How to Raise Whitetail Deer

Visit a nearby deer farm to get a feel for the way things are run and to gather any information you need to become successful in your own venture. Many farmers would be glad to give you a tour, provided you set it up in advance. Search the Internet for operations near you and contact the person in charge to make the arrangements.

Purchase your farm or allocate a portion of the land you already own. Currently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires commercial deer farmers to own a minimum of ½ an acre of land.

Build your fences and pens. According to the Department of Natural Resources, the recommended minimum height for whitetail deer fencing is 8 feet, while the minimum pen size is approximately 10 feet long by 10 feet wide per deer. As a breed, the deer are not completely domesticated yet and they do not respond well to cramped living conditions.

Check with your state department of agriculture to ensure you have the appropriate license and have met any safety regulations prior to purchasing your stock. In most cases they will send a representative out to your farm to inspect the pens and ensure you have enough pasture to support a deer operation without causing harm to the animals. Once the inspection is complete you will be issued a license which is renewable with payment of an annual fee.

Purchase your stock. Search for a reputable breeder with bottle-fed fawns available to purchase. Fawns are easier to re-locate as they have not established routines yet and bottle-fed youngsters are easier to handle as they are accustomed to human interaction. Bear in mind that bottle-fed males should not be sold to the hunting market as they have lost their instinctual fear of humans.

Establish a feeding routine. Twice a day, at approximately the same time, offer your deer fresh food and water. If you're primarily offering corn, you will need to alternate it with alfalfa hay as deer need the fiber to avoid developing digestive disorders. Most whitetail deer farmers feed their stock a commercial pellet mixture called Antler King accompanied by hay.

Market your adults to potential buyers via the Internet or using ads in local papers. You can find customers in other breeders or by seeking out hunting operations or ranches that need to restock. It can also be highly beneficial to your enterprise to join a national association, such as the North American Deer Farmers Association and to get involved in the industry in as many ways as possible. Alternatively, you can market the deer for meat or you can sell by-products such as semen or urine.