A new program being developed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission aims to fill a gap existing between the hunt and the dinner table.
As the agency and other stakeholders work on methods to shoot more deer in response to rising crop damage concerns, a major hurdle has been ensuring the venison is used. During a recent meeting between farmers and the Game Commission in Montour County, it was apparent that a lack of processors willing, or able, to butcher crop damage deer is a problem.
At the meeting, farmers expressed an interest in donating crop damage deer to programs like Hunters Sharing the Harvest, which provides venison to area food pantries.
“But there aren’t enough processors,” said Charlie Porter, a farmer and member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau State Board of Directors.
“We really have to get processors on board if we’re going to participate in programs like Hunters Sharing the Harvest.”
A grant program being developed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission will help improve capacity for processors to handle more deer shot for crop damage.
Game Commission Executive Director Stephen Smith said the agency is working on a grant program to help processors expand their businesses and help those looking to start their own processing facility.
The idea would be similar to a grant program the Game Commission implemented in 2024 to help clubs conduct infrastructure improvements for private shooting ranges. With processors, Smith hopes if they have financial help to start a business or expand, it will increase the number of deer they can accommodate.
“There are a lot of links in the chain between hunting and consumption, and the last link is a processor,” Smith said. “Given their importance in the chain, it’s important the Game Commission do something to help the situation.”
The total amount of funding allocated for the grant program has yet to be determined, but Smith said he’d like to see it start by the end of the year.
For many hunters, the next stop is a deer processor who will skin and prepare the deer per the hunter’s specifications.
Interested processors would have to demonstrate a need and desire to increase capacity, he said, and the Game Commission would provide oversight to make sure the grant money is being used for deer processing. Additional staff will be hired to conduct oversight, Smith said.
While the need of more processors is one challenge, having those processors in operation outside of the normal hunting seasons is also a critical issue with using deer shot for crop damage. The agency’s ag tag program, for example, allows deer to be shot for crop damage from Feb. 1 to April 15 and again from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15, before and after the regular hunting seasons.
“The timing aspect of it is something Hunters Sharing the Harvest is struggling with as well,” Smith said. “We’re anticipating the grant program will help fill that gap.”
Another issue is parts of the state with voids in deer processor locations.
“That’s a need we’ve identified. If we’re asking hunters to harvest deer for crop damage outside of hunting season, there’s a real need for processor availability on the community level,” he said.
The program is in the conceptual phase, Smith said, and the agency will continue to meet with processors to finalize details.
