Hunters for the Hungry

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HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY TAKES OFF
by Steve McCadams
www.stevemccadams.com
November 21st, 2008

It’s a good program for good people.

A lot of sportsmen would likely participate if they know a little bit more about it.

Here’s the scoop: The Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Hunters for the Hungry program is getting into high gear for 2008/2009, as the gun season for deer opens November 22. Archery and muzzleloader seasons are currently open across the state.

Hunters for the Hungry works with hunters and meat processors to fight hunger by providing properly prepared venison to food banks, church programs and soup kitchens. There are more than 60 processors in 50 counties across the state participating in the program.

Here in Henry County Yoder Brothers on Briarpatch Road and Dunlap Meat Processors on McLain Road are participants in the statewide program.

This season the Tennessee Wildlife Federation has introduced TWF Chapters which allow local volunteers to start, manage and support Hunters for the Hungry in their home town or county. These chapters use money raised locally to adopt processors in their county to make processing fees free to hunters donating deer to the program.

Processors participating in the program accept whole deer for donation, or also a "pound or pack" method, in which a sportsman or woman can give part of a processed deer to the processor to keep for pick up.

Processors who have not been adopted typically offer discounts on donated deer to the hunter. TWF keeps a list of funds available for processing on their website at www.tnwf.org. The list is updated each week.

Last year more than 65,000 pounds of venison was donated to the program, translating into over 261,000 servings of the high-protein, low fat meal," said Matt Simcox, the Hunters for the Hungry coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF). "With the current economic situation affecting the food budgets of so many Tennessee families, we hope hunters this year will take advantage of liberal doe seasons to help us provide relief to those in need."

For information on starting a local TWF Chapter for Hunters for the Hungry in your area, contact Matt Simcox at TWF at (615) 353-1133.

A list of processors categorized by region and county can be found at the following web address http://www.tnwfhuntandfish.org/images/HFTH/2008hfth.pdf.

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation is a not for profit organization established in 1946 whose mission is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee's wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education.

Steve McCadams is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area. He has also contributed many outdoor oriented articles to various national publications.

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