WILLIAMS — In March I got a chance to visit the Grand Canyon Deer Farm. It was the first visit I have made to the Deer Farm petting zoo that I made since coming to Williams. For nearly 50-years, the family owned business—owned by Pat and Randy George—has welcomed visitors to Williams and the Grand Canyon.
The petting zoo is an amazing collection of animals from around the world. Before entering you can purchase some food to feed the animals.
When you enter you are greeted by the friendly cockatoo Mozart. Next is the cute Marmosets native to South America, but some have been spotted as far north as Mexico.
Next you can meet with Pokeahanus and Qullian the African porcupines. They have two Bison , Mary Ann and Ginger, who came to the zoo in 2008. Gracie the Camel also arrived at the petting zoo at 3 months old. She loves to greet visitors. You can see Llamas, Zebu miniature cattle, Zonky—the half-Zebra, half-Donkey—pigs, goats and a variety of other animals.
Of course the feature is the deer. You can see Cupid and Vixen; the only two reindeer in Arizona. They have a Mule Deer named Gillian who is a rescue. While they do not normally rescue animals, the Arizona Game and Fish department asked them to take care of this Stormy Rocky Mountain Elk.
When you bring food into the main area, you will be greeted by the deer to get feed. Surrounded is more like it. The deer are European Fallow deer and Japanese Sika Deer. They like to find out what is in your food bucket and your pocket. Don’t worry, though. Friendly staff members are available to keep them under control.
Staff member, Amy Kravitz, said, “They are really good at picking pockets. I have retrieved several dollar bills from their mouths.” She also recommends long pants and close-toed shoes.
The gift shop, run by Mary, is stocked with a variety of gifts and souvenirs that you will find no where else in Williams. The Grand Canyon Deer Farm is open seven-days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer months. During the winter they are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Grand Canyon Deer Farm offers a new interaction program where you can go in with the Kodamundee, wallabees and other animals for a separate cost of $20. They also offer a Junior Zoo Keeper program which lasts about 3 hours for ages 8 to 15. General admission is $11.50 for adults, $10.00 for seniors, and $6.75 for kids 3 to 6. A family membership is $85.
If you are planning to visit Williams anytime during the year, this is one place you have to visit.