COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife division helped collect 3,350 pounds of processed venison during the weeklong deer gun season to support local food pantries.
Deer donation days took place at select locations across the state, and more drop-off days are planned to allow hunters to donate deer from the additional gun weekend and muzzleloader season.
“It’s thanks to Ohio’s hunters from across our great state that families will have the option to pick up venison at a local food pantry,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz.
This year, the Division of Wildlife partnered with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Ohio Penal Industries’ meat processing facility at the Pickaway Correctional Institution for the donation days. So far, 1,150 pounds of venison have been given to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks for distribution to West Ohio Foodbank (Allen, Hancock, Hardin and Wyandot counties), Mid-Ohio Food Collective (Delaware, Knox, Licking, Marion and Union counties) and Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio (Crawford County).
“The meat processing center provides a great opportunity for our incarcerated population to gain valuable experiences in the workforce,” said ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith.
There is approximately 2,200 more pounds of venison being prepared for distribution and 20 more deer that will be processed this week. The Division of Wildlife transported a total of 88 deer for processing and packaging. One deer can provide up to 200 meals.
All donated deer were required to be properly tagged and game checked, and hunters were required to have a license and deer permit before heading into the field, unless exempted. A donated deer counts toward county and statewide bag limits.
Pictured at top: One of the frozen packages of deer meat provided to food banks in Ohio.