Food pantries excited for hunting opener

(WDAY TV) - When thousands of you head out this weekend for the deer hunting opener, you have the chance once again to help area food pantries. You may recall food pantries stopped taking venison last year after an investigation found lead in much of the donated venison.

But now the CDC has given the green light to the program with some guidelines. The only people more excited about the deer opener than hunters this weekend are the food pantries in our area.

They have gone without the donated venison too long.

“Nothing goes to waste that is how F-M is. They want nothing to go to waste, they want to share.”

North Dakota Sportsmen against Hunger say deer shot multiple times will not be accepted into the giveaway program, either will shot up hindquarters. And here at the food pantry on north 10th Street, the demand is not only great, it is growing. Two years ago volunteers served 16-thouasand people; last year 21,000.”

“We have contacted many of the food pantries to make sure they are on board with us in accepting us and the venison and they are excited because meat is one of those commodities not much of.”

After the lead in venison headlines last year, only 64 deer were donated. Sportsmen Against Hunger hopes venison from 750 deer will be distributed this year.

The CDC still recommends that pregnant women and children under six do not eat venison harvested with lead bullets. We could see some very comfortable temps this weekend as hunters enjoy this opener.

Which can be great for some part of the hunt, but not for meat preservation. Processors say make sure the rib cage is spread open and that ice is used to keep the carcass cool

“You need to get it chilled down because that is the key.”

Most processors will not take a deer if it appears the meat is discolored from not being cooled down.

Tags: kevin wallevand, hunting, charity, minnesota, news, venison, food