Breeding facilities may offer deer for sale, but our Start A Deer Farm Program is a much lower-cost way to receive high-pedigree does that originate from GCC genetic lines. GCC does are available through our Start A Deer Farm and Grow Your Herd (for already established deer farms) programs.– contact jake@legendsranch.com

Most deer farms benefit from a motorized vehicle such as a tractor or side-by-side. Necessary equipment will depend on the size of your farm. A small farm can function with just a four wheeler and lawn mower, while a larger farm may require more significant equipment like tractors and brush hogs.

We at GCC have side-by-sides for work in the pens, equipped with truck tool boxes full of medical supplies and tools for treatment. We also have tractors with buckets for moving deer, attachments for mowing, and a feed silo on a trailer for feeding the pens.

The best plans include a way to move deer between pens, either tranquilized or alert, (a hand-carried stretcher, truck bed side-by-side, tractor bucket, or a runway and chute). You may also find the need for a machine to maintain the grounds, like a tractor or mower, and a way for you to get around the pens as they expand, such as a four wheeler or by foot.

Although not necessary at first, a barn and deer chute can benefit a growing herd in the future.

Deer Purchase: The cost of deer can vary widely, based on pedigree, farm of origin, and relationships. This can be a large portion of initial start-up costs, so GCC has developed a program to make it more accessible to own high-pedigree animals! Contact Jake@LegendsRanch.com to discuss the details of our low cost Start A Deer Farm Package.

Registration fees and Initial Inspection with the DNR: $500-$1000

Fence Installation: $5,000-$10,000 for a one acre pen, split into two areas. The total cost can vary based on the number of gates, the environment, and other factors. Fence installation is generally charged as a fee per foot of 10 ft tall fencing. 

Feed: Feed can be purchased directly from feed mills or through Legends Ranch in small quantities. It generally costs $500/year to feed each deer.

Medications and Remote Delivery Systems: We highly recommend that a new deer farmer purchase a dart gun (Remote Delivery Device (RDD) Projector) to administer medications and tranquilizers when necessary. Projector packages can start at $600. Medication needed will depend on the size and healthiness of the herd. Medications can sometimes be prescribed from a veterinarian in single doses to minimize cost.

Whitetail deer in Michigan deer farms are considered livestock. Accordingly, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) work together to regulate deer farming within the state lines. The MDA works closely with farmers to monitor specific animal movements within the state and the DNR enforces the rules and regulations of deer farming.

Start A Deer Farm facilities will be required by our program to cooperate with all MDA inspections.

Deer farms exist on all types of land and are allowed in the whole state of Michigan. However, breeding operations generally perform best on dry land. Keeping farms distanced from public roads can be helpful for privacy and deer calmness but it is not required. Deer farm pens should be easily accessible by you for treatment and supervision. Deer can usually adapt to the habitat they are placed in.

The amount of land needed depends strictly on your goals. There are deer farms that range from a half-acre to hundreds of acres. Many people start small but maintain acreage for the possibility to expand in the future. Generally, farmers try to limit population size to 4 deer per acre to allow forage to grow and to limit bacteria buildup in pens.

Bucks – Depending on age and size of antlers a buck can sell for as little as $500 all the way up to $20,000 for the most desirable breeder studs.

Does – The cost for a female is directly related to her genetics and pedigree. A desirable marketable animal may sell for thousands whereas a deer with few known traits may sell for a few hundred dollars.

Note: We buy buck fawns for $1000 at end of first winter – guaranteed income for first season.

Whitetail breeding decisions are all about your desired outcomes. If you wish to sell animals in auctions, you may want to participate in artificial breeding with popular bucks from around the country. If your goal is strictly creating bucks for hunting ranches, natural breeding will help you meet your goals at a lower cost.

Deer are wild animals at heart so it is best to treat them as such. Exceptions do exist; bottle fed deer can be very friendly and approachable.

Deer that grow up in a pen with pets nearby may have a certain tolerance for domestic pets you may have. Any pet that remains with you while in pens will usually be met with curiosity, but a pet running free is very discouraged and can scare the deer to the point of injuring themselves. Loose domestic animals are a real danger to captive deer.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a prion disease in whitetails causing neurological symptoms and death, but is not known to transfer to humans. Most animals found positive with CWD in breeding operations have been harvested or die from unrelated illnesses and are then found to be positive upon required testing. Strict protocols and regulations are in place to protect captive herds and people alike from CWD. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is another disease common throughout the country, including Michigan. EHD is a virus that affects wild and domestic hoofed animals. The virus is spread by a small fly biting an infected host and then biting a susceptible animal afterwards. The best way to prevent EHD on your farm is by using a vaccine and future breeding of animals who may show some resistance to the virus.

