Got moose? Consider donating some meat to Hunters for the Hungry program

Over the coming weeks, more than 3,000 hunters will head into the woods in search of a Maine moose … and most of them will succeed.

On Tuesday, Gov. Paul R. LePage made a great suggestion to those hunters: Why not share some of that meat?

In a Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry press release, LePage urged hunters to consider donating a portion of their wild game meat to the Hunters for the Hungry Program, which supplies local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and households with a medical need.

“The Hunters for the Hungry Program is a way that Maine hunters can pursue a sport they love and help their neighbors at the same time,” LePage said in the release. “The fact that this program has grown so steadily is both a testament to the need and the generosity of Mainers.”

DACF Commissioner Walt Whitcomb praised the program, which was established in 1996.

“The Hunters for the Hungry Program puts high quality, native protein on the tables of Maine families,” Whitcomb said.

According to the news release, the program distributes bear, deer and moose that is donated by hunters. Road kill donations are also accepted, as long as the meat is not damaged. Hunters are not required to pay for the processing of donated meat.

If you’re a meat processor and are interested in pitching in, call 287-7513. To donate or get more information, call 1-888-DEERME.

 

John Holyoke

About John Holyoke

John Holyoke has been enjoying himself in Maine's great outdoors since he was a kid. Today, he's the Outdoors editor for the BDN, a job that allows him to meet up with Maine outdoors enthusiasts in their natural habitat. The stories he gathers provide fodder for his columns, and this blog.