The mission of South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger is to encourage and facilitate donation of wild game meat to needy people in South Dakota.
Sportsmen Against Hunger: 30 Years and Counting
By: Ron Fowler, Field Director, Sportsmen Against Hunger, August 30, 2024
Much has happened with the South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger Program (SAH) in the last 30 years. Starting in 1993 the South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger (SDSAH) program was established by the Black Hills Sportsmen's Club in Rapid City through the leadership of Dr. Jeff Olson and Dr. Tom Krafka. SDSAH in South Dakota became part of an international Sportsmen Against Hunger network initiated by Safari Club International in 1989 as part of its Humanitarian Services mission of reaching out to people in need throughout the world. . The purpose of the SDSAH program was to encourage hunters to donate harvested game to needy families and to provide an easier means to do so.
Some highlights through the years include development of a plan in 2005, with help of a contracted consultant and encouragement from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP), to significantly expand SAH. The plan was to organize in 2006 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, establish a Board of Directors, develop bylaws, and form a mission statement which states “The mission of SAH is to encourage and facilitate donation of wild game meat to needy people in South Dakota.” Action then was to enlist participation by all game processors across the state, utilize the network of food pantries across the state through Feeding South Dakota (FSD), make all hunters aware of SDSAH and its benefits, and explore various means of obtaining funding.
Also in 2006, with financial support from GFP, a SAH Processing Certificate was created which would be available from processors to hunters who could use the Processing Certificated to help pay for processing of donated antlerless deer and doe/fawn antelope. This incentive for donating antlerless deer and doe/fawn antelope was to help GFP in management of over-populated deer and antelope populations. Bucks could be donated but hunters needed to pay the full processing cost.
Another new feature initiated in 2006 was creation of a check-off system by GFP whereby hunters could donate cash to SAH as part of either the online or paper application for big game licenses. These check-off funds, along with supplemental funding from GFP, were used to promote, administer and pay for, the Processing Certificates.
All donated game meat was to be ground into burger, packaged and frozen in special SAH burger bags, and delivered to public food pantries associated with Feeding South Dakota. In many cases the meat was taken to Feeding South Dakota Food Distribution Centers in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City where the meat was then made available to agency community food pantries for distribution to qualified families in need.
In 2008 a SAH website (www.feedtheneedsd.com) was created, and a SAH telephone toll-free hotline (800-456-2758) was established.
By 2010 the number of participating processors had increased to 50. In this peak year of game processors, game donations from hunters was also a peak which included 2,267 antlerless deer, 293 buck deer, 117 doe/fawn antelope, 23 buck antelope, and 3,646 pheasants. Plus, provision was made for salvage processing of game donated by GFP from depredation control and confiscation. And a game meat “Clean-Out-Your-Freezer” food drive in Rapid City added to donations. The total amount of processed donated game meat from all sources in 2010 increased to an all-time high of over 104,000 pounds.
A Canada goose donation program was initiated in 2011 with permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Processing certificates were made available to hunters to use in paying the full cost of processing donated Canada geese. In 2012 a fish donation program was started which provided for donation of walleye from the Governor’s Cup Walleye Fishing Tournament. And also starting in 2012 arrangements were made for salvage processing of deer and elk taken in special population management projects in areas where public hunting was not allowed such as in cities and certain federal properties.
The average number of processors participating in SAH varied from 35 to 40 since 2011 but in 2020 the number decreased to 15 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The effects included a sudden lack of help and many processors not processing game because of increased demand for private custom processing of domestic meat.
Also, some decrease in donation of deer in 2020 and 2021 was a result of a new SAH policy requiring all donated deer and elk harvested west of the Missouri River to be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). As a result of the testing three donated deer were positive for CWD and so the meat was destroyed. The CWD testing requirement was discontinued in 2022. In 2023, to inform clients of food pantries that the donated venison burger had not been tested for CWD, a “Notice” label was attached to all venison burger bags saying that “The venison in this package has not been tested for disease or lead contamination” leaving the choice of whether or not to take the meat up to the client.
Through 2023, total hunter donations since SAH becoming a nonprofit organization included 13,418 antlerless deer, 3,176 buck deer, 927 doe/fawn antelope, 126 buck antelope 35,373 Canada geese, and 40,572 pheasants. The total number of walleye donated was 2,721. Game meat from other sources, such as GFP confiscation and depredation control as well as city and federal government population reduction programs, which was donated and salvage processed included 2,736 deer, 225 elk, 13 antelope, and 2 moose. Also, “Clean-Out-Your-Freezer” game meat food drives resulted in hunter donation of 31,339 pounds of game meat.
So, in the last 30 years the total amount of game meat donated to poverty-level persons through SAH and public food pantries affiliated with Feeding South Dakota amounted to over 1,039,000 pounds which translates to over 4,500,000 meals of meat for persons in need.
