hunt fish feed wild game donation act
Courtesy The Sporting Chef and YouTube

By NSSF

The Dean of the House of Representatives understands the hunter’s heart. Now, he’s trying to make it a little easier on hunters’ wallets to do the right thing, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation® thinks it’s a great idea.

Last month, U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) introduced the Wild Game Donation Act (H.R. 2291) in Congress that would make it easier for hunters to fight hunger across the United States. If passed, this legislation would establish a charitable deduction for the processing cost when hunters donate wild game meat from animals like deer or moose, to charities that collect it to be served in soup kitchens and food banks.

This bill would also allow for additional deductions for the meat processors participating in food donation organizations, which will help ensure that fresh, unspoiled meat is being served to those in need.

Meeting the Need

The food banks and soup kitchens across America are in constant need of donations and assistance in order to face the enormous problem of “food insecurity” in this country. In 2017 alone, approximately 40 million Americans struggled with hunger while 1 in 6 American children may not know where their next meal is coming from.

In the face of a problem of such unacceptable scope, it just makes sense that we make it easier for hunters and game processors to be part of the solution that the hunting community is eager to provide.

Every year, deer season alone in America produces more than 400 million pounds of edible meat, which can translate into 1.6 billion meals. Sources of the lean, hormone-free organic protein that is accepted at food shelters are not limited to just deer, however.

Charities such as Hunters Helping the Hungry, which has provided over 27.7 million quarter-pound meals of lean meat to those in need since 1991, accept all types of game including feral pigs, rabbit, elk and various fowl. Organizations like these are crucial middlemen who arrange for the processing of donated game meat and ensure that it arrives fresh to soup kitchens and food pantries across the country.

It’s in Our Nature

The hunters of America have always celebrated the values of community and generosity. Congress has the opportunity to reduce the burden on hunters to provide tax deductions when they pay the costs of game processing out of pocket.

Congress could mobilize a segment of society already well positioned to alleviate the food insecurity problem. That is why NSSF is committed to supporting the Wild Game Donation Act so hunting donation charities can not only function year round by receiving more donations, but also grow so that the needs of even more hungry families can be met with organic, high protein food sources.

It’s natural for us as hunters to do this. It makes sense for Congress to make it easier to do this on a greater scale. We’re proud to support this effort to make it easier to share our harvest.

44 COMMENTS

  1. The left will have a problem with this. They despise hunting in general. I’ve donated deer to a homeless shelter and it didn t matter what I paid the butcher.

    They pulled 116 deer out of Rock Creek Park in DC and came up with over 4000 lbs of meat for.the shelters.

  2. Of course, people, you all do realize that the donations and the soup kitchens feed and breed parasites that simply do not want to work and provide for themselves? Anyone, please show me an exception that is not on drugs, alcohol, too lazy or just plain makes more money panhandling than working?

    • This is the most ignorant post I have ever read. Everyone in this country is just one rung above being homeless. It only takes one event to take every thing down. I won’t even start on the overwhelming number of vets that this country has thrown away. Any body want to disagree? Spend one night in a homeless shelter…then come back and preach that Bravo Sierra. Your smug and self-satisfied attitude disgusts me. -30-

      • You can continue being self-righteous and disgusted, but you are also part of the problem. Homelessness has nothing to do with being a veteran, or oppressed, etc. It has everything to do with the attitude. I happen to have a fair amount of knowledge of the subject. To reiterate – there are NO starving children in this country (unless the parents spend the money on drugs and trade their EBT for drugs); there are no starving adults. There are poor people, of course, but not starving. You go and find a single starving person – and I will personally feed them. To every charity organization that had been knocking on my door, I have repeatedly offered employment in my business (unskilled) or food directly to a hungry person. In over 10 years of offers, I had ZERO takers. But everyone wants a cash donation… So, please, stop with the Liberal bullshit and stop feeding and breeding moochers.

        • I am not now nor have I ever been a “liberal”. Dealing in absolutes, about anything, provides for a very weak argument. Challenge stands, make it for twenty four hours with nothing, in a strange city, no home, no credit cards, no money, no “connections” to bail you out, through no fault of your own. Under those conditions most people sink like a stone. Those that survive it and successfully come out the other side have an edge, and a knowledge of themselves, that most people will never be able to understand. -30-

        • “Dealing in absolutes, about anything, provides for a very weak argument.”

