The Sales Pitch

[Mike P]

The Sales Pitch

Don't eat that venison crap it's aweful. Your parents just convinced you that it was palatable over the years. Theres plenty of great food at the grocery store so go get it

Wow, the above quote was said tongue in cheek.

I actually subscribe to it.

I have consumed more venison in my life then I care to remember. I know saying I no longer eat it is heresy to many here as they know I trophy hunt. So before the PM's start filling up my mailbox let it be known that every deer I kill is processed (by my wife and I, been doing it all my life) and supplied to a battered women's shelter.


Our farm and the adjoining farms we partner with also supply excess doe's killed to this shelter so the women and children living there have protein in their diet. My wife and my buddy Becker's wife do all the organizational work.

I am telling you this not so you think I am a charitable guy. I am telling you this to see if I can get you involved.

I have mentioned here many times that my life revolves around children. As a grandfather of five, this is how it should be. Other grandparents reading this on the forum understand this more then all you younger guys and gals. Trust us; having grandchildren is your reward for having children.

My grandchildren are most fortunate. They want for nothing. Unfortunately, there are many children who will never be able to say the same. They are in desperate need. And they do not live in some far flung corner of the world in some cardboard shanty; they live in your backyard. They live in shelters. They are there due to some cruel twist of fate that they are neither responsible for or understand. They just know they are there. And their numbers are growing!

Save for someone very old reading this forum, the hardships on children in your backyard has never been greater during your entire life. I do not care where you live in North America, the statement holds true. People, the kids are suffering. And we should all do something as basic as supplying them the most essential need of life. We should ensure that they have something to eat.

I only challenge you who read this "sales pitch" to do one thing. And it is a simple thing. Take one hour out of your life and actually go to a shelter. I don't care what kind. There are many to go around, far too many. Take one little hour out of the 8760 hours you have in one year and go visit one. And when, not if, you do, just look at the children. If you do this I will have hooked ya! You will no longer ever be the same.

I find it wonderful to see all the delicious plates of food shown on the thread that wabi started called "who eats deer meat??????????" As I was looking at those wonderfully prepared dishes I was thinking how much one of the shelter kids would love to have that feast if just for one day.

Most of you eat venison because you want to. You like it. It also stretches the food budget during these harsh economic times. The vast majority of you do not eat venison because you have to. You are not eating it because you need to survive. There are, however, children who do need to eat it to survive. And I am asking you to share it.

Don't rush out and take a venison pot roast to the nearest shelter in your backyard. Just take that hour I ask and have a look. If you do you will see the children. And then go home and think about it. I know if you do this you will share some of your harvest with those kids. I know this because the people who are members of this forum are really good people.

And who knows, when you plan your season for the fall you just might make plans to include a doe for some hungry kids.

And for what it's worth, the greatest trophy whitetail ever taken is the one that feeds a hungry child!

[Grizzly Adam]

Good advice, Mike.

Thanks for the challenge!

I would add this:

There are parts of the country where donating deer to such programs isn't a possibility, because there aren't any such programs. Where I live, there isn't even such a shelter within two hours driving distance.

However, it's still possible to identify a needy family and give them some "deerburger" ... wherever we live, we can help someone out that way.

Also, it's always possible to give money to worthy causes, wherever you live ... even if you prefer to keep all your deer meat, you can still support such programs by your contributions.

You can make it personal, too. April and I regularly give to a number of responsible causes, but some of our giving is very personal, like the boy we've been supporting for the last 18 years in Zambia, Africa.

Organizations that help the needy almost always depend on volunteer labor, too. We can "put our back" into the cause.

Simply put ... there's lots we can do, and I hope we'll do it. And I hope we'll glorify God while doing it!

Again, thanks for the challenge!

[Limbs and Sticks]

Good idea I've been giving deer away for along time to the ones who need it If VA. changes the laws about damage tags I won't be able to help as much this year People really need this help


Wes

[Normous]

Thanks Mike, I'll keep that one in the back of my mind in the future. The welfare rate is increasing in this city. Many more than ever need food assistance. Patti and I can do more and will figure out a way to do just that.
Keep you arrows sharp and think of others.

[sumner4991]

I gave a lot of venison to the needy, much more than I keep. Sure does feel good to deliver the goods and see those eyes light up.

With the way the economy is going, there may be a greater demand for hunging licenses in the coming years. Maybe we can give the city folks hunting lessons and take in a little extra cash. I saw on TV the other day where some lady was giving inner city kids lessons on how to plant a garden.

