Georgia nonprofit helps deer hunters provide enough meat for 500,000 people in need this season

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This cooler is filled with 800 pounds of venison. Each pound feeds four people.

Credit: Georgia Wildlife Federation

It's deer season in Georgia, and while some hunters have already filled their freezers, many around the state are struggling with food insecurity. 

That's why the Georgia Wildlife Federation's Hunters for the Hungry program is working with 50 deer processors statewide, compensating them for turning hunter-donated game into venison that local aid organizations can distribute.

Last year, the organization coordinated with local businesses to process about 6,000 pounds of venison. This year, thanks to funding from the General Assembly through the state Department of Natural Resources, they were able to massively expand production. They're aiming to provide aid organizations with 145,000 pounds of venison, more than 24 times what they were able to offer last year.

The Department of Natural Resources' State Deer Biologist Charlie Killmaster says you can't beat venison when it comes to high-protein, low-fat meat.

Harvesting deer also helps keep their populations under control.

"We have an abundance of deer in the state and we have problems with deer in certain agricultural regions," Killmaster said. "[Hunters for the Hungry] is a great program to reduce some deer numbers in those areas and at the same time help support our underprivileged in the state."

Program coordinator Lee Walker says if you're a hunter and you haven't yet hit your bag limit, think about harvesting one more for someone in need.

"Each pound [of venison] offers four servings, so one deer can provide a significant protein source for someone who could really use it," Walker said.

Hunters can visit the Georgia Wildlife Federation's website to find a processor to which to bring their field-dressed deer.

If you're not a hunter, you can still help. Tthe Georgia Wildlife Federation is accepting donations online. It costs about $2.50 to process a pound of venison, which provides one meal each to a family of four. Walker says those funds go straight to local deer processors to pay them for their work, and she welcomes any future funding so they can expand their efforts statewide.