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Deer Farmers Digest Newsletter |
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December 2000 - Vol. 1, Issue 12Welcome to the DECEMBER 2000 edition of The Deer Farmers' Digest, a monthly electronic newsletter published by Deerfarmer.com - The Deer Farmers' Information Network. This Digest is distributed via e-mail to over 1,600 readers in fifteen countries. A copy of ALL the issues of the Digest can be found at http://digest.deerfarmer.com. Please feel free to forward the Deer Farmers' Digest to other interested people. To ADD or REMOVE your name from our mailing list, please see Subscription Services below.
IN THIS ISSUE 1. From the editor Whew made it! Here is your twelfth issue of the Deer Farmers' Digest. When I decided to publish a monthly newsletter to complement our website Deerfarmer.com I knew that it would be a lot of work. It has actually turned out to be a little more than I anticipated. But I have persevered and made it through the first year! Here is what is involved. First, I either have to find or write the three or four major articles that comprise each issue. Thank goodness that others have provided articles, and that editors of other newsletters have generously given permission to reprint some of their material. The newsletter then gets e-mailed out to the readers listed in our database (which also constantly needs updating). A copy is posted (after appropriate formatting and coding) on the Deerfarmer.com website. Finally, we make a printed version for mailing to associations, libraries and others. (Yes, you can receive this newsletter in a printed format if you are willing to pay a $3 per issue fee to cover postage). So each issue of the Digest has to be produced in 3 formats. All this usually takes two to three days per month. This work has to be done in addition to my regular work, related to managing and running a very busy consulting business. However, I think I am finally getting into the groove of things. I look forward to publishing the next 12 editions in 2001. I will be attending many of the industry conferences coming up in the January to March time period. I look forward to getting enough information to supply the Digest with articles and news for the rest of the year. I would like to extend my thanks and season's greetings to all who have contributed to our newsletter, and to the editors of the various deer and elk association newsletters who have so generously shared their publications and materials. Thanks and season's greetings to all of you our readers also whether you read the Digest via e-mail or on our website. Our confidential mailing list continues to grow every day. Your comments, feedback and suggestions are always greatly appreciated. The very best of the holiday season to you and a Happy New Year! May the deer and elk farming industry continue to grow and successfully resolve the challenges and issues facing it. Well, I better go and start working on the January 2001 issue. Russell Sawchuk, Editor.
2. HANDLING WHITETAILS PART I [By Len Jubinville of Delclayna Whitetail & Bison Co. Ltd. and http://www.deerstore.com] Before I start on this first article, I want to take this opportunity to thank Russell. Russell, I want to congratulate you on your 3rd anniversary of being on the web. You can be sure our late friend Marvin Ference would be as proud as I am at your vision, dedication, and enthusiasm that you have for our industry. Your support and webmaster abilities are a real asset to all deer farmers. Your love and the energy that you command for all of us leaves me to conclude that either you truly believe in the deer industry or you're like the 100,000 coyotes in Alberta - you really like venison. Whichever it is, just keep up the good work! A series of articles pertaining to the handling of whitetail deer is not going to be any small task. I'm sure it will prove to be a very ambitious undertaking. Even though something like this should have been done a long time ago, I'm not sure who would have been qualified to do it. You see, before a person can put some real experiences and knowledge down on paper, you have to have a chance to live them. For me, it's just lately that I feel confident and ready to tackle such a task. I am trusting that, for people who do not know me, the following introduction will help ascertain and accredit myself for this task. My first challenging experiences at handling whitetail deer all started in the fall of 1989 when I was fortunate enough to be accepted to extract and relocate wild deer from the Namao Air Base (just north of Edmonton Alberta Canada). Most of the deer that we captured ended up as initial breeding stock on deer farms in Alberta. Designing and building special equipment, along with continuously