          Is that absolutely true? I find that absolutes, at some level, are necessary for any argument to hold water.

        • We live in a country that throws away so much food that eating out of trashcans is a lifestyle choice. Look up freegan.

          The truth is the vast majority of homeless do have drug problems with or without mental illness and a small minority after that have only mental illness. These are the people you are feeding. While feeding junkies is somewhere below feeding pigeons on my list of things to do, we have bigger problems.

          The lazy in the US are supported not by shelters, but by an endless and ever expanding welfare state that provides everything from food and housing to education and healthcare to an ever expanding army of mostly multi generation dependent natives (people born here) and 3rd world migrants who came here specifically to get it and who have been educated by friends, family, NGOs, and foreign governments on how to game the system. We should put a stop to this before we worry about stopping the feeding of homeless junkies.

          Most ordinary people have friends and relatives who would help them out first if they fell on hard times. After that there are churches, charities, and endless government programs. People who lose their job don’t typically become homeless and if they do it is not for long.

        • “Challenge stands, make it for twenty four hours with nothing, in a strange city, no home, no credit cards, no money, no “connections” to bail you out, through no fault of your own. ”

          That’s a pretty unrealistic situation. That’s not merely losing your job. How exactly does one wind up in a situation like that?

          That’s like an urban Survivorman without any explanation. Even Les Stroud tried to set up a realistic scenario for the situations he was in.

      • Sorry, kids, but I agree with Michael on this one. Perhaps when you’re older (or grown up) you’ll be able to look back and see how fortunate you’ve actually been over the span of your life.

        Perhaps the claim that most of us are only a rung above homelessness, or the poverty level, perhaps, is a bit more extreme than I would’ve speculated, but then again- floods, hurricanes, wild fires, tornadoes and other “acts of nature” alone have derailed many an American who thought they were sailing smoothly. And actually, when placed in comparison to the rest of the world population in regards to income and wealth, even the more modest among us are in the upper 5% of all inhabitants, most of us even higher.

        Hopefully, as we age, we can give back some of what we’ve gained on our own, for no particular reason than it may help someone else. Keep in mind that it is generally the more conservative, evangelical among us who are regular contributors to the various charitable sources without government prodding or taking. It’s amazing to me just how little the Leftist political candidates ever give when the facts come out. They’re great at giving, so long as it’s with someone else’s money and only to a cause they feel is relavent, usually something that is completely against my principles and those of nature. Perhaps a bit over the top, Michael, but well-taken. There but for the grace of God go I.

        Having gotten sidetracked, Iowa already has a similar program. HUSH- Help Us Stop Hunger. It differs in that there in no charitable trust- every one hunting deer must contribute additionally for the program when they buy a deer tag, whether they’re contributing the carcass or not. This thing was, for the most part, instituted by the auto insurance industry (big in this state) to reduce auto/deer “collisions”. (That’s another intersting proposition since the state claims no ownership of said deer if one hits it with their Buick, but complete ownership and sovereignty if a person is caught somehow breaking the law in taking one with gun or bow.

        I believe a lot of hunters would contribute the extra bucks if asked, and that’s what I wish the state would’ve tried first. After all, in addition to the deer tag, we also need a small game tag, habitat stamp, and have paid for our own gun, ammo, clothes (11% Pittman-Robertson tax) and other goodies. Can’t get a break…

        • Just one small example, which is very telling. We offered a job to one woman, and she said that she can work any day except Tuesdays. It just sounded a bit strange, so I politely asked what is happening on Tuesdays? Turns out that Tuesdays is her day to pick up free food, so makes no sense for her to work and lose out on the free food. Now, from the point of view of her personal economics, I agree with her – why should she work for free, essentially, or even for a minus? But in the larger scheme, this is a serious problem. There is no need to actually work for a person to be able to just survive. If they want to do well in life, yes, they have to perform, but many (tens of millions) are fine with just the basics. Furthermore, the system severely penalizes anyone who attempts to get off the plantation – the moment they start earning something, they correspondingly lose the “benefits” so, again, why should they work for free? This one example from Margaret Thathcher’s book stands out for me, when she talked out a priest in her town helping poor and ostracized pregnant single girls. They truly had a hard time and needed help. Over time, being single and pregnant became less ostracized and their plight improved; and so did their number.

