How much would you charge for keeping deer on your farm?

[clay]

I was curious if anyone out there keeps deer on there farm for other people and charges them? If so how much per day, per head and how much to feed fawns per day, per fawn?

[Scott Heinrich]

Just do some light figuring............3-4 pounds of feed per day (adult deer) the time you spend tending them (~$25/hr) divided by the number of deer you are boarding and you have a number. Typically boarding fees for adult deer range from $3 to $5 per day. Fawns are a little different and if you bottle raise one from the time it is pulled to weaning, the going rate for this service is $700 to $1000 per head, depending on whether you provide the milk or not. Robbie...........do these numbers seem right to you?

[Arrowhead Whitetails]

Seems right to me Scott. That is what we charge for deer that are kept at the farm.

[clay]

Thanks for the info guys!

[ohdeer]

Back a few years ago, we charged $1.25 day, but had a contract that required everything to be paid 6 months in advance. If not, the deer were ours to do with as we saw fit. We also wove in a charge of $40 a handling (most often we waived this but it was a protection in case a boarder required us to treat and treat and treat and treat what we would consider a hopeless case). This was due to experience when we found ourselves suddenly handling a boarders deer 4 times a day every day for weeks- with very little time for our own animals. Plus, if the boarded animal was a health risk to the rest of the herd, it allowed a way out.
Hope that helps.

[drfavero]

Scott,
I think that you will have people raising their boarding rates. Seems a little high to me. I know feed prices are up but, many producers would go into the boarding business for $800 to $1300 above feed per year.

Ray

[Reed68]

Micheal, let me know what my boarding fee is on Icon. I will bring him on down in the fall. lol

[Arrowhead Whitetails]

Reed, I'm thinking he has a home in Missouri for a long time. He would die of heat stroke down your way.lol

[Reed68]

Ain't that the truth!!

I think we were at 98 today.

[Arrowhead Whitetails]

Keep it down there....