HUNTING
Generosity of Spirit There are multiple game donation programs across the country. Here are a few:
» Missouri’s Share
the Harvest accepts venison donations to give to any Missourian who needs it. Some funding is available for local processors. huntfish.mdc.mo.gov
» The Minnesota
feather in the cap a hunter can have.” — GARY ARRINGTON, DIRECTOR, HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY VIRGINIA
total servings of meat donated, processed and given to local food banks and ministries,” says executive director Josh Wilson. “In a typical season, we have somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 deer, elk and livestock donated for processing.” Wilson adds that the group is active in 20 states, with about 80 chapters. Hunters who want to participate should search for a local organization that collects the animals, processes the meat and delivers the packaged final product. Programs vary, but generally hunters register, find out what kind of game is needed and deliver the whole animal to a drop-off location. Volunteers ferry the game
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to designated processors that in turn release the meat to charities. A few processors will accept whole intact deer, but most require the animal to be field-dressed. A few will accept quartered animals. While some states, such as Maryland, allow hunters who donate venison to receive a tax credit tied to the processing cost (usually $40 to $60 per deer), most hunters don’t need this sort of incentive to participate. They feel hunting and sharing the harvest is one of the most natural acts in the world. “I think Hunters for the Hungry is the best feather in the cap a hunter can have,” Arrington says. l
» New York’s Venison Donation Coalition program accepts entire deer or portions of deer and distributes venison through eight regional food banks in the state. venisondonation.com
» Hunters in
South Dakota can donate deer, antelope, pheasants, Canada geese and walleye to the South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger program. feedtheneedsd.com
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“I think Hunters for the Hungry is the best
Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, administers the Hunter Harvested Venison Donation Program, which allows hunters to donate to food banks, food shelves and feeding programs. dnr.state.mn.us