experimenting with different handling techniques, became something we had to do. (I say we, because my two boys, Delton and Clayton, who were in their mid and early teens at the time, were always so very eager to help, and in most cases, we needed more than one person). The above offered many challenges and experiences that sometimes ended badly, but most often ended well. Every year, our confidence in handling deer, and our development of new techniques, along with different equipment, was building up. One thing that we really liked about this animal was how nicely it behaved once it entered a closed-in trailer. Because they were so easy to transport alone or in groups, I was convinced they would turn out to be a pleasant animal to farm and easy to handle once we learned more about them. Our relocating of deer went on for four more winters, at which time it was discontinued. Winter was the only season we used to do this because that's the only time of year we could entice the deer to enter our boxes and the fawns were old enough to be weaned. Picture a 4' high x 4' wide x 12' long plywood tunnel with no floor, and a solid guillotine gate mounted at each end, activated by a fine trigger line stretched across its width at the middle. These capture boxes, as we called them, would be located where the deer liked to feed or often walked. By feeding around the outside and inside the box, we would accustom the deer to hang around this area. Eventually, we would feed very little on the outside and mostly inside the box. After four or five days, or once we started noticing some activity inside the box, we would hook up our trigger line. Most often, at night-time, the deer would enter the box from either end to go and feed at the middle where a fresh pile of feed had been placed during the day. With the trigger line set very sensitively, and one wrong move by the deer, down would come the guillotine gates, capturing the deer inside. With the solid box that permitted next to no light to enter, it made it dark enough so the deer remained calm inside. In the morning, noticing the gates were down and knowing there was more than likely deer inside, we would back up our stock trailer to the box. By lifting the guillotine gate between the box and the trailer and having someone make noise at the other end of the box, the deer would jump into the trailer in no time. After resetting our capture box, we would transport our soon to become domestic deer to our farm located eight miles away. Once there, we would meet officers from our local Fish and Wildlife Department and proceed to tag the deer in each ear and complete the paperwork. Everything we were doing had to be done in a way that would cause the least stress on the animal because we were not using drugs and we didn't want capture myopathy to set in. As the years went by, our expertise was growing and we were fast becoming addicted to raising this beautiful animal. Thirsting for knowledge and thinking of a second honeymoon, I broke the news to my wife Gisele about going to NADEFA's 1994 Annual Conference in New Orleans. What a holiday this turned out to be! Can they ever party in New Orleans! The holiday was good but I was sure disappointed with the conference. I'm not saying it wasn't a good conference. It was a super well-organized and well-attended conference, but the problem for me was the content. You see, by then I was obsessed with the idea of raising whitetails, and it had never entered my mind that most of the attendees would be raising red deer, elk, fallow, sikas or other deer. There were only a handful of people at the conference raising whitetails, and by the end of the first day, I had met them all. There was so little mentioned about raising whitetails on that first day that I remember going to our room that night being very disappointed. Getting up early the next morning and primed with new energy, I promised myself not to let this turn into a negative experience. Determined to do something about it, I started to talk to as many people as I could. Not being too shy when I'm on a mission, I can assure you that I spoke to a lot of farmers that day. One question I would always ask, was how come they weren't raising whitetails. By the end of the day, I could tell what they were going to answer just by looking at their reaction. The biggest majority of their responses were, "Whitetail deer! First, in our state it's not legal; and second, there's only two ways to handle whitetails, and that's with a dart gun or a gun." In states where it was legal and the person knew it was, this person would often make the comment that whitetails couldn't be handled. I spent the remainder of the conference continuing to talk to everyone I could, and learn as much as possible. Something was really puzzling me. If everybody