banner map

Frequently Asked Questions at the Deer Ranch.

Hours:
Mid May- Mid June 9-5.
Mid June - Labor Day 9-7
 After Labor Day to Mid October 9-5.
Admission- $6 per person/Children ages 5 and under are free.

1.     Are pets/service animals allowed in the park?
NO. Under the ADA, a facility can exclude a service animal if its presence would fundamentally alter the service or program or present a direct threat to health or safety
ADA.gov+1 to the deer. This is a legal standard, not just a policy choice.

2.     What happens to the deer in the winter?
The deer are fed and watered every day during the winter.  The deer have access to the fawn barn and the woods.

3.     Can I bring our own apples and carrots into the park to feed the deer?
No. We purchase special apples and carrots for the deer.

4.     What happens if a deer dies in the park?
If a deer dies in the park, we must remove the deer, remove its head and send the head to MSU to the veterinary lab to be tested for diseases.  The remainder of the body is buried.

5.     How do you acquire the deer?
The deer are born here or at other deer farms in Michigan.

6.     How many acres are on the Deer Ranch?
We have about 1 ½ acres where the pens are and about 8 acres in the back that surrounds the park.

7.     Is the Deer Ranch Handicap Accessible?
Yes, we are handicap accessible.  There is a separate door next to the front porch that can open for wheelchairs, walkers, etc.  Just ask one of our staff at the front desk to open up the door.

8.     What is the best time to see the deer active or interact with them?  Deer are more active in the morning and late afternoon to early evening.

9.     Do the bucks shed their antlers every year?
Yes, the bucks shed their antlers every year between February and April. Antlers are the fast growing tissue in the animal kingdom, as they can grow .79 inches or 2 cm per day!

10. Why do you have some many albino deer?
The park has one true albino doe.  The rest of the white deer are white whitetails with brown eyes. Deer with no pigmentation and brown eyes are considered Leucistic.