Deer Hunter Donations Stock Food Pantries

Deer hunting season is in full swing and hunters across the country are bagging more trophies than they can eat.  Many other hunters are in it for sport only, with the food value of their kill holding no value to themselves.  Nevertheless, venison is a very delicious, highly nutritious meat and, each year, hungry families everywhere welcome the donations America's hunters have been making to stock food pantries across the nation.

Deer hunting is not an inexpensive way to put food on the table.  Guns, bullets, licenses, hunting lands and leases, among many other things, all add up quickly.  And processing an individual deer into edible portions costs a national average of about $70.  These costs add up and are hitting even the most generous hunter with a special wallop this year, thanks to the lingering recession we've faced over the last couple of deer-hunting seasons.

To help offset the price of deer meat donations to food pantries, several organizations, including Feeding America, Second Harvest Foodbanks, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, and Safari Club International are awarding grant money and matching grants from other associations for processing this donated meat.

For example, the Ohio Division of Wildlife has awarded a grant of $100,000 for processing game meats donated by Ohio hunters; Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and the Second Harvest Foodbanks of Ohio matched that amount.  Last year's deer donations doubled those of the year before.  In 2008, the 1,000-plus deers donated to Ohio food pantries provided 220,000 meals.  The need for food donations in Ohio alone grew by 37% from the previous year.  The Ohio wildlife agency is hoping assistance with processing fees will entice more hunters to donate more meat to accommodate the growing need.

People aren't the only critters that benefit from these food donations, according to Ohio deer biologist Mike Tonkovich.  Tonkovich says hunting helps control deer populations, which, in turn, helps keep down disease among the herds, minimizes the driving hazards deer pose to themselves and motorists, reduces the incidents of deer damage to crops and lawns, and keeps an overpopulated herd of deer from depleting food supplies for themselves and other wildlife.  The Ohio deer population is estimated at 650,000 but the state's wildlife management division would like to see that population closer to 500,000 for optimum management.

Venison may have a stronger flavor than commercially-raised meats, a factor that turns many people away from it, but it's far superior nutritionally.  The protein content of game meats is higher than other livestock, even that of farm-raised venison, while the fat content is lower.  Game meats, including venison, are never given antibiotics, growth-stimulating hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals and synthetic substances that bring higher prices but less food value to the industrial livestock industry.  Ground venison meat, prepared as stew or chili, is an excellent way to become familiar with this delicious meat.

Venison is one of my very favorite foods.  For recipe ideas, just email me;  I'll let you know how to get five venison recipes for just $1.00.