The mission of South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger is to encourage and facilitate donation of wild game meat to needy people in South Dakota.
One out of every seven persons in South Dakota (or over 100,000 people) live at or below the poverty level according to Feeding South Dakota. About one-half of these people are children and infants. A primary food shortage is fresh meat which is in high demand and difficult to obtain. Of particular demand is game meat because of its nutritional value in having low fat and high protein content.
At the same time, the deer and antelope populations in most areas of the state exceed population goals. Each year, many deer and antelope hunting licenses remain unsold, which results in a deer and antelope harvest that is too low for controlling the populations. If hunters purchase additional deer and antelope licenses and donate more harvested deer and antelope to needy families through South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger (SDSAH), the result would be a win-win situation!
Hunters have been responding to these needs for increased deer and antelope harvest, and have increased meat donation especially in recent years. In 2009, 97,752 pounds of game meat were donated by hunters through SDSAH. This meat was a result of hunters donating 2,302 deer, 315 antelope, and part of one elk, as well as 3,200 pounds of meat through special game-meat food drives plus 5,929 pheasants.
South Dakota hunters have now donated more than 450,500 pounds of venison to needy families. That's 1,802,000 meals of meat for the hungry! However, we need even more help!
Click here to learn more about how you can help feed more families!