B & B Trophy Whitetails are a sight to be seen

Written by Kari Sundberg, Eagle Editor

“How many kids can say they raise deer, especially massive bucks” Stephanie grinned, as her young children were carrying buckets of apples to the herd of deer they interact with daily. 

Last weekend, Grygla native, Stephanie (Klamar) Buchner, along with her husband Nolan, invited the Grygla Eagle to visit B & B Trophy Whitetails, an impressive and unique deer farm in rural Karlstad.

The Buchner’s home is in Warren, MN, with Nolan working full-time as an electrical lineman and Stephanie as a stay-at-home mom, and owner of Beautifully Delicious Cakes. The couple has three young kids, Hailey, Blake and Avery. Life moves right along for the Buchners at home, but their true passion lies just half hour northeast at their other “home.” The family owns property in rural Karlstad that is the site of B & B Trophy Whitetails. Nestled back in the woods, sits their cabin and shop, but behind that is a unique site to be seen. With double fencing in place, numerous different grazing areas set up along the way, bucks, does and new baby fawns make up one of the few deer farms in the area.

It was about six years back when Nolan brought up the idea to his wife about his desire to start a deer farm. It was something he’d always been interested in doing as he has a love for the outdoors and the animals themselves. Stephanie was on board and the perfect set up awaited them out at their cabin. “We love it. We just really enjoy being able to have deer around all year long,” Nolan explained.  

The two of them walked through the process of how they got things started, along with the many state regulations they had to follow and get put into place, before such a venture could begin, but they were up for the challenge, research and labor. 

From applying to the Board of Animal Health, to setting up yearly inspections and vet visits, fast forward a few years and it’s gotten to be a routine they’re used to, knowing just which boxes to check and what processes to follow in order to be in compliance with state guidelines.

What started small, grew into something a little bigger over the years, but not TOO big. “We like to keep a smaller herd,” they both agreed. “It’s easier to maintain. We’re also a closed herd status, which means our deer are bred and born right here on the farm. Nothing new has been brought in for five years,” they added. 

Right now, B & B Trophy Whitetails is made up of 23 deer, ten of which are bucks that have some pretty impressive racks already! The bucks lose their horns about February or March; wild deer lose them earlier. So they are a few months into growing out already, which will take until about August or so to reach their max for the year. The bucks that are currently on the farm are either yearlings or two years old, with “Roy,” a 3 year old, having bred all the does this year. Usually, just one buck is used for breeding every fall, for genetic reasons, with Nolan creating and studying pedigree charts to decide which buck they want to use and when.

Most of the bucks are pretty tame as the family is at the farm every day interacting with them. Among those are Major, who is Blake’s buck and eats right out of his hand! As for Hailey, she has two does that are her own; she also takes immediately to the babies. She used to introduce herself as a deer farmer upon meeting people. When asked about this, she shook her head yes, but quickly corrected, “I’m a deer whisperer, actually.” Everyone chuckled, but it seems evident she might be right, as she walked so confidently amongst the deer, nurture and nature both coming natural to her.

As mentioned, the property is all double fenced for safety, protecting against anything getting in or out. To date, the Buchners have never had any problems or trespassers out at their deer farm. The property is, of course, set up with numerous cameras all over, recording every angle of their livelihood to protect what they’ve worked so hard to build, which is a very well-taken care of herd of deer that have grown to be a part of their family. There are also great neighbors who keep a close eye on things, as well, supporting the Buchner’s passion that inhabits the land.

With four different pens alongside each other, the deer rotate out of each one to stay spread out and always allow them fresh grass. Right now, the does on the farm are fawning. They are all in their own area with the handful of babies, one of which was just minutes old.

With everything doubled tagged, registered with the state and reported yearly, the Buchners stay on top of it. No baby fawns are sold, but to keep the herd size at around 20, animals do leave the farm. “We’ll sell some bucks to hunting preserves and other breeders. Some of the older does are sold for meat,” Nolan explained. 

Quite a few people ask to visit the farm and take in the opportunity to get up close and personal, which the Buchners are proud to show off and explain, answering any questions one might have. They’re a wealth of knowledge and are eager to share their hobby with people who are interested, or even those who might not be. “You just never know what to expect when you visit with someone about a deer farm,” they said, respectfully. “Not everyone is on board with it or understands it, but for the most part, it’s been positive. People are interested in it, especially once they’ve visited.”

The big question people always seem to have – what is done with the horns that fall off? Nolan and Stephanie keep all of the antlers. Some are kept for decoration, some adorn their walls, which are fun to look back on in comparison. Nolan also makes knives out of some of the horns. 

Another common question is how long of a life span do the deer typically have - deer can live in captivity for approximately 12 years. Between their diet and habitat, it’s all very healthy and ideal. That diet includes grazing on vegetation, a special mix of pellets and alfalfa as a treat. 

Each pen has been constructed with the well-being of the deer in mind. Things are mowed and cut down, trees are removed that might be in danger of falling or causing a hazard to the deer. “It’s a lot of work, but things naturally sanitize out there, too, creating a clean and natural habitat for them,” Stephanie pointed out.

B & B Trophy Whitetails were really a sight to be seen. The entire farm was so clean and well-maintained, all the while staying natural and organic to the surroundings. To mingle so freely with the deer was quite an experience, as well; one the Buchners also so clearly value and take pride in.