I talked to had never handled whitetails and were drawing conclusions that they were impossible to handle, where did this misconception come from? Today, in North America, I'm convinced that such an idea was ingrained in our minds only because the whitetail is the most elusive and toughest to hunt of all deer. It's these same unique characteristics that will prove to make the whitetail the easiest to handle when farmed in its wild state. With a well-laid-out farm, a well-designed handling system, good handling equipment, and a little experience, the above is fast becoming reality. Still in the air and on my way back home, I remember telling Gisele how happy I was about our holiday and the conference. She remarked that she thought I was disappointed with the conference. Yes I was, but can you see now how important it was that we went? I had just identified two major stumbling blocks, the first being that in many areas in North America, farmers were not allowed to raise whitetails, and the second was the misconception that whitetails cannot be handled. For an industry to eventually materialize around the whitetail deer, it was obvious to me that lots of time and effort would be required. It didn't take me long to decide at which one I was going to concentrate my energies. If I could prove that whitetails could be handled, it would mean they could be managed, which would mean they could be raised as a domestic animal. This, in turn, would lead to the eventuality of passing laws allowing this super-efficient deer to be farmed throughout North America. Once back at home in Alberta, I started working at liquidating my businesses and other ventures I was involved in so that I could farm whitetails full time and devote as much time as possible to deer handling and deer handling equipment. A good deer cradle, squeeze or chute, as it's often referred to, was going to be my first challenge. Today we raise anywhere from 400 to 600 whitetails, handle them all on an average of twice per year and have never used a dart gun. I have to admit, a couple of times we have had to use a gun, but not any more. Here is an example of how far we have come at handling deer. On October 24th, 2000, we held a semen collecting experiment without anesthesia, and it went so smoothly that we feel very confident this way will prove to be the best way to collect semen from our bucks. Again, history was being made at Delclayna. Part two of this series will reveal details of how our first deer chute was built and to how it has now evolved into our famous Deerhandler™. Also we will discuss what is the first thing you will need before you start handling deer. Much of what I will be writing about is now or will appear at http://www.deerstore.com. It will also soon be available in detail in our book titled, "Raising Whitetails for Big Buck$". Till next time, I say goodbye and may you handle your buck$ with care! If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at mailto:info@deerstore.com, by phone at 780-973-7020 or by fax at 780-973-5110.
3. THE 30 ROLES OF A DEER FARMER A deer farmer is a brave individual who chooses to operate a deer farm. This person will work many jobs each day utilizing all 24 hours on the clock. The deer farmer plays at least 30 different roles in life. The following provides an insight into the types of knowledge, skills and activities that will affect you if you choose to become a deer farmer. 1. ACCOUNTANT keeping good financial records so you (and your bank and investors) know if you are making or losing money, and in what areas. Managing your cash flows so that you have money to cover your ongoing and period expenses. 2. BARTERER with local grocery stores for old greens, vegetables, old bread and other foods to be discarded for the deer. Trade with local farmers for grain, hay and other supplies for deer products. 3. BUTCHER meat from animals must be properly hung, dressed and packaged for eating. Many will learn your techniques, why you handle the meat and how to properly package and market it. 4. CHEMIST learning about meds such as anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, pain killers, depressants and tranquilizers. Better become friends with a drug salesperson and a local vet to avoid calls at night. 5. COLLECTOR gathering dropped antlers each year and documenting the data, storing and arranging them for teaching needs and packing them safely for research, antler competitions, sale or other uses. 6. CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT building anything anytime and having a full tool shop and work bench to fix fences, pens and holes dug by deer, or visitors who toss objects over the fence tops. Fixing pumps and generators when the power is off, and heating water tubs when they freeze. 