Whitetail Texas

Everything is big in Texas and breeding deer, both whitetail and mule deer, has become big business. Last year the industry boasted a $652 million economic impact to the state.

Deer breeders must have a permit through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, keep records of the deer and their movement, follow disease monitoring protocols, identify the animals through a tagging and tattoo system, report movement or sale of deer within a specific window of time.

Through selective breeding, protein supplements and the desired age structure, bucks bred in captivity often have significantly larger antlers than bucks found in the wild.