastic, scanned electronic identification (EID) tags or even Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) microchip tags. PIT tags, commonly used by various wildlife agencies, are transplanted under the skin and only activated when a deer passes close by to a specialized antenna and later, accounted for via computer records.
However, deer farmers rely on easyto-read highly visible ear tags as it
makes going through your inventory and finding a deer much faster and easier, Blosser, 26, said. “You don’t realize at first how you might start memorizing tag numbers and which deer are which. Someone rattled off “4012” and I knew what pen this doe was in, and who her parents were right off the top of my head.”
With fawns, smaller, temporary tags are typically attached and subsequently changed out after two months of age for an official farm tag. Blosser recommends using an ear tag clearly visible to the naked eye which can be read in a mere few seconds if necessary. “With our farm tags, the color changes to coincide with the year they were born. We have their number on one side and put our farm name and the sire and dam’s name on the other side. It’s good for farm tours and in letting people know right away about their pedigree. We also use four digits. Tags used this year start with “4” which stands for 2024. With our bucks we put a “B” at the end of the number and attach the tag in their right ear and attach the doe tags in the left ear. It’s really important to pay attention to whether it’s a buck or doe when you’re tagging. Seems like every year we have an intern that gets one or two wrong.”
Rather than just using numbers, ear tags are also available with letters
that (given there are 26 letters in the alphabet) can span over a much longer interval of time compared to numbers. Each farm ear tag should also be accompanied by a mandatory state “premise I.D.” Department of Agriculture tag. Although both can be placed in the same ear, Blosser recommends putting them in opposite ears to avoid potentially losing both should an ear, for example, get stuck in a fence. Likewise, it’s important to invest in fade resistant and very thick durable tags, as deer tend to chew on them. Adding more minerals to their feed is thought to help prevent this from happening, according to research.
Ultimately, an ear tag could help a hunter make a split-second decision, as farm tags get replaced with preserve tags when stocker deer are sold. “If you know what a certain color tag costs, then you can be better prepared when that perfect buck shows up,” Blosser said. “You have the ability to make that splitsecond decision, if need be, and take home the trophy you’ve always wanted.”
Disclaimer: The information contained in this advertisement is general in nature and is intended for use as an informational aid. It does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions of the medications shown, nor is the information intended as medical advice or for making an evaluation as to the risks and benefits of using a particular medication. You should consult with your veterinarian about diagnosis and treatment of any health problems. Information and statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nor has the FDA approved the medications to diagnose, cure or prevent disease. Medications compounded by Mixlab are prepared at the direction of a veterinarian. Mixlab compounded veterinary preparations are not intended for use in food and food-producing animals. Mixlab does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about the efficacy, appropriateness or suitability of any specific dosing, products, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, veterinary care providers, or other information that may be contained in this advertisement. Mixlab is not responsible nor liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or products that you obtain through this advertisement.
Breeder Buck 2024 Showcase Magazine is here!
Just in time for semen sales, getting ready for breeding season!
We created this magazine in order for 2024 Breeder and Hunting Preserve advertisers to showcase their most recent photos of their bucks close to the last days of antler growth. We realize establishing a collective deadline for all states Fall magazines to publish on the same date to obtain last-minute photos would be impossible to achieve. With this magazine, advertisers have one more chance to showcase their bucks.
~ Thank you to all that participated!
... if you would like to participate in our 2025 magazine, give us a call for more information. 320-905-2622 or 260-222-3478
Magazine Deadlines / Event Calendar
MISSOURI DEER FARMERS SHARE IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW, WHAT I MAY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY STARTING MY DEER FARM
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by MDA
With shovels in hand and an agenda to fill, Rachel and Brad Monnig recently trenched 600 feet of water line at their eight-acre farm, Cedar Ridge Whitetails in Salisbury, Missouri. After fifteen years of dragging hoses to water troughs it was time for something easier. In fact, it was way past time. Today water hydrants line their deer farm, saving them a substantial amount of time caring for their deer.
Saving time and money when raising deer is a subject Roxanne and Jeff Knibb of Knibb Whitetails near St. Louis, Missouri, know all too well. Today, their seven breeding pens are lined with Rangemaster high-tensile horse fence. Fawns no longer get their heads stuck in the fence. Strips of Geogrid no longer litter the pens, making for a much better presentation during farm tours. And life is good for their deer herd, which numbers close to 200 head, housed in 19 one-acre pens. However, things did not start out so well when they acquired their first deer, four bred does, in 2009.
