MILWAUKEE — Sunday was the last day of gun deer hunting in Wisconsin, but it is not too late to donate any extra harvested deer to help fight food insecurity in the state.
Hunters can donate the entire deer for free and keep the head and antlers for mounting if they wish.
How to donate and what steps to take:
The only thing needed for donation is a field-dressed deer. To keep the carcass fresh, a couple of bags of ice in the cavity will go a long way in warmer weather.
There is no need to butcher the deer after dressing it, registered processors will take care of everything!
Make sure to register the deer after killing it and keep track of the confirmation number to give to the processor. If it was downed with lead ammunition, the deer will not be accepted.
Hunters must also test for chronic wasting disease before or at the time of donation if they harvested the deer in an affected area.
Check here to see if you are required to test for CWD.
The DNR asks hunters to call ahead to their processor to make sure they have space to take it. If there is space, swing by and drop off a deer!
What if there is no processor nearby:
The DNR partnered with individuals and organizations to accept the donations and take them to processors in refrigerated trailers.
Click here to see a list of processors and drop-off locations in your area.
If anyone would like to volunteer or become a partner to help fund the refrigerated truck, contact Marcus Rufledt, DNR wildlife program specialist at marcus.rufledt@wisconsin.gov.
Background of the program:
The deer donation program began back in 2000, and, since then, over 2000 hunters have donated over 94,000 deer.
That 3.8 million-some pounds of meat went on to feed countless Wisconsinites through a network of county departments, food pantries, and organizations that helped distribute the food across the state.
The final day to drop off a deer this season is January 7, 2025.
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