7. COMPUTER USER for accounting software to keep financial records, spreadsheets for data analysis, word processing for letters, brochures and promotional materials, custom packages for animal records, and the Internet for e-mail, discussion forums and a farm website. 8. CO-ORDINATOR through your local or national deer industry association, you will soon be asked to undertake some projects, organize some events or co-ordinate some other activities. You will need to learn how to get people to work together and how to balance a focus on getting tasks done with following a process that keeps people committed. 9. ENGINEER knowing what to build and where for birthing areas, and shelters for wind, rain and snow. How to organize food and water areas, pens and sheds for tools and isolation areas for problem deer; proper fences to keep deer in and predators out. 10. FARMER learn to plow for crops, check soil chemistry, water, and plant proper grasses and grazing varieties. Manage your equipment and understand the timing of planting and fertilizer consistencies. 11. FRIEND OF THE DEER this is the best role of all. One must be empathetic, totally giving of love and time for the rewards these animals will give. 12. JANITOR there is always cleaning and disposing of debris, old food, skins, untouched food, toys, limbs from trees, and water and feed troughs that last 3 hours before they need attention. 13. LABORER a never ending job to clean pens, build fences, get feed, repair trees and plants, mow grass and cater to the never- ending needs of your deer. 14. LANDSCAPER deer will eat everything green, so you better plan regularly for new trees, grass, and vegetables, and pull weeds that they avoid. They will scrape and ruin grass, pull out plants and chew bark off certain trees. 15. LOBBYIST some people are against deer farming and are constantly trying to have laws and regulations put into place banning game farming. You need to promote the benefits of deer farming to legislators and the public all the time. 16. MANAGER managing the herd, thinning as needed, isolating problem deer, and penning animals that are sick and dying. Control the carrying capacity of the herd on the property available. 17. MORTICIAN death will occur, and you will need to remove the carcass and manage the body for butchering, meat packaging, and removal of organs for research and study. You may need to send it to a local animal lab to determine cause of death, and what steps you can take in the future to avoid similar problems. 18. MOTHER many fawns are abandoned at birth, or you may choose to bottle-raise them. Learn to feed, cuddle, bond with, clean up, bathe and support the lonely infants struggling for life. 19. NURSERY SUPERVISOR young fawns eat 12 times a day, eliminate 15 to 18 times and urinate 20 times a day. So you will need to keep a special place for them to live in for the first 3 weeks, day and night to meet their needs. 20. NUTRITIONIST diet is key, so learn about proper vitamins and mineral needs, water availability and quality, food supplements, browse and grazing crops and related topics. 21. PHOTOGRAPHER you will want to be constantly taking pictures fawns, mothers, bucks, injured, albinos, non-typical, etc. and use them for your marketing, promotion, public relations and information activities. 22. REFEREE in times of buck fights and struggles with injuries, only you will be there to step in, especially at night when most fights occur. Deer society has a structure, and you will learn who is in charge and who must go. 23. REPORTER the local papers love to visit, as do hunters, law enforcement personnel, anti-hunters, and game activists who oppose penning animals. You must learn the politics of survival and the skills of public speaking. 24. SALES PERSON unlike the mainstream livestock industry, deer farmers have to market their own deer and related products and services. You need to know how to advertise and close sales. 25. SCIENTIST data must be collected, analyzed, interpreted and written up. Participation in research projects to learn more about how to care and manage the deer. 26. STATISTICIAN keeping exact records on newborn, injured, medications, buck doe ratios, does bred, off-spring, genetic history and names of all, of course! 27. STUDENT an important role of learning more about deer with each new dawn, feeding habits, breeding, health and wellness and deer society behaviors. 28. TEACHER now that you are seen as the authority on deer, you will speak at schools, social groups, clubs and seminars. You will be interviewed by the media. 29. TOUR GUIDE the public thinks deer farms are a zoo, and schools, groups, neighbors and friends all want tours to mingle with the herd, pet fawns, grab antlers and get pictures of them and you. 30. VETERINARIAN managing the sick, wounded and dying; helping with deliveries; giving injections and meds orally; administering suppositories; checking droppings and doing basic blood work. Despite all these demands, most deer and elk farmers love what they do, and would not change it for anything! Go figure! [This is an expanded and edited version of an article entitled "Deer Farming: An Insight" that was published in the Fall 2000 edition of the Canadian Elk & Deer Farmer magazine]
