WV urban deer hunt is lifeline for food programs

[Tanuki]

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/ap/state/wv-urban-deer-hunt-is-lifeline-for-food-programs/article_b643c994-e012-50d2-a499-ef184a92d36b.html#tncms-source=block-behavioral

"MORGANTOWN — A bowhunt for deer in one West Virginia city that began several years ago has become a lifeline for local food pantries and community kitchens.

When hunters first proposed an urban deer hunt in Morgantown about a decade ago, the idea was to control the population. Collisions with cars were commonplace and the deer were seen as a pest that ate people’s shrubs and flowers, the Dominion Post reported.

Some residents were wary of letting archers hunt in the city, but the program has proven itself. Bowhunters have had no accidents while hunting more than 950 deer, resulting in about 9,500 pounds of ground venison.

Some of the meat is used by the bowhunters while the remainder is donated to organizations such as the Trinity Episcopal Church, Pantry Plus More, the Caritas House and the Ronald McDonald House.

Trinity Episcopal serves free lunches Monday through Friday, and uses the donated venison about twice a week, kitchen manager Jim Chapman said. The donated meat lasts the entire year, and has become an important way for them to offer high-protein meals without having to purchase expensive meat products. Some days the venison goes into meatballs. Other days, it could be used to make spaghetti sauce."...(more)

[Claire Oh Nette]

1. Good program...

Venison is delicious, and my brother and step dad who hunt insist deer brought down by bow and arrow tastes better.

Also, so much for hunting rifles. Of course, it was never the hunters I worried about with guns.

They do pull together sometimes in WV.

[luvs2sing]

2. Wish they would do something like this..

here in Columbus. In the 25 years we’ve lived in this older residential neighborhood, there were always random deer sightings. However, the deer population exploded about seven years ago. We have had herds of up to a dozen hanging out in our yard. During rut, our yard is often the “Bambi Motel 6”. I know way more about the reproductive habits of deer than I ever should have to know.

We stopped growing flowers and vegetables, except for garlic. Everything gets mowed down. One year, they even ate the garlic, but it was early enough in the season that it grew back. They are completely unafraid of both humans and dogs. I have passed within three feet distance on my morning walk and had them barely look up from grazing. There are enough people who encourage and feed them that the city won’t take steps to control them. It sucks.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. We have this in MO, where if a deer is killed by vehicular traffic (crossing the road, etc.),

certain organizations in MO are notified of the accident site (only have a very very short time frame to gather the venison before it spoils). Out where our place is in the Ozarks, we have neighbors that we notify if we're aware of a deer kill (they have a network of such liked minded persons). Personally, I don't like venison but others do. There's one that makes venison jerky, which is rather tasty, I couldn't tell it was venison.

[Arkansas Granny]

4. We had a program like that in our town a few years ago, but it has been discontinued.

However, Arkansas has a program where wild game, including feral pigs, can be donated to food pantries.

[multigraincracker]

5. Helps reduce Lyme Disease too.

That burger makes the best chili.