It is good to see sharing the abundance from the wild is on the increase. Not long ago, venison was usually just shared with family, neighbors and friends; now, sportsmen have the opportunity to share with those less fortunate.

Food pantry donation of wild harvested venison has greatly increased, and our hunters’ harvest offers a source of high quality protein for many who would otherwise never taste venison. Indiana’s venison feeds a lot of hungry people, and no group promotes the food pantry program more than the Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund (SBF).

The SBF is taking aim at hunger by raising money to support statewide deer donation programs through partnerships with nonprofit organizations whose missions are to feed Indiana’s needy.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is supporting the fund by selling metallic pins sporting the image of a deer. This year, 25,000 pins were purchased by the DNR Division of Law Enforcement and are being sold for $5, which can potentially generate $125,000 to help in the fight to feed the hungry.

“I think it is a win-win type of program, where the agency encourages the management of deer in problem areas, and we can help feed the needy,” said DNR Law Enforcement Director Col. Michael Crider, who was instrumental in the creation of the SBF.
Deb Treesh, statewide coordinator for Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH), said her organization provided more than 200,000 individual meals last year. She said donating a deer is easy: simply contact a participating meat processor listed in the 2009 DNR Hunting/Trapping Guide, take the deer in and FHFH pays for the processing fees. It’s also possible to donate a portion of your deer.

DNR deer biologist Chad Stewart said there are additional benefits besides helping feed the hungry.

“First and foremost, the meat is being used by those who need it the most,” he said. “But it also provides hunters the opportunity to hunt longer after they may have already called it quits. This has the potential for hunters to show goodwill toward their fellow Hoosiers while effectively managing the deer population.”

Partnerships are being explored with the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, in which freezer trucks would be available at selected parks during their reduction hunts, pending funding in each region.

Crider said it is important to note the SBF is a nonreverting account, which means revenue from pin sales and donations go into the SBF and will not be used for any other program.

The SBF pin is $5 and may be purchased at any of the Division of Law Enforcement district offices or from your local conservation officer. For a list of the office locations, please visit www.dnr.IN.gov/lawenfor

To make a donation to FHFH, please e-mail Treesh at treesh@fhfh.org

Indiana Conservation officers to screen for recruits

The DNR’s Law Enforcement Division will initiate an officer screening process to select Conservation officer recruits beginning Oct. 8. The Law Enforcement Division will conduct testing at three separate sites around Indiana.

•Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. at Lincoln Junior High School, 220 N. Liberty Street, Plymouth.

•Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. at Scottsburg High School, 500 Gardner Street, Scottsburg.

•Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, 5402 Sugar Grove Road, Plainfield. Applicants should enter the building at the main entrance on the east side.

Registration will begin one hour prior to test time. Applicants should arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to test time. No one arriving after the scheduled test time will be permitted to take the test.

Applicants must bring a valid drivers license and a certified copy of their college transcript to be eligible to take the test. Please visit the Law Enforcement Division’s website at www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor to view the minimum requirements for becoming a Conservation officer.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.