Sportsmen Against Hunger Continues to Help With Food Donations
By: Michael Neary, Pierre Capitol Journal, August 23, 2023
As hunting season moves closer, Ron Fowler wants to remind people of the chance to donate game meat to people in need with the help of the South Dakota nonprofit organization, Sportsmen Against Hunger. It’s an organization that provides meat to food pantries associated with Feeding South Dakota.
Fowler, field director for Sportsmen Against Hunger, said the organization’s website lists the professional, licensed processors working with the organization. The hunter can take the game to a processor associated with the program, Fowler explained.
“Once it’s all processed, then I work with each processor to determine which pantry we want the meat to go to,” he said. Sometimes, he added, the meat goes to a Feeding South Dakota distribution center first and then is distributed as needed.
A report Fowler prepared noted that 18,022 pounds of game meat was donated in 2022. “This translates into over 72,000 meals of meat provided to families in need through food pantries associated with Feeding South Dakota,” he wrote.
Fowler’s report said most of the game meat came from donated deer, but it also included antelope, elk, Canada geese, pheasants and walleye. In the past, turkey and bighorn sheep have also been donated.
His report also chronicled a variety of sources.
“The donated deer came from not only hunters but also city deer reduction programs in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Ellsworth Air Force Base,” Fowler wrote. “The Department of Game, Fish and Parks provided salvageable deer from game violation confiscations and depredation control programs.”
Fowler’s report said Canada geese taken by hunters during the August and September Canada goose seasons, along with pheasants donated by private shooting preserve hunters and hunters in the Governor’s Pheasant Hunt, also fueled the donations. He mentioned, too, “fishermen and fisherwomen in the Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament donated all of the walleye.”
And he added that “other donated game meat was provided by a game meat food drive in Rapid City and from game processors who provided unclaimed processed meat.”
Fowler’s report also described an incentive Sportsmen Against Hunger has developed in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks for hunters to donate “harvested antlerless deer and Canada geese.” He noted “processing certificates were available from SAH game processors for hunters to fill out and give back to the processor to pay for most or all of the processing fee.”
He said hunters need to pay the fee for charges above the certificate’s value, “or for donated bucks and other game.”
Fowler said, during the interview, that he works hard to let people know about the chance to donate through a variety of means, from media outlets to word of mouth.
“It’s a matter of getting the awareness out there,” he said. “Every year for the ones that donated, I send a thank you letter to thank them for donating and to spread the word about the mission of Sportsmen Against Hunger of getting game meat to needy families. We encourage hunters to take what they want for themselves, but if they have the opportunity and the licenses to take extra game beyond their own need, (they can) donate to Sportsmen Against Hunger so the meat can go to needy families.”
Fowler recalled the way his involvement with South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger got started. In the early 1990s, he explained, Dr. Jeff Olson and Dr. Tom Krafka, in Rapid City, had begun a group designed to help hunters and fishers donate some the food they catch to local food pantries.
I retired from the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks in 2004,” Fowler said in the interview, “I had heard about Dr. Olson trying develop this Sportsmen Against Hunger program, and knew what the basic mission was, and it seemed to fit with something that I would like to do in retirement from Game, Fish, and Parks, and so I spent some time with Dr. Olson and Dr. Krafka outlining a statewide program – all the things that would be involved.”
So I helped develop that,” he continued, “and started working under contract with them to implement the program.”
Fowler said the primary source of funding for the organization comes from hunter donations made when hunters apply for their hunting licenses. The application includes a donation option.
People interested in the program can call 800-456-2758 or visit www.FeedtheNeedeSD.com. The website includes lists of processors hunters can contact in order to donate game.
Sportsmen Against Hunger Continues Variety of Game Donations
By: Ron Fowler, Field Director, Sportsmen Against Hunger, August 1, 2023
Donations of game meat to families in need through Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) again included a variety of game this past year. The largest amount of processed game meat came from donated deer but also donated were antelope, elk, Canada geese, pheasants and even walleye. In the past, turkey and bighorn sheep have also been donated.
In terms of numbers of game donated in 2022, there were 455 deer, 1,499 pheasants, 2,466 Canada geese, 2 antelope, 2 elk and 518 walleye. Processing of the deer, antelope and elk by the 25 participating game processors resulted in 13,164 pounds of venison burger, and processing of the Canada geese resulted in 3,030 pounds of goose burger. When adding in the 842 pounds of cleaned pheasants, 356 pounds of cleaned walleye and 630 pounds of game meat from a food drive and from processor unclaimed meat, the grand total was 18,022 pounds of donated game meat. This translates into over 72,000 meals of meat provided to families in need through food pantries associated with Feeding South Dakota.