      • …you’re also not accounting for the greedy. I volunteer at a “no questons” food pantry.
        I watch the parade of new-model Beemers, Mercedes, and SUVs show up with people ready to help themselves. (We receive donations from “gourmet” bakeries and local organic farms). They leave little for those who show up and actually need it. (kids in tow, beat up car or on foot).

        I’ve had words with the church management about this, but they don’t want to recognize that charity is being exploited.

        Imagine my surpise upon stopping into a local coffee shop and recognizing both the baked goods and the proprietor. She recognized me and actually blushed. I said hello and told her I’d be watching her on the next visit.

        • Well, Alexander, if nothing else- thanks for volunteering. Nothing wrong with doing that, and it’s good to see someone that doesn’t need a reason or “reward” for doing so, or isn’t trying to build a resume. A lot of us would be better off in the end if we’d do this and put the keyboard away for a couple hours.

    • Here’s your example: I’ve been continuously employed for 20 years, and I still had to use the community food bank several times a couple years ago.

      My finances are better now, thanks to a raise and a second job, but in this depression-that’s-totally-not-a-depression-because-Wall-Street-Banks-are-raking-it-in, money doesn’t stretch like it used to. One missed paycheck or unforeseen expense, and I’m right back in the damn food line.

      The chronically homeless and the panhandlers, sure, they have no desire to be anything else. If you offered them a job, of course they didn’t want it. They really are parasites and giving parasites more of everything for free doesn’t help anybody.

      Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that everyone who needs help is exactly the same.

      • I am not against helping. Temporarily, to those that need it. If you can, give someone a job; feed someone who needs it. For sure. But “charity” organizations make a very good living from your cash donations, while handing out only a tiny portion of what they take in. Interestingly, the most efficient “charity” is actually the Welfare department. It consumes 75% of the funding on itself. Most other “charities” consume between 80 to 90+ % on themselves. Clinton Foundation beats everybody – 99%. Just like in “Evita” – skim a little for expenses, there’s never been an account in the name of Eva Peron…

        • “But “charity” organizations make a very good living from your cash donations, while handing out only a tiny portion of what they take in.”

          Not all of them, and you can verify the portion before you give.

          But then again, and seriously- do you really want some moron tinhorn running a large, big money operation? For some reason people think a person should work for free or live in poverty or close to it to run a not-for-profit, particulary if it is geared towards serving the less-than-fortunate. It would not be around very long. The other alternative would be to let the govt do it- how’s that working out for the taxpayers who are forced to fund those?

    • An example you say,,,Me, I don’t drink, don’t drug, don’t panhandle. .Just because someone doesn’t have money doesn’t mean their a bad possum. But you got yours and fck the scum, right, gotcha my friend.

      • Possum, you’ve missed my point. The issue is against the “charity” businesses, not poor people. The poor barely get anything from your donations. The “charity” business gets it all. And keeps it. And propagates the lie that people are starving, the children are starving… Victimhood is a big business and there are many vendors.

      • 100%. I try to help folks, never write anything off, never tell anybody about it (except on this anonymous forum). my mindset is, “a few bad turns of the wheel and could be me in the bad spot.” I’m comfortable now, could survive off my own woods and water if I had to, but I’ve been down pretty low before and don’t wanna go back. Hang in there like a possum, Possum.

    • Alexander needs to spend time at a shelter.
      There but for the grace of God……..

      • Are you suggesting that I take up drinking, drugs, become irresponsible, tell my boss to take a hike, have a bunch of kids that I can’t support, buy $300 sneakers and an iPhone X, and then I will be in a shelter? I suppose that would work…

        • Libertarians totally support drug legalization. But they don’t support holding people accountable for the crimes drug users commit when they lose all inhibitions while under the influence.
          The drug user burglar, being shot dead by a homeowner or business owner, is being held accountable.

        • Alexander you’ve got it. Realistically, everybody on the street is either a mental health case who burned their bridges or just wants to drug and drink.

  3. “In 2017 alone, approximately 40 million Americans struggled with hunger while 1 in 6 American children may not know where their next meal is coming from.”

    This figure has been thoroughly debunked. It was just asking people if their children said they were hungry.

