Mid-Mo hunters donate nearly 10 tons of venison

Since 1992, Share the Harvest has provided lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians.
Since 1992, Share the Harvest has provided lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians.

Hunters throughout Central Missouri donated 19,247 pounds of venison to Share the Harvest during the 2017-18 deer season, said Walter Coleman, president of the Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International.

"We really appreciate hunters donating the venison because it helps provide high protein, low fat, fresh meat for charities serving people food in central Missouri," Coleman said in a Feb. 14 news release.

In Callaway County, three processors participated. R&R Processing in Auxvasse handled 3,770 donated pounds of venison, Hanson Hills Campground in Kingdom City handled 2,450 and Horn's Butcher Shop in Fulton processed 3,540 pounds.

Jeannie Breneman, co-owner of R&R Processing, said they processed 59 deer, 15-20 more than the previous season. She even had to call to get permission to process extra deer - the business's initial cap was 55, she said.

"It is a wonderful program," Breneman said Monday. "It's a way to help us help our surrounding communities. We couldn't do it without the deer hunters."

The hunters love the sport and the community, she said.

"We will do this every year," Breneman added.

The Central Missouri total includes 309 whole and several partial deer, and is the most donated since 2013.

"We would like to thank the hunters, processors, charities, Missouri Department of Conservation, Conservation Federation of Missouri, news media and the countless others who help with the Share the Harvest program," said Mike Nolting, CMCSCI's Share the Harvest program coordinator. "Without their effort and support, our Share the Harvest program would not be possible."

Donated venison is distributed to soup kitchens and other participating agencies. As the MDC points out, quality protein is important in a person's diet, but meat can be expensive. Share the Harvest is a way for hunters to give their excess venison to those in need.

Hunters participate by bringing their deer to an approved meat processor and stating how much they want to donate. Donations from CMCSCI and CFM meant in Central Missouri, hunters didn't have to pay any processing fees for the donated deer.

CMCSCI collects that money through its annual banquet and auction, to be held Aug. 4 this year at Columbia's Stoney Creek Inn. To learn more about supporting Share the Harvest, visit cmcsci.com.