Not only have a number of different kinds of game been donated but it has come from a variety of sources. The donated deer came from not only hunters but also city deer reduction programs in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Ellsworth Air Force Base. The Department of Game, Fish and Parks provided salvageable deer from game violation confiscations and depredation control programs. Donated Canada geese were taken by hunters during the August and September Canada goose seasons while pheasants were donated by private shooting preserve hunters and hunters in the Governor’s Pheasant Hunt. Fishermen and fisherwomen in the Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament donated all of the walleye. Other donated game meat was provided by a game meat food drive in Rapid City and from game processors who provided unclaimed processed meat.
As SAH continues to look for a variety of donated game from a variety of sources, the primary focus of SAH is still to encourage hunters to donate game, especially deer and Canada geese. In cooperation with the Department of Game, Fish and Parks, incentive for hunters to donate harvested antlerless deer and Canada geese is provided by having processing certificates available from SAH game processors for hunters to fill out and give back to the processor to pay for most or all of the processing fee. For any charge above the value of the processing certificate, or for donated bucks and other game, the hunter will need to pay the fee.
With hunting seasons approaching, SAH anticipates another successful year of game donations. The donated game meat is in great demand and much appreciated by food pantries and their clients who depend on the pantries as a source of nutritious game meat.
Sportsmen Against Hunger Changes Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Policy
By: Ron Fowler, Field Director, Sportsmen Against Hunger, August 19, 2022
Due to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) being found by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks in deer and elk in many counties of central and western South Dakota, Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) required testing of donated deer and elk harvested by hunters in these areas the last two years. However, testing results indicated a very small percentage of the deer tested positive for CWD. With the low CWD occurrence rate, and since public health officials have found no link between CWD and any neurological disease in humans, SAH is no longer requiring testing of donated deer and elk for CWD.
When adding to this the knowledge that hunters do not knowingly harvest sick animals, and game processors do not process meat which does not appear healthy, the risk of processed donated deer and elk meat being diseased or contaminated is extremely low.
Since there is still some degree of risk, SAH is putting a “Notice” label on the SAH burger bags of donated venison to say that the venison has not been tested for disease or lead contamination. This will let clients of food pantries, where the donated venison is made available to families in need, decide for themselves if they want to take and eat the meat.
Even with the requirement that hunters who took deer or elk from out-of-state or the CWD endemic area of West River South Dakota had to have their animal tested for CWD before it could be donated, the number of animals donated remained high. In 2021 a total of 152 deer were donated by 134 hunters.
Other game donated by sportswomen and sportsmen last year included 7 antelope, 258 pheasants, 2,417 Canada geese, and 480 walleye. With the additional salvage processing of elk and deer, such as from the Rapid City deer reduction program, the total amount of donated processed game meat last year was 18,615 pounds.
Adding this amount to historical donations since inception in 1993, Sportsmen Against Hunger along with sportswomen and sportsmen, Department of Game, Fish and Parks, participating game processors, and food pantries associated with Feeding South Dakota has now been responsible for over one million pounds of game meat being provided to poverty-level families. This translates into four million meals of meat for these families in need.
South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger Program Reaches Milestone
By: Jeff Olson, Chair, South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger, May 2, 2022
More than one million pounds of wild game has been donated to families in need since the program began in 1993. One pound of venison burger can feed a meal to a family of four. This correlates to over four million meals fed to these people who are food insecure throughout the state of South Dakota.
It certainly takes a village and many great agencies who have worked together to make this happen but the number one group to thank for reaching this goal are the sportsmen of our state. They do not only help provide the game but also provide funds to help in the processing through the SAH Processing Certificate Program. Please keep up the great work because we still have a long way to go to meet the need of hunger in South Dakota. One in nine individuals are food insecure according to one of our great partners, Feeding South Dakota.
The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission and the Department are an integral part of making this all happen each year. Rapid City and Sioux falls also contribute deer burger to SAH through herd reductions within city limits. Sharpshooters provided 6400 pounds in Rapid City this year in which the City, Black Hills Sportsmen Club and SD Sportsmen Against Hunger provided funds to pay for the processing.
While most of the meat comes in the form of burger, we also take in lots of other wild game. Roosters, geese, antelope, walleye and even an occasional elk. We have food drives that will take frozen food items. A primary food shortage is fresh meat, which is in high demand and difficult to obtain. Game meat is nutritional in value in having low fat and high protein content.
Our primary expense is the cost of processing, and we thank all our processors that process these deer, antelope and geese at a reduced rate. We are also fortunate to have corporate sponsors. Walmart, the Elmen Foundation and Scheels have been with us for a long time.
The South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger Board of Directors, along with many South Dakotans that benefit from this program, would like to thank everyone who has donated meat and funds to support our efforts to help end hunger in South Dakota. We also want to thank the meat processors, Feeding South Dakota and the SD Game Fish and Parks organization. Without them, this program would not succeed.
Now, let us start on working on our second million pounds.