Deer get sick just like your household pets, and a relationship with a vet will help you best care for them so it’s best to establish a relationship with a local vet early on in the process. GCC can’t provide veterinary advice or medications.

The short answer is deer farming is busy year round. There are certain seasons of the year busier than others. There are four main seasonal aspects of deer farming:

Spring – vaccinate does before birth

Summer – Antler Growth – supervise buck growth, cut any issues

Summer -Fawning – tagging, vaccinating and medicating

Late Summer/Early Fall – Hunting – deliver purchased bucks to hunting ranches before hunting season

Fall – Rut/Breeding – here’s when you AI or move breeders into pens

Email Jake@LegendsRanch.com for more information on deer farming seminars and private tours offered here at at GCC at Legends Ranch. Start a deer farm seminars will cover the most exciting parts of deer farming including fawn tagging tips and tricks, cutting velvet antlers, exposure to our bottle fed fawns, feeding, breeding and much more.

The same offer that is available to new deer farmers is offered to current deer farmers through our “Grow Your Herd” program. You may accept a number of SADF bred does into your herd, care for them and raise their fawns, in exchange for ownership of the original does and any female offspring at the end of the five-year contract. All buck fawns will be purchased by GCC after their first winter for $1,000.

Contact Jake at jake@legendsranch.com if you’re interested in our “Grow Your Deer Farm” program.

Bottle Feeding Internship:

Seeking highly motivated individuals to spend a summer (early May – early August) bottle-feeding whitetail fawns and partaking in the general practices of running a deer farm

Job Description:

• • • • • Bottle-feeding whitetail fawns three times a day and treating illnesses/diseases as necessary
        • Feeding the adult deer using a tractor and feed wagon
        • Herd Health Observations and treatments
        • Sanitizing waterers several days a week
        • Farm upkeep including but not limited to weed whipping, spraying weeds, mowing, painting, cleaning, repairing fence
        • Requirements:
        • College student pursuing a degree in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Sciences, Biology, or related sciences
        • Must be available from start date until end date (dates change each year but are early May-early August)
        • Physical fitness and ability to restrain a kicking fawn
        • Ability to work unsupervised and/or alone
        • Ability to work outside in all conditions
        • Ability to withstand the sight and smell of infection, blood, or death
        • 6 day work week in May
        • 5 day work week June, July, August
        • No holiday days off observed

Compensation:

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        • $750 bi-weekly, housing included
        • To apply please send Cover Letter, Resume, and Three References to Jake@legendsranch.com

Fawn Care Internship:

Seeking highly motivated individuals to spend a summer (early May – early August) actively assessing and treating sick and injured whitetail deer in our 100 acre breeding facility. This internship includes daily check on every deer in the facility (500+), use of dart gun and tranquilizing methods, drug administration through various methods, animal handling and care, and general farm maintenance. You will be expected to work closely with staff to quickly identify and treat deer for long hours in all types of weather. The work day is not complete until all animals have been checked and all known issues treated. Experience with wildlife or livestock is a must.

Requirements | The intern should be capable of following protocol without supervision:

• • • • • College student pursuing a degree in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Sciences, Forestry and Natural Resources, Biology, or related sciences, or recent graduate
        • Must be available from start date until end date (dates change each year but are generally early May-early August)
        • Ability to use binoculars as a tool for health checks of animals at a distance
        • Ability to be hands on with animals, disease, infections, and death. Ability to give injections to animals. (Not a good fit for people with hemophobia or fear of needles).
        • Ability to lift 50+ pound animals in emergencies.
        • Willingness to learn and adapt to our treatment protocols.
        • Willingness to operate large machinery and power tools without supervision after training
        • Adherence to all GCC safety guidelines
        • Comfortable or experiences working with air powered rifles
        • Able to do dose calculations quickly and accurately
        • Proficient/organized at record keeping
        • 6 day work week in May
        • 5 day work week June, July, August
        • No holiday days off observed

Compensation:

• • • • • $750 bi-weekly, housing included
        • To apply please send Cover Letter, Resume, and Three References to Jake@legendsranch.com