MISSOURI, ILLINOIS DEER HUNTERS CAN FEED HUNGRY

Deer hunters can help feed the hungry through programs established to provide meat for food pantries and charitable organizations.

Hunters can donate all or part of their deer to Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger or the Missouri Share the Harvest programs.

The programs have been growing in both states. More than 1,300 hunters who participated in Missouri in 1998 provided more than 40,000 pounds of meat. The Illinois program provided 15,000 pounds of meat a year ago.

The Illinois program was created in 1989 by Illinois Safari Club International. Five years ago the Safari Club sought participation by the Illinois Department of Resources.

"We collected 4,500 pounds of venison the first year we were involved," said Noel Laurent, coordinator of the Illinois program. "It has increased every year."

"We salute the deer hunters and other people who have made financial contributions to pay for processing the meat," said Illinois Natural Resources Director Brent Manning.

Financial contributions made through Illinois Conservation Foundation help defray costs of processing the meat, but the funds do not cover the entire cost of the program, said Laurent.

Hunters also can help in processing by contributing a tax-deductible, $35 processing fee.

The Illinois program has generated donations of more than 53,000 pounds of meat to Illinois charities and food pantries since 1994.

Illinois sportsmen may call a toll-free number, (800) 221-6229, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to obtain the names of meat processors and local food banks participating in the program.

More than 50 meat processors are participating in the Illinois program. A couple of Southern Illinois processors include Whitetails Deer Processing at Carbondale and Miles Brothers Meats at Goreville. A number of charities and food banks are involved in the program, including the Shawnee Development Council at Anna in Union County, the Good Samaritan Food Pantry at Carbondale in Jackson County and the Daystar Community Program at Cairo in Alexander County.

The Missouri program is conducted in various counties in various years. The program in Southeast Missouri is being conducted in Ste. Genevieve County this fall.

Hunters and processing facilities help share in preparing the meat. Again this year, Shelter Insurance Companies of Columbia has agreed to pay $20 toward the processing of any whole deer a hunter donates to Share the Harvest.

In seasons before 1998, hunters paid all or some of the cost of processing their deer before donating all or a portion of it to the program.

A hunter who wants to donate a whole deer to the program asks a participating meat processor for a Shelter processing payback coupon. The processor has only to sign the coupon and give it to the hunter, who fills in information on his address and telephone number. The hunter then presents the coupon and a receipt from the meat processor at a Shelter Insurance office. Shelter will then mail the hunter a check for $20. Processing typically costs $40 to $50.

If a hunter's regular processor is not participating in Share the Harvest, the county conservation agent may be able to direct them to a processor that does participate, or the hunter may call the Department of Conservation at (573) 751-4115, extension 819.