“We thought we could preempt the problem of fawns escaping through six-inch spacing without having to line the breeding pens,” Roxanne, 62,
explained. “So, we used Stay-Tuff fence with three-inch spacing on the whole farm. The problem was, while the fawns could not escape, they still tried . . . and got their heads stuck in the fence.” Their first ‘solution’ was to line the breeding pens with Geogrid, a lightweight plastic product that was easily attached to the Stay-Tuff fence using cable ties. But both the Geogrid and the cable ties degraded with exposure and had to be replaced every few years. The deer also took to entertaining themselves by tearing strips off the fence and distributing them around the pen.
The solution that finally and actually worked very well was in lining the breeder pens with Rangemaster horse fence from Kencove (Fastlock Woven Wire, 13/48”/2”, 12 ½ Ga). The Knibbs used a Pneumatic Hog Ring Tool (Type HC715) and stainless-steel Hog Rings (KSF15SS100B, C-ring style, .75” open/.3125” closed), both from King-Hughes Fasteners, to attach the Rangemaster fence to the Stay-Tuff fence as needed (about one ring per square foot of fence). “At first we were afraid the fence would be so stiff that more fawns would die when they hit it,” Roxanne said. “But the fence has been
up since 2021, and thankfully, that has not been the case. A fence that provides safety and longevity is a joy to have.”
Looking at longevity factors such as fencing is something the Monnig’s wholeheartedly agree with, along with the selection of genetics, pen design and layout at their farm which now houses close to 70 deer. “Looking back, we should have toured a lot more farms and asked a lot more questions,” Rachel, 35, said. “You’re always going to end up with more deer than you planned. Determining your future ‘add-ons’ and how that would go with your existing layout is important. It’s also important to know your goals and who you’re trying to sell to, the breeder market or stocker market. As a farm that raises stockers, we now use sexed semen so we will have more bucks than does.”
If the Monnig’s and Knibb’s could offer a universal piece of advice to new deer farmers – it’s longevity. “The key is all in the planning,” Rachel said. “For example, consider power does. They are hard to make and hard to replace. Or that doe that will milk any baby. Always plan for what the future could mean with every decision you make. It will pay off.”
5% ON PEACEMAKER THROUGH PBS ANIMAL HEALTH DURING SEPT- NOV 2023
PEACEMAKER
™
DESIGNED TO HELP INCREASE YOUR PEACE OF MIND... WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST!
Rut and reduced feed intakes can bring out the worst in bucks and irritable behavior can rear it’s ugly head!
PeaceMaker is scientifically formulated to provide optimal support levels of magnesium, Vitamin B1 and inositol to help maintain a normal and relaxed disposition in cervids
Now enhanced with appetite stimulants and probiotics for digestive health
Contains no herbals nor tryptophan, eliminating concerns of unwanted side effects
Use PeaceMaker™ to help “keep the peace” during pre-rut, rut, transportation and other key times during the year
Now available in a 30 lb resealable bag and 11.25 lb pail to help fit your operation’s needs
FAWN & DEER XTR™ PASTE R
ROBUST, FAST GI SUPPORT FOR FAWNS & OLDER DEER
Designed to quickly support normal GI health
Novel formula delivers powerful immune support
Can be used post tranquilization to help speed recovery
ENTERIC HEALTH FORMULA™
DIGESTIVE HEALTH & IMMUNE SUPPORT CERVIDS OF ALL AGES
Supports digestive health and a healthy immune system
Natural formula contains Encrypt®, egg proteins, enzymes, micro-encapsulated probiotics and a prebiotic
Top dress or mix in feed during fawning season, weather changes, times of stress and when top performance is desired
If you would like your farm or business featured on our business card pages, email digital pdf file or scanned image (must be readable resolution) of your business card to: Tess Stevenson: office@pdfa.com
This gives PDFA members a way to reach out to one another for services and to buy or sell deer! There may be limited pages for business cards, overflow would be placed in the next issue and cards will be rotated each quarter.
Dana & Ella Hoover
4456 Champlin Rd. Penn Yan, NY 14527
P 315.595.2202
F 315.595.8863
dana@ibyfax.com
Raising Quality Whitetails Bucks, Does, & Fawns For Sale
Venison Mushroom Swiss Burgers
Have you ever had a burger so good that you couldn’t set it down? Yeah? This is one of those burgers. The secrets to a perfect venison mushroom swiss burger are a little bit of time and a whole lotta cheese. Perfectly caramelized mushrooms and onions are an exercise in patience but once you have them paired with a deliciously cheesy, juicy venison burger, you’ll want to make them over and over again.
