Deer season in the state of Missouri starts on September 15 and runs through January 15- during that time the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is asking that if you have any extra venison, whether it’s several pounds or an entire deer, to share with people who are hungry and in need in Missouri.
Share the Harvest
MDC and Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) are encouraging Missourians to Share the Harvest this fall by coordinating with thousands of deer hunters, meat processors, and local supporting organizations in order to help feed Missourians in need.
Share the Harvest was founded in 1992 with the vision of those who could hunt and had more than enough meat in their freezers being able to share their bounty with those who can’t afford meat in Missouri. Since 1992, hunters have donated over 4 million pounds of venison to the program.
Last year Missouri deer hunters donated 259,400 pounds of venison to the Share the Harvest program- including 4,855 whole deer. [1]
CWD Management Zones
This year MDC and CFM are asking Missouri hunters to share their harvest again. To do so, all you have to do is take your deer to an approved meat processor and let the processor know how much pounds of meat you want to donate. If you wish to donate a deer that was hunted in a CWD management zone, the deer must first be tested for CWD and can only be processed by a processor participating in the Share the Harvest CWD testing program.
If you want to donate a deer harvested in Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, or Washington counties, the deer must be tested for CWD, and it can only be donated to a processor participating in the Share the Harvest CWD testing program.
For more information about CWD and CWD testing, click here.
To find your nearest approved meat processor participating in Share the Harvest, click here. Processing fees are covered by local and statewide sponsers but contact the processor for information as to whether whole or only part of processing fees will be covered.
Notes:
- ^“MDC, CFM ask deer hunters to Share the Harvest.” Missouri Department of Conservation, 10 Oct. 2019, mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-cfm-ask-deer-hunters-share-harvest-0. (go back ↩)
