A partnership between Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is helping balance deer populations while providing food to families in need.
Program leaders updated commissioners during the AGFC’s March meeting, highlighting the success of coordinated hunts with private deer camps focused on harvesting antlerless deer.
“We were working with all these clubs and issuing a lot of tags, but we just weren’t seeing them get filled,” said AGFC Deer Management Assistance Program Coordinator Jeremy Brown. “The formula for success was there; we just needed to put the two groups together.”
The effort began with a pilot hunt in 2022 and expanded statewide during the 2024-25 season. Through the program, refrigerated trailers are delivered to deer camps, allowing hunters to donate multiple deer at once for processing.
“I just don’t have the staff to pick up deer one at a time across the state,” said Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry President Ronnie Ritter. “The trailers and coordination have really helped.”
The results have been significant. During the most recent season, hunters donated 715 deer across 52 clubs, producing more than 23,000 pounds of venison. The program also generated thousands of pounds of ground meat and more than 100,000 snack sticks distributed to families and children through local programs.
Brown said the program is also improving herd quality by encouraging proper population management on private land.
“We’re seeing better balance in the herd and improved deer quality as clubs meet those harvest goals,” he said.
Despite the progress, demand remains high, with food pantries continuing to request additional meat. Officials say expanding the program will depend on funding for processing and the availability of equipment to support larger-scale donations.
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