Whitetail Deer

The Green family has raised whitetail deer on this property since 1999, and the ranch earned a reputation as one of the Thumb's best trophy herds long before we opened to the public. The deer you'll meet today are the descendants of that founding stock — healthy, curious, and used to the sound of the hay wagon rolling through the woods.

On the tour you'll typically spot does with their fawns in late spring and early summer, then watch the bucks move into rut as the weather cools in the fall. Antler growth through July and August is one of the most dramatic transformations in the animal world and a favorite thing for returning visitors to track week-to-week.

Whitetails are Michigan's state game mammal for a reason — they're adaptable, whip-quick, and surprisingly social when they feel safe. Our herd has had decades to trust the wagon route, so you can often get closer than you ever would on a hunt or a drive through the country.