Deer hunting success often runs in cycles.
One year, it seems you’re always in the right place at the wrong time, while other years, lady luck swings for the fences and you may bag more venison than you can eat. In these great years, donating venison to a food bank is an 
excellent option.
Such national conservation organizations as Safari Club International, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, and Pennsylvania’s Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) transform donated venison into low-fat, protein rich, food for needy people around the country.
In the Keystone State, HSH now accepts venison from hunters at virtually no cost, thanks to a host of sponsors who pay for the processing. If you’re a Pennsylvania resident, you’ll relish this information. If you’re from another region, consider how well these ideas would work in your state. Get all the details from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers website.
Beginning with the 2014 deer seasons, caring hunters who annually help feed hungry Pennsylvanians by donating their extra venison through Hunters Sharing the Harvest will discover an easier process at virtually no cost. And their compassionate gesture will gain additional recognition as a valuable wildlife resource is utilized wisely.
Since 1991, Hunters Sharing the Harvest has accepted donated deer from hunters that are processed into ground venison by official HSH inspected meat processors, and distributed statewide by food banks to over 4,000 local soup kitchens, pantries, missions and needy families. The program’s yearly goal is to deliver 100,000 lbs. of donated venison which can provide more than 750,000 meals via social service programs. Hunters Sharing the Harvest is a POWA Supporting Member.
Effective this season, several major changes are being announced to further the objectives and success of the HSH program that should be welcomed by participating hunters throughout Pennsylvania – HSH is proud to announce the $15 deposit requested from donors when dropping off a deer has been eliminated.
The co-pay was necessary for many years when sufficient funds to reimburse butchers were unpredictable. Thanks to major gifts by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Consol Energy and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, along with exceptional yearly support of many major corporate sponsors, partners, sportsmen’s clubs and thousands of individuals, the registered nonprofit’s funding base has stabilized sufficiently for the HSH board of directors to take this action. more
