Sask. program gathering donated deer meat for food bank

A group of community organizationsare huntingfor excessdeer meet to give tothe Prince Albert Food bank.

The Hunters With Hearts program isasking hunters and outfitters to donate their extra deer meat from the hunting season to help those who use the Prince Albert Food Bank.

• Hunters donate meat to Saskatoon Food Bank

"The need is huge," said Don Erhardt, who helped set up the program.

"It's a very worthwhile activity and exercise."

He saidsome deer can produce around 100 to 125 pounds of meat, depending on the deer's size and how the meat is processed.

"The program is designed for hunters to provide to us any excess that they may have," he said.

Erhardt said the program involves several organizations working together, from storing the meat to processing it.

"It's rewarding for us," he said.

"We do a number of things in the community to support conservation and wildlife and this is just another aspect of that."

"We're happy to do it and excitedabout it."

He said there are regulations for donating and each deer is tested for diseases.

The program is accepting deer meat donations from Nov. 1 to Dec. 6.

Details on how to donate can be found on the Prince Albert Wildlife Federation website.

Hunters With Hearts is a collaboration between Community Mobilization Prince Albert, Prince Albert Wildlife Federation, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Caribou Transport L.P. and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

- With files from CBCRadio's Saskatoon Morning