Four years ago, the Bracken County Extension Service along with the Bracken County Wildlife Officer developed a program that encouraged hunters to harvest doe and bring them to the extension facility where volunteers could process them and send the meat to the UK Meat Lab.  There is would be inspected and process and packaged with the meat then returned to the county and distributed to needy families through our two food banks.  

Each year the program has grown with the understanding of the responsible effort to utilize the meat for those less fortunate in our community while helping to reduce the herd by taking female deer to reduce the breeding herd.  Hunters know that the health of the herd will improve with fewer deer, and they know that the meat is going to a good cause.  Landowners and farmers are also involved as they see this is the best way to responsibly reduce crop damage and or increase the value of the wildlife opportunities for hunting.  

Knowing that food safety for the families in the county is our top priority, numerous efforts are followed to ensure a safe and wholesome product is produced.  The first effort included a class for the volunteers taught by Dr. Greg Rentfrow on proper field preparation and awareness of potential contamination. He also set guidelines used for the initial processing and carcass preparation.  Once the major meat cuts are removed and trimmed, the meat is immediately placed in bags and put on a refrigerated truck.  

Following the three day harvest, the meat is transported to the UK Meat Lab where is undergoes further inspection by students and the lab manager, is ground, packaged, and frozen.  It is then returned to Bracken County for distribution to needy families through our two food banks in the community.  

When the meat is delivered to the Food Banks, recipes and food safety handouts are provided for the families to ensure that the venison is prepared properly so families are safe from improperly cooked meat and that they can enjoy numerous versions of dish options from the extension service.  Each year the food banks say the families look forward to the venison and welcome the donations that support their families with a nutritious source of meat.  

Community support for this project grows each year with more volunteers and hunters participating as they learn about the success of the program and the support for our less fortunate families.  Many businesses offer support to the volunteers and hunters with donations that are given to those that donate their time, and talents for the processing.   Also to the hunters that take time to help harvest doe to reduce the herd and provide donated deer for the harvest.   

This year the project resulted in 52 deer donated and processed by volunteers resulting in over 855 pounds of venison donated to our two food bank facilities.  Over 230 families in Bracken County participate in the services the food banks provide and enjoyed the food provided by the many hunters, volunteers and community support offered by this program.