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Donate a Buck
Hunters help fight hunger
buck for story
Eric Abing of Gays Mills shot this buck, grossing 184, on Oct 14 with his bow. With hunting season begun, hunters have a chance to help combat local hunger by donating the meat to local food panties. - photo by Jay Greene

Crawford County hunters can now donate deer to local food pantries in Crawford County. Local agencies and processors have worked together to provide an outlet for generous hunters to feed less fortunate folks during the deer hunting season.

Both deer processing lockers in the county, Eastman Locker (608-874-4331), Eastman, and the Kickapoo Locker (608-735-4531), Gays Mills, are taking deer by appointment. They request all those donating to call first to see if they currently have space.  Legally harvested deer will be taken now through February 1, 2013. Field dressing and registering the deer at a DNR station is of course required of all donated deer (head and antlers may be kept for mounting). Handle the carcass as if it was destined for your own table.

Those dropping off a deer will be asked to sign a simple log sheet indicating their desire to donate the deer.  Meat will be ground into one-pound packages, frozen, and picked up by the pantries as needed.

These local lockers are generously taking on an extra workload for a small amount of compensation ($55/deer) to help feed their hungry neighbors.

Partners in this effort are the Crawford County Land Conservation Committee and Department, USDA inspectors, Wisconsin DNR, Hunt for the Hungry, Eastman Locker and Kickapoo Locker.