ST. LOUIS — Firearms deer season has arrived in the Show Me State, and the Missouri Department of Conservation reported over 90,000 deer were harvested in the first weekend alone.
For hunters with more venison than they can eat, there's an option that prevents food waste and gives back to the community. Administered by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and MDC, Share the Harvest is a statewide program that allows hunters to donate their surplus deer meat to families in need.
To donate to the program, hunters can simply take their deer to an approved meat processor and let them know how much venison they'd like to give away.
According to MDC, St. Louis County hunters can visit the following processors to participate in the program:
- John Butcher Shoppee, 2608 Walton Road, Overland.
- Kenrick's Meats & Catering, 4324 Weber Road, St. Louis.
To find a processor in your county, click here.
Deer harvested in counties within the CWD Management Zone must be tested and can only be donated through a processor participating in the CWD-testing program. The following counties are included:
- Adair
- Barry
- Barton
- Bollinger
- Caldwell
- Camden
- Carroll
- Cedar
- Chariton
- Christian
- Clark
- Clay
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Dallas
- Grundy
- Franklin
- Gasconade
- Greene
- Hickory
- Howell
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Knox
- Laclede
- Linn
- Livingston
- Macon
- Madison
- McDonald
- Mercer
- Montgomery
- Oregon
- Ozark
- Pemiscot
- Perry
- Polk
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Ray
- Ripley
- Schuyler
- St. Charles
- St. Clair
- St. Francois
- Ste. Genevieve
- Stone
- Sullivan
- Taney
- Vernon
- Warren
- Washington
To learn more about CWD and why deer with the disease should not be eaten, click here.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV or the Apple TV App Store.