Time to get back to basics?

[vixenmaster]

good topic post MikeP. i shared my 3 deer with a local halfway house. half to them and half to my mrs & i.

[mikej]

well said mikep. great topic. since there is no shelter anywhere near this little town i take extra meat from rifle camp as well as any meat from the bow hunt to the food bank as wel as giving it to a few local families that i know are in need of it. and of course keep some of the meat for my family. it sure is nice to see the faces of the family when given the meat , make it all worthwhile . ps its not just you older guys that realize we need to look out for the less fortunate, us young pups get it too

[Grizzly Adam]

... ps its not just you older guys that realize we need to look out for the less fortunate, us young pups get it too

Hey!

Who you callin' "older", anyway?

I've only been around for 15,950 days and change!

Don't be callin' me old, pup!

[terrym]

About 5years ago I had an amazing season. That fall I killed 2 caribou, a bull moose and a large buck whitetail. It was way more meat than my family needed so I called the local women's shelter and asked if they wanted any. Well the lady running the place basically chewed my ear off for being an animal killer and implied that the women in her shelter were hiding from men like me. The idiot was calling me a woman beater for being a hunter. Anyway, after that fiasco I called a local men's shelter. My god what a different conversation that was. Again the manager was a lady and she explained to me how hard it was to get "anything" donated to a men's shelter as most donations went to the womens's shelter. She was almost crying on the phone when I told her I could donate about 250 lbs of deer moose and caribou roasts, burger and sausages. When I pulled in to deliver it she had 3 of her residents carry it into the spam and introduced me to all the staff and was near tears with joy. This lady truly cared for her charges and admitted many days they just didn't have the budget to serve meat. I have since given every year I kill an animal and feel its a darn good way of helping out. If you don't think you will need the meat, trust me someone can really use it.

[Cossack]

We're trying to get venison approved for food shelf distribution again. Last year a doctor with distinct anti-hunting connections ( a dermatologist, no less) published a paper showing traces of lead in donated venison. Many thousands of pounds of donated venison were thrown out here and in ND.
Some of it was undoubtedly shot with bows. Subsequent finding s show no more lead in folks who consume lots of venison than those that eat none. But old myths die hard. Shame. Mine are all shot with arrows or copper bullets (Barnes TSX). As a handloader I've been loading Barnes for years because of their exceptional terminal performance. Unfortunately it seems not to matter what the deer was shot with.

[mikej]

i wasn't calling you old grizz ( or anyone else for that matter) just simply stating that i am probably one of the younger members here ( with the exception of droptine and possibily tye)

[one shot scott]

Very good advice Mike P, If anyone in southern Ontario knows of such a place where donations can be left in the Hamilton area please give me a p.m. I often wondered if it was even legal to do it in Ontario. Butcher shops have to have a separate building for processing wild game. Its very tightly regulated. I assumed that donating wild game was not allowed in most cases. But I would be more than happy to do so.[/code]

[terrym]

Very good advice Mike P, If anyone in southern Ontario knows of such a place where donations can be left in the Hamilton area please give me a p.m. I often wondered if it was even legal to do it in Ontario. Butcher shops have to have a separate building for processing wild game. Its very tightly regulated. I assumed that donating wild game was not allowed in most cases. But I would be more than happy to do so.[/code]

The shelter I take mine to says its perfectly legal. The only thing they need is your name and address as well as the licensed butcher's name and address who processed it.

[DuckHunt]

At the request of the landowner I take a few more deer than I need every season to control the local population. For the past 14 years I have donated to the local Hunters for the Hungry programs in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Most of them are great programs with a lot of great folks trying to do exactly what Mike P is speaking about. They've been hooked and are providing Hunters an easy way to make a difference.

For those of us in the USA and parts of Canada here is an excellent web page to put you in touch with an organization in your state or province that accepts donations.
http://www.nrahq.org/hunting/hungry_nat_list.asp

In many cases all you have to do is drop off your field dressed deer at a participating meat processor. It couldn't be any easier. It is also one of the best ways to make hunters look great in the eyes of the public.

DuckHunt

[Grizzly Adam]

i wasn't calling you old grizz ( or anyone else for that matter) just simply stating that i am probably one of the younger members here ( with the exception of droptine and possibily tye)

Just joshin' with ya, Mike!

We're all young at heart here (at least most of us are).