4. REDUCING LIABILITY RISKS ON YOUR FARM If you have people to your farm for paid hunting, visits or other events, you may be liable if they are injured while on your property. A successful lawsuit could financially ruin your operation and you personally. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your liability risks. First, you should definitely consider insurance coverage. Liability insurance provides the deer farmer with a means of shifting to an insurer the financial risk of liability arising from the use of the land. Although insurance won't prevent a landholder from being sued, it will provide you with two important things: a) payment of damages to a third party if they should suffer injuries; and b) an entity to defend you against actions brought by a third party. In addition, you need to consult with experienced legal counsel to get advice regarding your liabilities and how to reduce them. Each province, state and country has its own laws and regulations governing liability for injuries and defenses to claims from those injured on your land through your activities. You should be aware of the laws in your jurisdiction and how they impact on your liability. There are other protective measures a landowner can take to limit his or her liability. Contractual arrangements Landowners should avoid the practice of informal arrangements with recreational users of their property. If a landowner charges any land entrant a fee for using the landowner's property, then the landowner should have the entrant sign a written contract. The contract should specify the duties and obligations of the entrant, such as closing all gates, staying away from areas where livestock are kept, as well as staying away from any prohibited areas. If the landowner has rules against the use of alcoholic beverages or drugs while the recreational user is on the property, then these rules should also be specified. 1. Indemnification agreements The contract should contain an indemnification agreement that requires the recreational user to indemnify the landowner for any bodily injuries or property damage the recreational user may cause while using the landowner's property. The agreement should also cover any attorney's fees and other expenses incurred by the landowner as a result of the recreational user's conduct. Of course it is important to point out that an indemnification agreement is only as good as the source of the indemnification. If the party indemnifying the landowner is insolvent or broke, the indemnification is of no real value to the landowner. 2. Releases By signing a release, the recreational user of the land contracts to release the landowner from the legal liability of any bodily injuries the user may receive while on the landowner's property. The release should expressly and unequivocally state that it releases the landowner from all liability claims the recreational user might have against the landowner for the negligent providing of goods and services. Risk management Some simple risk management measures can also do much to lessen a landowner's liability exposure. Because landowners are so familiar with their own properties, they often forget that what is an obvious danger to them is not necessarily a danger to a visitor to the property. Farmers and ranchers often overestimate land entrants and assume they will exercise more common sense than they actually do. There following are some of the things you can do to reduce risks of injury or property damage. 1. Conduct routine safety audits of your property. Whatever possible, remove potentially dangerous objects, such as a rusty but sharp piece of old equipment. 2. Fill in abandoned wells or other dangerous holes. 3. When corrective measures are possible, be sure to fence off dangerous areas and, if that is not possible, at least post obvious warning signs. 4. If you have made your property available to multiple hunters at one time, make sure they are all aware of each other's presence, where they will each be hunting, and that they are wearing highly visible safety clothing. 