Local hunters are getting in the holiday spirit by donating venison to help feed Pennsylvania's needy.
Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH), a statewide program, allows hunters to donate their deer to food banks and soup kitchens while helping to balance Pennsylvania's deer population, said Ken Brandt, state coordinator for HSH.
The program, which has been around for 15 years, collected nearly 90,000 pounds of venison last year, providing 200,000 meals for the disadvantaged, Brandt said.
Gary San Julian, wildlife resources professor, said the program provides avid hunters with the option to continue hunting without wasting deer.
"Most of the hunters I know are responsible, and if they can't use the meat, they aren't going to take the animal," he said.
People generally do not personally use more than two deer each year, but HSH gives them the opportunity to hunt more because they can donate a whole deer or a portion, San Julian said. "Hunters can take more animals and be assured that they will be used in a meaningful and productive way," he said.
Upon donation, the hunter is asked to pay for the first $15 for meat processing fees and HSH covers the rest.
"It takes a kind-hearted, generous hunter," Barry Gummo, owner of Gummo's Butcher Shop, in Port Matilda, said.
His shop, which is Centre County's designated HSH processor, prepares about 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of venison each year, Gummo said.
"We donate our time, money and labor," said Gummo, whose shop processes, packages and ships the meat to area food banks and soup kitchens.
Food banks are appreciative of the hunters, because "it provides the needy with a commodity they never see -- red meat," Brandt said.
HSH does accept other game donations, but they focus primarily on deer because of its nutritional value, Brandt said. "Venison is high in protein, it is readily available and people are accustomed to it," he said.
As awareness of the program increases, HSH tends to see more hunters sharing their game. "We see an increase in the amount of participating hunters each year -- hunters usually donate their second or third deer," Brandt said. "It relieves hunters of the burden of what to do with the meat and provides a good public image for sportsmen."
Besides providing venison, the community is also encouraged to donate money to support HSH. Contributing $25 can help provide 100 meals, Brandt said. For more information, log on to www.sharedeer.org.
