This hunting season, Ohio hunters like Don Boling are collaborating with the nonprofit Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to provide venison to local food pantries. With food insecurity on the rise and grocery costs increasing by nearly 30% since 2020, the initiative aims to balance the state’s burgeoning deer population—estimated to have multiplied 40-fold in the last 50 years—by turning abundant game into much-needed meals for families in need.
In the last hunting season, hunters contributed over 80,000 pounds of deer, yielding around 300,000 servings for food pantries across Ohio. Boling, who donates his first deer each season, highlights the program’s potential to alleviate hunger; a single deer can feed up to 200 people, making it a vital resource in an era where meat is especially hard to source due to rising beef prices. This innovative approach not only connects hunters with their communities but also addresses food scarcity in a meaningful way.
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