BRC Fallow Deer

 My husband has this amazing ability to make connections that can turn ideas into real life results. He has enough creativity and drive to make inspirations become a reality whether it is with his own two hands or working with others. He never ceases to amaze me with all that he is able to accomplish. One issue in raising fallow deer, a wild animal, is transportation. We have learned moving cattle seems like a simple task when compared to an animal that can jump 8 feet into the air. When exploring available options for deer transportation, we discovered there are purpose built deer trailers, which are very expensive, all the way down to homemade plywood crates. Brendan knew there had to be a better solution to move a few deer, than pulling an entire trailer. But, in the same breath a plywood box didn’t seem like a long term solution. A connection suggestion from a client at Brendan’s work provided a path forward. Michael Bailey and Brendan have been working collaboratively for a couple months now designing a deer transportation crate. This new deer crate will be an easy and safe way to transport deer in the bed of a truck or on a small trailer. It can hold 1-5 deer in a large single compartment, or two smaller compartments using a removable divider. As of now, we have not found anything like this for sale. A crate like this is a dream for this deer wife who prefers to never pull a trailer. 

Brendan was put in contact with Michael through a client at his day job. Brendan works full time for Textron Aviation in the Beechcraft division. Michael owns Impact Dog Crates, a company that produces and sells high quality, extremely durable, dog crates. We just purchased our new doe from 4T Fallow in Texas and needed to work out the transportation details. How the heck do we safely and efficiently get this deer home to Kansas?!? Cue the introduction to Michael and the creation of a new deer transportation crate. Hopefully this creation provides the exact solution we’re looking for. 

Like-minds began to work together and bring life to this new idea! Brendan sketched and proposed a design to Michael. He detailed out the specific needs in transporting deer, as well as the dimensions to make the product as widely useful as possible. A fallow deer’s well-being is deeply affected by stress. Small details such as gaps in hinges, oversized or misplaced ventilation holes in walls, and temperature control become not only relevant, but can be life threatening to a deer. Before I knew it they were off and running on this new crate to be produced at his company, Impact Dog Crates.

Some features included in this deer crate are: 

-a powdered coated exterior in a light color to help reduce heat build up in the crate

-small vent holes to increase ventilation while reducing the deer’s visibility thus reducing stress

-small side windows for easy darting, doctoring, or just checking the welfare of the animals along the journey

-removable center divider

-forklift risers that double as lifting points for ease of removal from a truck bed

-Anti-rattle latches to reduce noise during transportation. 

-Durable but light weight enough that 2 adults can lift it empty.

 There are many benefits to using a deer transportation crate over pulling a stock trailer especially if you are only moving a handful of deer at a time. Hauling a crate instead of a trailer saves tire wear, improves fuel mileage, and is generally safer than pulling a trailer. Not to mention the fact that you do not have to ensure those pesky trailer light lights are working. Because, Let’s face it, they never do! And finally, no property taxes to pay, nor registrations to maintain. This crate was created as a product that has many benefits with few compromises. 

In February of 2023 the first deer transportation crate prototype was created and is on its way to BRC Deer! We have officially impacted the Fallow Deer Industry for the better. And in our first year no less! Keep your eye out for more news on the arrival of our deer crate. We will be completing the testing at our farm, and taking photos along the way. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about the Deer Crate.

~The Deer Wife
BRC Deer