NEW YORK STATE — The DEC partners with Feeding New York State to fund, promote and facilitate the donation of venison by hunters to those in need. 

Each year, hunters help address food insecurity in New York by donating 50,000-70,000 pounds of venison. 

After your next successful hunt, consider donating all or part of your harvested deer through one of Feeding New York State’s cooperating processors. You can also make a financial donation to Feeding New York State’s venison donation program, or make a cash gift to support venison donation when you purchase your next hunting license.

Hunters can also donate whole deer or venison directly to anyone they choose, but cannot sell or receive goods or services for venison. 

Here are the steps you will need to follow to donate a deer or venison to someone else.

To donate a whole deer

Make sure a completed, state-issued deer harvest tag is attached to the carcass.

Create and attach an additional tag to the carcass that includes the date of donation and the names and addresses of both the hunter who shot the deer and the recipient of the carcass.

A donated deer carcass with the head removed can be transported, but evidence of the sex of the deer must be intact. Additionally, create and attach a tag to the carcass that includes the name and address of the taxidermist where the head was sent and, for antlered deer, the number of points on each antler.

To donate packaged venison

Create and attach a tag to the packages of venison that includes:

The hunter’s signature,

The names and addresses of both the hunter who shot the deer and the recipient of the venison,

The hunter’s hunting license number and

The amount of venison donated.

Label all packages or boxed portions of venison clearly with “venison.”

This tag must remain in possession of the recipient until the venison is consumed.

Learn more at www.dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hunting/deer-bear/processing-preparing-donating-meat.

For giving to people you don’t know

www.FeedingNYS.org adds that you can donate a deer to unknown recipients by dropping it off at a participating processor. (Deerserto’s Butcher in Middletown, 845/733-1676, and the Chop Shop in Delhi, 607/832-4878, are the closest.) 

The site suggests “you call one of the participating processors before dropping off your deer to ensure they can accept your deer. Please handle the carcass as you would for your own family.  

“When dropping your deer off at a processor, please complete the log sheet indicating your desire to donate the deer. Let the processor know the type of ammunition/ method used (leaded, non-leaded, bow, etc.)

“The donated deer will be processed, and the venison will be distributed to food pantries and food banks to help feed hungry New Yorkers.”

Learn more at www.feedingnys.org/hunters.