DOVER — The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish & Wildlife announced last week the list of private butcher shops accepting donated deer for the state’s Sportsmen Against Hunger Program during the 2015-16 Delaware deer hunting season.
All donated venison will be distributed to charitable groups participating in the program.
Last year, 18,016 pounds of venison from 604 deer donated by hunters was divided among 36 food pantries and shelters statewide, providing more than 72,000 meals for hungry Delawareans. Since it began in 1992, the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program has provided more than 1.7 million meals for needy Delawareans.
Hunters can take their deer directly to any of the participating private butcher shops found throughout the state, or they may drop off their deer at any of the DNREC-maintained walk-in coolers, as listed below.
Butcher shops
Sussex County: Johnson’s Custom Cutting, 21404 Burton Road, Milton. (302) 684-1790.
Dave’s Cut ‘Em Up, 6854 Delmar Road, Delmar. (302) 381-7257.
Ole McDonald’s, Farm Fresh Meats & Produce, 8977 DuPont Blvd., Lincoln. (302) 265-2321.
Kent County: Miller’s Butcher Shop, 577 Morgans Choice Road, Wyoming. (302) 697-8278.
D&J Custom Cutting, 89 Myers Drive, Hartly. (302) 492-0323.
New Castle County: Townsend Deer Butchering, 1300 Dexter Corner Road, Townsend. (302) 378-3268.
Cedar Hill Custom Deer Cutting, 738 Paddock Road, Smyrna. (302) 272-8916.
Marks Butcher Shop, 7296 Grantham Lane, (River Road Industrial Park), New Castle. (302) 229-0897
Coolers
DNREC-maintained coolers for donated deer are at:
Sussex County: Assawoman Wildlife Area, Frankford; Gumboro Community Center, Millsboro; Redden State Forest Headquarters, Georgetown, and Trap Pond State Park, Laurel.
Kent County: Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, Smyrna; Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area, Viola, and Mosquito Control Office, Milford.
New Castle County: Augustine Wildlife Area, Port Penn.
The coolers are checked frequently, and donated deer are taken to the Sussex Correctional Institution’s deer butchering program or to participating private butcher shops for processing. If a hunter donates a deer, the Division of Fish & Wildlife requests that the hunter please call the phone number posted on the cooler, so that the deer is transported for processing in a timely manner.
Hunters are reminded that any deer dropped off at a cooler also must be field-dressed and registered, with the registration number written on the field tag attached to the animal.
All deer taken in Delaware must be registered through the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Hunter and Trapper Registration system. Deer hunters are encouraged to access the system using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt. Those who prefer to talk to a live customer service representative can call (855) 335-4868.
For more information on hunting in Delaware, go to 2015-2016 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide on the website. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, and from license agents throughout the state.
For more information on the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program, please visit Sportsmen Against Hunger, or contact Bill Jones, Kent County regional wildlife Manager, (302) 284-4795. For deer information, please contact Joe Rogerson, species conservation and research program manager, at (302) 735-3600.