Ingredients
Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions:
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups onions, julienned (cut from root to tip)
• 2 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper, to taste
Burger Patties:
• 1 lb ground venison (or elk, moose, antelope, beef, etc.)
• 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into ¼” squares
Other Ingredients:
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 brioche hamburger buns
• mayo and/or ketchup(optional)
Instructions
1. Carmelize Mushrooms and onions in a large pan over medium-low heat. The timing varies on the freshness of your ingredients but should take about 7-10 minutes.
2. Preheat grill to 350°F.
3. To a medium bowl, add ground meat, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Mix with your hands until spices are well-combined with the meat. Add in diced pieces of Swiss cheese and gently incorporate them into the meat.
5. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece of meat into a ball, then form into a patty by squishing it between the palms of your hands. Patties should be about 4.5-5” in diameter. Using your thumb, place a small dimple in the middle of each patty.
6. If using a pellet grill, open the flame broiler lever to cook directly over the flames. Carefully place burger patties on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove to a foil-lined flat grill pan or small sheet pan.
8. Top burgers with mushrooms and onions, then top with cheese. You can save some of the mushrooms and onions out to place on top of the melted cheese too, if desired.
9. Place pan back on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, using indirect heat (not directly over the flame).
10. Remove pan from grill when cheese is melted.
11. Spread mayo on buns if desired, then add burgers to the bottom bun. Drizzle with ketchup if desired and place top half of bun on top. Enjoy!
GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR SEMEN STRAWS
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by MDFA
Scott Fier drives down the long scenic road from the center of town to his 30-acre deer farm of 21 years, Buffalo Ridge Whitetails in Porter, Minnesota. Trees are beginning to turn from green, to gold and crimson as the season of fall settles on the horizon, accompanied by shorter days and cooler temperatures. T-shirts are replaced by sweaters and jackets. Fawns are well on their way to being weaned. And it seems just about the time they are, preparation for breeding season begins. While careful management strategies dictate that some deer farmers opt for live cover certain years, other farms rely exclusively on semen straws to diversify their genetics, breed for CWD resistance, acquire more buck or doe fawns or perhaps incorporate more powerful doe lines. Depending on herd size, your budget or the amount invested in a semen straw (which can range in price anywhere from $100 to $10,000 per straw) deer farmers have three options for breeding their prized does. These options include vaginal insemination, laparoscopic artificial insemination (LAP A.I.) or embryo transfer.
While vaginal insemination may cost less up front and not require as much preparation, an entire semen straw, delivered via an insemination gun, must be administered per doe. While this does not necessarily require a vet to be present, comparatively, using LAP A.I., two to three does can be bred per semen straw. However, A.I. procedures require a veterinarian to perform the procedure which is akin to surgery. Whichever method you use “you’re going to have some expense either way,” said Fier. However, the ultimate decision as to which method to use may come down to how much each semen straw costs. The higher the cost, the more likely you will be to
use LAP A.I. and increase the number of fawns with those high-end genetics, Fier, 43, explained. Preparing for these procedures requires the farmer or paid professional to handle each straw with great care. While semen straws can be stored indefinitely in storage tanks, the liquid nitrogen inside each tank (responsible for keeping the temperature -300 below zero) must be refilled quarterly and acquired through your local semen storage facility, where semen can also be stored and maintained. Once out of the tank, straws must be placed in 96degree water in a thermos to thaw for approximately two minutes. “Always try to use the thawed semen as quickly as possible,” Fier said. “It can remain viable as long as the straw is used within 20 to 30 minutes.”
Does receiving vaginal insemination are generally run through a chute where they may or may not be sedated. Does receiving LAP A.I. are always sedated, tilted on their backs and shaved around their teats and bellies. Upon sanitizing those areas, a veterinarian makes a tiny slit near
the udder and using a microscope and tiny needle, injects semen into each uterine horn. While the success rate of vaginal insemination and LAP A.I. is very good, farmers typically use a “back-up” buck around the 18th day after insemination, to ensure the highest chances of doe pregnancy. DNA tests can prove whether fawns are the prodigy of the semen straw or the back-up buck, once they are born. However, an earlier delivery date points to vaginal insemination, LAP A.I. or embryo transfer. In addition to selecting a procedure that fits your needs and budget, deer farmers can also choose between conventional semen straws with 75mm per .5cc straw or approximately 50 million sperm cells or sexed semen straws with .25mm per straw or approximately 9 million sperm cells. However, given the amount of does a deer farmer may want to breed, bigger farms may feel that LAP A.I. is usually the best choice given a semen straw will go farther, Fier said. The question is “do you want to breed 10 does or 50?”