  4. I had the most depressing day yesterday. My chest freezer got unplugged a couple weeks ago, so I had to throw away 500+ pounds of beef, deer, elk, bear, salmon, halibut, tuna, crappie, catfish, and crab.

    • That sux. Where’d you throw it, us possums ain’t picky

      • You got that right. The last possum I killed was on the double yellow eating the asshole ring out of a road killed skunk.

        Sorry if he was related to you. But he really was too dumb to live.

      • Took it to the dump. The smell had me gagging several times.
        Now the back of my truck smells like a decomposing body.
        Even worse, I have to take my chest freezer to the dump.

        • Clorox and lots of it. Had a fridge full of catfish same thing, saved the fridge, Clorox and lots of it, then baking soda air freshener

        • Got back after all summer at the lake years ago to find my frige in a similar condition- landlord did some stuff in the basement while I was gone and turned off a breaker that ran the refrigerator. I finally gave up and just got a new one. Even taking the panels out I couldn’t lose the smell. I had some elk and walleyes in mine.

        • I’m with Craig; maybe you could clean it to possum standards, but a dead fridge is like a mummy sarcophagus; it’s unwise to tempt the curse of The Fates keeping it around, simply because it’s cheap.

  5. Being the poor bastard I am, once in a blue moon the food give away has deer . I as do others really appreciate that….. Thanx guys, shoot straight, keep it coming.

    • I give away pounds and pounds of venison, turkey, and fish every year, mostly to friends and family. They eat it and say they love it, but I’d prefer to give it to someone who really needs it.

  6. Oh ps. Most of the deer we get was taken from poachers, so in away there helping too

  7. Slightly off topic. Why is the .gov opening unused military housing/facilities to illegals and not to our homeless vets? Put vets in and use them for post maintenance and such in exchange for food and shelter. Stop giving illegals a FREE ride.
    Good on NSSF! Keep up the good fight!

    • Probably because outdoor-homeless are 1) the batty kind that are barely functional enough to breathe, 2) shelters are generally hellholes, 3) I assume it’s harder to buy & use drugs in a shelter, 4) it’s not illegal to be homeless in this country (though perhaps it should be) so they cannot be forcibly housed like the illegals we’re pretending to stop.

      I wonder how many homeless would suddenly ‘vanish’ if they knew they could be sentenced to even 1 month of three hots & a cot –but no drugs or booze– and a mandatory “job” to fit what little ability they might have.

  8. While all the life Stories/Opinions from ???? in this thread make 4 a great drama series on network TV or MTV…. when someone is handicapped(No Scams) who cannot work or get out of bed or their abode makes these scenarios void when there is no family or support system available.

    As long as u prosper and are Healthy,Good Looking with lots of money people(Takers) will surround u like they are ur best friends! The minute u need something and become a possible liability to them and others they Will scurry like scared cats!

    The World Rewards those with beauty,cash fame.

    • “The World Rewards those with beauty,cash fame.”

      Correction: The world rewards those with any ambition and a sliver of connection to family or friends. From my experience with people as bitter as you sound, your outlook must come from intense and long term abuse of people who would have helped you.

  9. Most people are poor in the richest nation on earth because they use drugs. No one wants to hire them. No one trusts them. They are totally unreliable.
    And America has the fattest poor people on earth. Not for eating deer meat but from the Welfare Industrial Complex.
    Hunters For the Hungry is a great program that uses no government money.

  10. Giving is a gift of good people and is rewarding.

    The Commie Utoob, Gaagle,Failbook,Twitbrains are banning all hunters and anything to do with guns. See Don Jr Post calling them out.

    This is what happens when u give leftist power over the entire internet.

    Head over and support pro-gun utube like sites and make a free account on
    https://gunstreamer.com/
    https://guntube.org/

    Spread the news..gun streamer will transfer all ur videos in a few clicks.

    The Gun/Hunting Companies should of done this a long time ago…with a 54 billion dollar industry!

    #GunStreamer
    #GunTube

  11. Here, in general, we should definitely think about food security. Because any steps in this direction are, of course, security in general. So I’ve been doing a lot of research about this data and I found examples of essays about food security https://papersowl.com/examples/food-insecurity/ you can also look and learn more. It also helped me for my dissertation, so I can definitely vouch for the quality of these essays and reviews here.

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