McCreary County is largely composed of federally forested land and is home to a considerable population of wild game hunters. In the 2022/2023 hunting season, McCreary County hunters harvested a total of 507 deer. McCreary County also has a population of 3,190 individuals who are food insecure, and 94% of that population falls below the SNAP/Other Nutrition Programs threshold of 200% poverty. Since getting venison professionally processed can be expensive, many hunters process their own. However, learning to process venison in the correct way and learning about food safety is crucial. Moreover, many people are unsure of how to cook their own venison in a nutritious way.

In 2023, McCreary County Extension organized a Cook Wild Deer Processing Workshop with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. During the workshop, participants were able to sample the Cook Wild Venison Enchilada recipe, which was a new experience for all of them.

Of the participants, 85% had beginner knowledge of processing their own venison, 10% had intermediate knowledge, and only 5% were advanced. Participants learned about the importance of timing, from the field to the refrigerator, and techniques for removing skin, making cuts to maximize the amount of meat, and trimming meat for maximum flavor and tenderness. The workshop was successful in increasing knowledge and awareness around this topic.