Word Search
SUDOKU
The rules for sudoku are simple:
A 9x9 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 3x3 squares marked out in the grid, and each of these squares can’t have any repeat numbers either.
Ultimate Venison Meatballs
Enjoy these easy baked venison meatballs with your favorite sauce and pasta for a hearty, comforting meal. They’re tender and meaty without any gamey taste. A crowd-pleasing way to enjoy ground venison!
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small red or yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup )
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 pound ground venison
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 egg, or flax egg
• 1/4 cup oat flour or breadcrumbs
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion to the pan and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture and using clean hands mix together until thoroughly combined.
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, roll the mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and golden brown.
6. Use as desired or freeze for use at a later date.
Send us your recipes! We want to hear your favorites! (Recipes don’t need to include venison - cookies, salads, breads, ect, are all welcome!) Send recipes to:
deerassociations@gmail.com
FLORIDA DEER FARMERS
FIND CHALLENGES WITH STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT WEATHER
By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by the Southeast Trophy Deer Association
This past September, Bill Leffler turned to a fellow elk hunter in Wyoming, the same week Category 4 Hurricane Helene was making landfall in his home state of Florida, where he owns and operates Two Base Down Farm. “What would happen here in Wyoming if 20 inches of rain fell in one day?” he asked his hunting companion. He only had to pause a moment. “Everything would disappear,” he answered.
Of the many things a Florida deer farmer faces in the aftermath of a hurricane, perhaps one of the most disturbing is “that nothing will ever be the same,” offered Ryan Boyd of 253-acre Legacy Ranch, in Jennings, Florida. “Nothing will ever, ever look the same. Hundreds of our trees were uprooted. We had a direct hit from Helene with winds up to 144 miles per hour. Somehow, we didn’t lose any deer. But so far, we’ve spent $14,000 in tree removal alone. Insurance won’t
cover it.” In the three-plus years that Ryan and his wife Glorianne have run Legacy Ranch in the Sunshine State, they, like so many other deer farmers, have endured hurricane after hurricane especially within the last few years. The most recent hurricane, Milton, made landfall October 9th as a Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 120 mph. It was the second most intense Atlantic driven hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and, at press time, the strongest tropical storm worldwide in 2024.
However, many variables make Florida, the 27th State of Our Union founded in 1845 and the 22nd largest U.S. state, an attractive and welcoming place to live. Temperatures are generally warm year-round and the tropical climate, access to scenic beaches and tourist attractions only adds to the appeal. Yet, strong hurricanes were not unknown to residents of Florida
even from the very start. In 1928, Hurricane Lake Okeechobee went on record as being the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall. The next one to match its strength would be 77 years later, Hurricane Katrina, which severely affected several southern states such as Louisiana, Florida and Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.
Today, strong hurricanes in the state whose motto is “In God We Trust” have become the norm. Nonetheless, Leffler feels his resolve has grown in strength, too. “When Milton came there were trees and fences down and animals died,” he said. “There was no power for four or five days. You learn to be prepared with plenty of food, water and gas. I dug an 8-foot wide and 5-foot-deep trench on my property to help with the massive flooding we’ve dealt with. But others have had it much worse.”
Adding to the difficulty of storm damage management directly relates to the quantity of hurricanes that have recently occurred. “There’s so many people who need help, resources are stretched pretty thin,” said Mike Hunter of 260-acre Big Bend Hunting Preserve in Perry, Florida. “After being hit with four hurricanes in the past 13 months, it just takes the wind out of your sails. I think of all the hard work. As you get older you think about these things and the fact that you lose a
little hope. Sometimes I think about not having deer after these things happens, but I’ve never thought of leaving Florida.”
Like Hunter, Leffler and Boyd feel loyal to and rooted in Florida. “Florida is my home,” Leffler said. “You do what you need to do to survive. You become Florida Strong. We live in a beautiful state. We feel pretty blessed. In our neighborhood everyone helps everyone else. There can be silver linings in hardships. You value your friends and family even more. And you work even harder to maintain your passion for what you love doing the most. Deer farming is at the top of the list.”
You do what you need to do to survive. You become
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