DEER FARMER'S CALENDAR

Sask Agriculture and Food
Reprinted from White tailed Deer Financial and Production Information, revised June 2000, (SAF)

January / February
- Provide adequate shelter for all animals
- Feed requirements for deer are reduced in winter as their metabolism slows down (about one third) with cold weather.
- Feed all animals free choice, they will consume <1% of body weight per day.
- Trophy seasons winds down towards the end of January.
- Bucks begin shedding buttons / antlers in February.

March
- Feed grain.
- Feed hay free choice.
- Increase doe rations from 1% to 1.5% - 2% of body weight per day. Make sure that does don't get too fat.
- Feed bucks well to regain condition from last fall's rut, to prepare for antler growth and rut. Bucks will not gain weight again until next spring.
- Always provide clean water.

April
- Bucks begin growing new antlers.

May
- Start pasture control measures and check all fences. Make sure fences are fawnproof.
- Release deer slowly into new green summer pasture; start with a small pasture to allow the digestive tract to adjust. The start of grazing will depend on the pasture used and its location.
- Buck roundup after all buttons have been dropped and before fawning starts.
- Beginning of fawning season; (last week May to first week June) do not disturb more than necessary.

June
- Deworm yearling bucks (if needed) to guarantee maximum weight gain. (Not vaccinated because meat animals.)
- Vaccinate yearling does and deworm if necessary.
- Patrol fences for signs of coyotes and other predators.
- Yearling venison bucks need good pasture.
- Provide good water and any necessary salt and mineral blocks.
- Harvest hay as early as possible for highest nutritional content.
- Harvest velvet from bucks and deworm (done at the end of June; may be later depending on location).

July
- Fawning continues. Observe fawns without disturbing.
- Good pasture is necessary to guarantee growth of fawns.
- Bucks begin to gain weight, preparing to rut.

Aug / Sept
- Slowly start feeding grain and hay to does and fawns in pasture depending on pasture condition.
- Fawns are growing fast, and need lots of good forage.
- Bucks are getting heavy and fat, necks swelling.
- Begin your marketing strategy for October.
- Remove antlers from bucks to minimize damage from fighting with each other during rut.
- Trophy season begins in September.

October
- Busiest month of the year.
- Trophy season continues.
- Prepare and begin roundup.
- Evaluate young bucks for breeding potential and trophy quality.
- Count and wean fawns by Oct. 15th (pre-rut); process them: count, weigh, vaccinate, ear tag, and separate by gender. Handle fawns only once.
- Process does; check udders; make sure condition is good to ensure early conception.
- Vaccinate does and deworm.
- TB test deer once every three years. May be done later in the winter.
- Does go into breeding pastures after roundup.
- Continue harvesting yearling venison bucks.
- Ensure weaned fawns have an abundance of high quality feed (good second cut alfalfa) and fresh water.

November
- Trophy season continues.
- Bucks into breeding pastures.
- Rut (mating) season begins; does will stimulate bucks.
- Yearling does in separate breeding pasture with older buck.
- Do not disturb mating more than necessary.
- Segregate late fawns and any runts.

December
- Trophy season continues.
- Begin to separate bucks and does (to prevent late fawns).
- Breeding bucks should be out by December 15th (December 31st at latest).
- Bucks pastured on own.
- Feed bucks well to maintain condition after rut.
- Bred does put into winter pasture.
- Continue priority feeding of fawns until pasture time.

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