During this season of Thanksgiving, sportsmen are sharing the bounty of our fields and forests in many ways. With the sluggish economy and household budgets being stretched, hunting is affordable and an economic way to put food on the table. There are numerous benefits to the local economy as well, and hunting has a very positive impact on state and national economic factors. Hunters also share their bounty in many ways in their local communities. Food banks need donations now more than ever. Hunters are providing much needed protein to Virginia’s needy families by donating a deer, or a portion of it, to Hunters for the Hungry. Through the generosity of Virginia hunters and many financial contributors this organization has been able to provide over 22 million quarter-pound servings of venison since the program began in 1991. Their goal for this year is to provide 370,000 pounds of venison to people in need in Virginia. If we are successful this will allow them to provide 1.48 million quarter-pound servings of lean nutritious meat. Hunters can also contribute by donating $2 or more to Hunters for the Hungry when they purchase their hunting licenses. Hunters that donate deer are not required to also pay the $40 tax deductible processing fee for the deer they donate. The non-hunting public is encouraged to donate money to Hunters for the Hungry to off-set the cost of processing the donated venison. Share the bounty in any way you can in this season when we give thanks for all the many blessings we share. There are numerous other ways for sportsmen to ‘give back’ to their sport, their neighbors and their communities featured in the articles throughout this edition. Best wishes to you and yours for a peaceful and rewarding Thanksgiving holiday. Link – http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2014/11/25/
David Coffman, Editor