Some of the more than 13,000 deer harvested across the state in the hunting season Saturday will help feed thousands of hungry Arkansans. Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry expects donated deer meat to provide a million servings this year.
Although they accept all big game, Barringer warns: bag your kill legally. "These are illegally killed deer, and they are going to Kruse Meat Market. They came off of Fort Hood at three o'clock this morning, and the individual who shot them, he's still in jail," he says.
"Of course, the need is more now than it ever has been for the last couple of years with the economy the way it is," says Joey Hutchison with Kruse.
Hunters just have to fill out a form and can pay for processing if they'd like. It's tax deductible. "Meat's your most expensive item to buy in the store, and so, you know, that's a lot of savings to get to, you know, to have deer meat on the table," says Hutchison.
Hutchison and his crew are happy to help especially since most of the meat stays in Saline County. "Sometimes it creates extra work. We're glad to have it and just glad to be a part of it," he says.
When the program started in 2000, hunters donated 2500 pounds of meat. Last year, it grew to 46,000 pounds.
