COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife helped collect 3,350 pounds of processed venison during the weeklong deer gun season to support local food pantries.
Deer donation days were held at select locations across the state and more drop off days are planned to allow hunters to donate deer from the additional gun weekend and muzzleloader season.
“It’s thanks to Ohio’s hunters from across our great state that families will have the option to pick up venison at a local food pantry,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “It’s truly amazing what we can accomplish when we come together with a common goal.”
This year, the Division of Wildlife partnered the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s (ODRC) Ohio Penal Industries’ (OPI) meat processing facility at the Pickaway Correctional Institution (PCI) for the donation days.
So far, 1,150 pounds of venison have been given to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks for distribution to West Ohio Foodbank (Allen, Hancock, Hardin, and Wyandot counties), Mid-Ohio Food Collective (Delaware, Knox, Licking, Marion, and Union counties), and Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio (Crawford County).
“The meat processing center provides a great opportunity for our incarcerated population to gain valuable experiences in the workforce,” said ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith.
“This partnership with ODNR provides these men a chance to apply those skills and give back to Ohio during the holiday season.”
There is approximately 2,200 more pounds of venison being prepared for distribution and 20 more deer that will be processed this week. That total was before the Dec. 20-21 deer gun hunting weekend at Kildeer Plains, Delaware Shooting Range, Hebron Fish Hatchery and Hardin County Fairgrounds.
The Division of Wildlife transported a total of 88 deer for processing and packaging. One deer can provide up to 200 meals.
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More donation dates and locations that coincide with the additional gun weekend and muzzleloader season are as follows:
Muzzleloader Hunting Season
Dates:Â Saturday, Jan. 3 & Sunday, Jan. 4
Time:Â 2 to 8 p.m.
Locations:
- Killdeer Plains
- Delaware Shooting Range
- Hebron Fish Hatchery
- Hardin County Fairgrounds
All donated deer were required to be properly tagged and game checked, and hunters were required to have a license and deer permit before heading into the field, unless exempted.
A donated deer counts toward county and statewide bag limits. Visit wildohio.gov to see the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or to purchase a license or permit.