Hunting success can help feed the hungry

I've spotted more deer fawns this year than I ever remember seeing in a single season. By all indications, this should result in particularly good deer harvest availability for the next few years — not that we were lacking deer numbers. While many hunters strive to take that trophy buck, antlerless deer offer a great way to fill the freezer … but maybe it's a good time to consider the big picture of hunger in our communities. More than 38.3 million Americans suffer from critical hunger every day. That includes the 1 in 6 children lacking the daily nutrition required for healthy growth. Did you know that since 1997, a small group of men and women from around the country have helped to provide 22,500,000 meals to those in need? Did you know that this effort flies under the radar of most news reports? That's what Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry have been doing since its inception. The organization was birthed through one experience. Rick Wilson was driving down a country road one evening when he came upon a woman struggling to load a road-hit deer into her car. Upon stopping to see if he could help, Wilson discovered that she hadn't hit the battered buck but had found it dead along the roadside. She explained that the freshly hit deer would help provide the meat for her family which she couldn't afford to purchase. She said she saw that deer as God's gift, one that she couldn't afford to waste. Wilson, a religious man, helped the woman load the deer and drove away. That family's needs and the woman's words struck him deeply. He believed he was put there for a reason, that he was being guided to act. With this invigorating passion to take action, Rick Wilson worked to bring farmers and hunters together to help feed their hungry neighbors. That vision has now grown into a nationwide effort that unites volunteers across America to provide healthy protein, free of charge, to food banks in local communities. To do this, FHFH encourages hunters across the country to donate deer and elk to the program. Farmers can also donate deer harvested using special permits that were issued to help prevent damage to their crops while also being able to donate livestock. Those donations are professionally processed at a discounted rate by an FHFH approved local butcher. Local charities, food banks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters pick up and distribute the nutritious meat to those who need it, a product that's often one of the most needed and most expensive for food banks to obtain. Generous harvest regulations for deer lend the ability for hunters to donate all or a portion of their harvested deer to help those who are experiencing the pain of hunger. While you were not with Rick Wilson when he was inspired by a struggling family along a back road, that same comfort of giving without the desire for notoriety or return is there for you. Whether hunter, farmer, butcher, or someone willing to donate or volunteer — you can help put a smile onto so many faces. Today, FHFH programs are overseen by volunteer coordinators. They connect with participating butcher shops, charity feeding programs, and donors to provide local hunters and farmers with the opportunity to feed the needy of their communities. FHFH cannot accept meat products outside of their certified list of processors. In northwest Ohio, there is quite a gap between available butchers that help with processing for the program. Hancock County resident Isaac Feeney is the FHFH coordinator for Hancock, Putnam and Wood counties. He helps direct donations appropriately. He can be contacted by phone 419-670-3959 or by email at huntingbusinessman@gmail.com I contacted Isaac about the nearest available participating butcher and he confirmed that there are none currently enrolled in Hancock or Putnam counties. If you would like to donate all or a portion of your deer harvests, you can contact these FHFH cooperators: Fort Defiance Meats, Inc., 1214 South Clinton St., Defiance. Phone: 419-784-2982. And St. Mary's Meats, 13917 Ohio 64, Swanton. Phone: 419-644-3461. There are also cooperative butchers in Celina (Greens Meats) and in Bellview (Bellview Meats). According to Isaac, the closest butcher, Defiance Meats, typically receives about 30 donated deer each year, yielding approximately 55 to 60 pounds of venison each. That equates to roughly 1,700 pounds of much needed food being given to six local pantries in Defiance County. In addition, financial contributions enable FHFH to pay for meat processing so that hunters and farmers may participate at no charge. Butchers often provide a discounted rate when processing donations. Financial donations can be given to help in a particular local area by including the area's name or code (for Hancock, Putnam, Wood Counties — use OH-36) when donating online or by mail to: FHFH, PO Box 323, Williamsport, MD 21795. To learn more, visit Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry at feedingthehungry.org "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." — Anne Frank Along the way Like a lot of folks, I like to fish. With that said, sometimes sloppy anglers can really get under my skin. During my career, I've hidden and waited for countless hours for people to leave their trash behind. Once they began their vamoose, my job was to intercept them and offer a succinct explanation of the litter laws. Of all the cans, bottles and assorted trash I've watched left behind or tossed into the water, the worst was old fishing line stripped from a reel. More than a few gulls, herons, waterfowl, and non-avian critters end up tangled in these messes and their death is slow and unpleasant. Early this August, an osprey got tangled up in discarded fishing line at Attwood Lake Park, an area found in Tuscarawas and Carroll counties. A local resident spotted the bird as it struggled in a tree, unable to fly or free itself. A rescue mission was formulated, led by Atwood Park Staff, Muskingum Watershed Conservation District Rangers, Dellroy Fire Department, and DH Land Clearing. Working together, they managed to safely reach the badly wrapped osprey and cut away the entangling line. The bird was transported to the Stark County Park District's Conservation Center where it is being cared for to ensure its health and well-being. "The Osprey is doing fairly well," said Stephon Echague, Animal Care Supervisor at the Center. "He has a swollen leg where the fishing line was wrapped, but he can put weight on it, so that is a good sign. He will see the vet … and is currently receiving fluids and being well-fed. If all goes well, and he continues to show positive improvements, we will look forward to releasing him back into the wild soon." Fishing line should always be discarded properly. If you decide to toss it out on the ground or leave it laying at your favorite fishing hole, don't expect any sympathy from the officer that sees you do it … or the judge that sees you later. Step outside •Through Aug.-31: Applications for the Hancock Park District's Hunting-with-Permission Lottery. Entries must be received by Aug. at 4:30 p.m. Individuals must register online at HancockParks.com under "Park News." The season for hunting Litzenberg Memorial Woods will be Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, 2024. Additional information can be found online at HancockParks.com under "Park News." You may also contact the park office during business hours, Monday through Friday: 419-425-7275. •Tuesday: UCOA Summer 50-Bird Trap and Wobble Trap Shootout, UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Event consists of 25 trap targets and 25-birds wobble trap targets, all at16-yards. Traps open 5 p.m. $20 per round. Public welcome. Contact: Sandy Thomas, sandthm@aol.com. •Thursday: Trap and Skeet Practice, open to the public. 4 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. •Aug. 19: Bratwurst Sporting Clays Fun Shoot, Elkhorn Lake Hunt Club, 4146 Klopfenstein Rd, Bucyrus. $70 per shooter includes a 100-bird Sporting Clays round, one ticket per target broken toward door prizes and bratwurst lunch. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Shotgun start 10 a.m. If able, call or email ahead to advise who will be shooing and if you have a full squad (four shooters). This will help with registration and food planning. Contact: 419-5626131 or email elkhorn@elkhornlakehuntclub.com •Aug. 20: 75-Bird Trap Shoot, practice opens 11:30 a.m., program begins 12:30 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Public welcome. Contact: Sandy Thomas, sandthm@aol.com •Aug. 26: 3-D Archery Match, mixed animal targets. Field and Stream Bowhunters; 11400 Allen Township 109, Findlay. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Contact: Harold Spence, 419-423-9861. •Sept. 12 (Tuesday): Fall Trap League Begins and will last for six consecutive weeks, 4:30 p.m. A seventh week will be a Fun Night Shoot. This is for 5-person teams so it's time to get your team together. Open to the public. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. For information, contact: Kevin Thomas, 419-722-5063, or Sandy Thomas 419-722-2441. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com