5. As much as possible, keep domestic livestock (including bucks/bulls in rut) and recreational users apart. Get rid of, or at least completely secure, any ill-tempered or vicious animals, including watch dogs. 6. Secure all attractive nuisances, such as barns and working machinery. Many recreational users bring their children with them. You can be held liable if the children are injured, even if their parents were negligent in supervising them. 7. Establish and post guidelines of behaviour for land entrants. For example, if you require children to be constantly supervised by parents you should say so in writing. The same is true if you forbid access to certain parts of your property, or the use of alcoholic beverages. Just as important, require anyone who violates your rules to immediately leave the premises. 8. Make sure you have emergency equipment and supplies handy in case anyone is injured. 9. Carefully screen all of your potential employees and train them as to their duties and responsibilities in dealing with recreational users. 10. Make sure that some of your employees, or you, are trained in life saving and other emergency response measures. Taking the above precautions will reduce your liability exposure and will give you greater peace of mind when people visit your farm for a variety of reasons. [Source: Copeland John, D. Recreational Access to Private Lands: Liability Problems and Solutions. 1998: National Center for Agricultural Law Research and Information, University of Arkansas, http://law.uark.arklaw/aglaw]
Here is a list of upcoming events of interest to deer and elk farmers. IOWA ELK BREEDERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION will be held on Jan. 13, 2001 in Marshalltown, Iowa, USA. For more information, visit their website at http://www.wapiti.net/ieba/ , or e-mail to mailto:tusseyelk@yahoo.com or phone 641-782-2903. MINNESOTA ELK BREEDERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING will be held on Jan. 13, 2001 at the Doubletree Hotel, in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA. For more information contact Patty VanGundy at 507-896-2380 or visit their website at http://www.mneba.addr.com ANTLERS INTERNATIONAL'S SECOND ANNUAL WHITETAIL SEMINAR will be held on Jan. 18, 2001. This is an excellent opportunity to listen to some of the top authorities in whitetail breeding and management. One full day of sharing and visiting with the experts. A seminar you do not want to miss! Call us at 573-392-2997, fax 573-392-6926, e-mail us, or visit our website at http://antlersinternational.com for more information. ALBERTA ELK ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION will be held at the Mayfield Inn, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Jan. 26 and 27, 2001. For more information, contact AEA at mailto:info@albertaelk.com or visit their website at http://www.albertaelk.com (List of speakers and sessions can be found in the Deerfarmer.com Calendar at http://events.deerfarmer.com). NEW YORK STATE FARMED DEER SEMINAR will be held at Cornell University on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001. Fee is $40 in advance or $50 at the door. For more information, contact Martha Goodsell, 125 Williams Road, Candor, NY 13743, phone 607-659-4635 or mailto:info@fallowhollow.com (List of speakers and topics can be found in the Deerfarmer.com Calendar at http://events.deerfarmer.com. NORTH AMERICAN ELK BREEDERS CONVENTION will be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Feb. 21-24, 2001. Call 888-431-3605, fax 306-924- 9792 or mailto:info@naelk.org for more information. NADEFA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT Deer Farming in the 21st Century - will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA on Feb. 28 March 3, 2001. Call NADeFA's National Office at 301-459-7708, fax 301-459-7864 or visit our website at http://www.nadefa.org for more information. SASKATCHEWAN WHITETAIL AND MULE DEER CONVENTION will hold their 2001 Convention on March 23 and 24, 2001 at the Saskatoon Inn, in Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada. For more information, e-mail Lisa at mailto:info@saskdeer.com or phone 306-783-5257 or visit http://www.saskdeer.com. SASKATCHEWAN ELK BREEDERS ASSOC. CONVENTION will be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 29 to 31, 2001. Please call 306-924-9790, fax 306-924-9792 or visit our website at http://www.ranchernet.com/SEBA for more information. AWMDA ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADESHOW. The Alberta Whitetail and Mule Deer Association Annual Convention and Tradeshow will be held April 6 to 8, 2001 at the Ramada Inn, Edmonton Alberta Canada. Contact: Alberta Whitetail and Mule Deer Association 5102 - 54 Avenue, Camrose Alberta T4V 3C9 Phone: 780-672-5988; Fax: 780-672-5978 mailto:info@albertadeer.com web: http://www.albertadeer.com. Many more events, including deer/elk sales, tradeshows and workshops are listed in the Calendar section of Deerfarmer.com that can be found at http://events.deerfarmer.com. Take advantage of this free service to list your upcoming events.
