Deer donations can feed neighbors in need

Douglas County hunters can lend a hand this season.

Hunters can donate their deer to help feed people in need.

Beneficiaries of this year’s donated deer program include the Salvation Army and Northwest Community Services Agency in Superior, and food shelves in Gordon and Barnes.

“There’s more demand than there is meat,” said Dave Schulz of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Brule. He said last year, with the state’s deer kill down, the food shelves received significantly less venison than in previous years. In a normal year, he said about 100 deer are donated in Douglas County annually, but estimated only about 30 or 40 deer were donated last year.

Typically, a processor who participates in the program puts together 200-300 pounds of meat, then contacts the food shelves to pick up the processed meat. If the food shelf can’t arrange to pick up the deer, the next one on the list is called.

In Douglas County, Hursh Meat Processing, 10083 E. Oak Road, in Poplar participates in the program, Schulz said.

He said hunters can make a contribution to the program by dropping off their deer with participating processors.

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