Consider donating a deer for area families in need

Hunters are encouraged to donate Wisconsin-harvested deer to the DNR’s Deer Donation Program, to help stock food pantries this holiday season, and support residents in need throughout the state.

Since the program began in 2000, hunters have donated over 94,000 deer, for more than 3.8 million pounds of venison distributed to Wisconsin food pantries. Through the Deer Donation Program, the DNR works with partnering meat processors to distribute thousands of pounds of donated venison to Wisconsin food pantries.

“Whether by harvesting an extra deer or donating the only deer they shoot, Wisconsin hunters have the chance to support their communities during the holiday season,” said Sarah Wyrick, DNR wildlife damage program assistant. “We thank all deer hunters, meat processing and non-profit partners, who help make this program a success for those in need.”

Those looking to support the Deer Donation Program can also do so through a monetary donation, when purchasing a hunting or fishing license or a Wisconsin State Park pass.

Approximately one in 12 Wisconsin households, did not have enough food before the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, and research shows this number continues to rise, according to the University of Wisconsin’s Food Security Project.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Food Security Projects reports that food insecurity makes it harder for children to thrive in and out of school, increases the risk of health problems for children and adults, makes it more difficult to manage chronic conditions, and contributes to short-term and long-term stress, for children and families.

Hunters interested in donating a deer can do so by using the following steps:

• Field dress the deer and handle the carcass with care.

• Register the deer through Game Reg. Make a note of the registration confirmation number and keep it on hand when dropping off the deer.

• Test the deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) if harvested from a CWD-affected county that requires testing, before taking the deer to a processor. Test results are usually available from the DNR within two weeks.

• Contact one of the participating processors before dropping off the deer, to make sure they have space to accept it. More processors may be added later in the season, so check back if there isn’t one currently in the area.

If donating a Wisconsin-harvested deer that is being tested for CWD, inform the processor at the time of the donation and provide the CWD barcode number. The processor will hold onto the donated deer until results are known and before distributing to an area non-profit.