Deer hunters are being encouraged to donate their extra venison this year through the Share the Harvest program to help feed hungry Missourians.
Nearly 4,300 Missouri deer hunters donated more than 198,000 pounds of venison to the program during the last deer season.
Administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Share the Harvest coordinates efforts of thousands of deer hunters, participating meat processors, local supporting organizations, and statewide sponsors.
The program works when deer hunters donate their extra venison, from several pounds to whole deer, to participating meat processors throughout the state who grind and package the deer meat. The packaged venison is given to food banks and food pantries to distribute to Missourians in need of food assistance.
“Hunters started Share the Harvest because they saw a need in their communities,” said MDC Director Sara Pauley. Since the program was started in 1992, Share the Harvest has provided more than 3.6 million pounds of lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians.
Processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors that include MDC, CFM, Shelter Insurance, Bass Pro Shops, Missouri Chapter Safari Club International, Missouri Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation, Midway USA Inc., Missouri Food Banks Association, and United Bowhunters of Missouri
Hunters should contact individual processors to determine what funds are available. The cost of processing is the hunter’s responsibility when funds to help cover the full cost of processing are not available. Participating processors can be found in the 2017 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet or online.
Deer donated to the program that were harvested in the seven Missouri counties where chronic wasting disease has been found will be tested for the deer disease. Deer that test positive for CWD will not be used and will be properly disposed of. The seven counties are Adair, Cole, Franklin, Jefferson, Linn, Macon and St. Clair.
CWD is a deadly illness for white-tailed deer. Based on CWD testing the Department of Conservation has conducted, the disease appears to be relatively rare in the state at this time with only 42 cases found in seven counties out of more than 76,000 deer tested around the state.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been no documented cases of CWD in humans. However, the CDC recommends hunters have their harvested deer tested for CWD before eating the meat if the animal was harvested from an area where CWD has been found. It also recommends not consuming an animal that tests positive.
For more information on CWD, visit here.