1. FRAUD ALERT One of our regular website users recently informed us of an incident that reminds us again of the importance of BUYER BEWARE! This deer farmer placed an ad in the Deerfarmer Classifieds for some whitetail shooter bucks. He got a response from a seller that said he had some for sale. Our buyer asked for pictures. When he received the photos, the deer were beautiful and exactly what he wanted. So he sent a substantial deposit to hold the animals until he picked them up. Meanwhile, the seller called and said he was incurring some additional expenses, and required an additional down payment. The buyer obliged. After the paperwork for importation was done, the buyer sent someone to pick up the deer. When the deer arrived home, they were nothing near what the buyer thought he was purchasing. They were poor quality spike bucks and a doe (which he did not even want). Now the buyer is out of a substantial amount, with deer that he can not really use. The buyer learned that the photos he received were of somebody else's deer. After this painful lesson, this buyer has the following advice. First, if at all possible, deal with known and reputable breeders. They will go out of their way to ensure you are satisfied. Check to see if the seller is listed in the Deerfarmer.com Directory. Check with your state or national deer association to see whether they are a member and whether the association has any views on the individual and/or farm. If the seller is totally unknown, get and check at least 3 references BEFORE sending any money. If possible, go and see the deer that you are buying. Always use a sales contract. Be sure the contract specifies the tag numbers (or other specific animal identification) of the deer that are to be purchased. Using a contract will provide you with legal recourse if things go wrong. (For more information on what the contract should contain, see "Buying Breeding Stock" in the September 2000 issue of the Digest that can be found at http://digest.deerfarmer.com/sep00.htm ). When picking up the deer, go yourself to see that these are the deer you agreed to buy. If this is not possible, send someone who knows deer and can verify the quality of the stock before taking possession. Finally, if you have been "swindled", let other deer farmers know. This is the fastest way to put unscrupulous individuals out of business. Our industry has enough challenges without having to deal with questionable business practices. 2. PHOTOS WANTED I am redesigning and expanding the Deerfarmer.com Photo Gallery. I noticed that over the last few months, the Photo Gallery was the most heavily visited section of the website. It struck me that we may be missing a great marketing opportunity by not taking full advantage of the traffic to the Gallery. I have also had a few complaints that we only have photographs of white-tailed and mule deer, and not of the many other farmed species. So I am asking you to send us your best photographs of deer (all species) and related subjects (your farm or ranch, deer farming activities). Please provide as much information about each photo as possible (age of animal, species, full farm information, etc.). You may either mail the photo to Deerfarmer.com (they will be returned) or e-mail digital copies. I prefer to scan them in myself as I have better control over the quality, and can digitally enhance them as well prior to posting. As a refresher to taking quality photographs, read my article "Deer Photography Tips" in the March 2000 issue of the Digest, a copy of which can be found at http://digest.deerfarmer.com/mar00.htm. To see how a professional livestock photographer takes pictures, visit the gallery at Browarny Photographics Ltd. at http://www.browarny.com The new Photo Gallery is located at http://photos.deerfarmer.com 3. PUBLIC WEBSITE In a letter to all the associations, I proposed that we, as an industry, set up a joint, common, public information website(s) to provide the general public with the facts and benefits of deer and elk farming. This website will present our industry's position on the issues and correct some of the mis-information propagated by our opponents. The domain names "deerfarming.org" and "elkfarming.org" have been reserved for this website(s). Only one or two associations have agreed to participate so far. So if you are a member of a deer or elk association board or executive, please give serious consideration to this request. We need this website to bolster our public relations campaign to counter the constant threats to shut us down. (See the Nov. 2000 issue of the Digest to see what happened in Montana).
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We are always looking for articles and news about deer and elk farming that we can print in this newsletter. E-mail, fax or mail your ideas and articles to the Editor as per below. For more general information, comments and suggestions, please contact: Russell Sawchuk E-mail: mailto:editor@deerfarmer.com DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for general information only. It should not be relied upon to make business or farming decisions without first obtaining professional advice. Accordingly, we cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from any advice, opinion, representation or omission, whether negligent or otherwise, contained in this newsletter. ©2000 Deerfarmer.com. The Deer Farmers' Digest may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter. Deerfarmer.com is a division of Steppingstones Partnership, Inc. |
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