Deer Exchange Program Up and Running

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NGPC news release, 10/29/08:

LINCOLN, Neb. – Participants have begun signing up for the Deer Exchange, a pilot program of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission that allows for the transfer of deer meat from hunters to people who want to receive it.

A record deer harvest is expected this year. In an effort to thin the whitetail population, especially in eastern Nebraska, 87,000 antlerless whitetail bonus tags have been made available. Crop damage complaints and deer-vehicle collisions have increased along with the deer population.

The Deer Exchange is designed to accommodate the additional harvest of deer. Hunters who have filled their freezers may still bag a deer and have somewhere to take the meat.

This program is available through the Commission’s Web site, OutdoorNebraska.org. From that site, participants may link to a page that allows them to register, for free, as a donor of deer meat or a recipient. It also links to a page that allows for searches of registered participants by county.

The Deer Exchange page also has links to the following topic pages: Lead in Wild Game, How to Process Deer, List of Deer Processors, Frequently Asked Questions, Guide to Field Care and Home Processing, Recipes, and a Custody Tag.

As of Wednesday, at least 30 people have registered for the Deer Exchange in Lancaster County and 19 in Douglas County.

Participants eager to receive deer should note that it will take some time for a surplus of deer to accumulate. Last year, 48,000 deer were harvested during the nine-day November firearm season. The other 20,000 deer were taken between Sept. 15 and Jan. 15.

For more information on deer hunting or the Deer Exchange, or to buy a permit, go to OutdoorNebraska.org.