Gunlaws.com

PHOENIX, AZ --(Ammoland.com)- The lamestream media told you: Nothing. But it does frequently refer to the benign life-saving wonderful efforts of environmentally sensitive animal lovers in PETA.

The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that: “NEWTOWN, Conn. — When you’re feasting on holiday meals and leftovers, here’s a story to tell — one that would not be possible without the thoughtfulness and generosity of hunters.

“A new study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and conducted by Mile Creek Communications reveals that last year 11 million meals were provided to the less fortunate through donations of venison by hunters. Nearly 2.8 million pounds of game meat made its way to shelters, food banks and church kitchens and onto the plates of those in need.

” Given our challenging economic times, hunters’ donations of venison have never been more important to so many people,’ said Stephen L. Sanetti, president and CEO of NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. ‘These contributions are just one way hunting and hunters are important to our way of life in America. Learning about these impressive figures makes me proud to be a hunter. I have donated game meat during the past year, and I urge my fellow hunters to strongly consider sharing their harvest. ”

” These figures are from confirmed sources, but annual donations could easily be double this amount if direct donations from hunters to friends and family are included,’ said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF’s director of statistics and research.”

Often overlooked by animal “rights” radicals is the fact that laws typically make it illegal to let any edible portion of harvested game go to waste. Urban dwellers are often unaware that meat does not come from a foam tray covered in plastic wrap.

About GunLaws.com:
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Bloomfield Press, founded in 1988, is the largest publisher and distributor of gun-law books in the country. Our website, gunlaws.com, features a free national directory to gun laws and relevant contacts in all states and federally, along with our unique line of related books and DVDs. “After Your Shoot” for media review is available on request, call 800-707-4020. Our authors are available for interview, call to schedule. Call for cogent positions on gun issues, informed analysis on proposed laws, talk radio that lights up the switchboard, fact sheets and position papers. As we always say, “It doesn’t make sense to own a gun and not know the rules.” Visit: www.gunlaws.com

Gun Rights Policies with John Snyder

Arlington, VA -“Hunters throughout the United States demonstrate genuine charity during these tough economic times,” gun law expert John M. Snyder noted here today. He’s the Gun Dean, according to Human Events.

“Although it may not be known generally, hunters provide millions of pounds of game meat each year to our less fortunate brethren,” he added.

Snyder pointed to a study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and conducted by Mile Creek Communications. According to it, last year 11 million meals were provided to the less fortunate. These came through donations of venison by hunters. The study indicated that nearly 2.8 million pounds of game meat got through to church kitchens, shelters and food banks, making its way to the plates of those in need.

Snyder noted, “These figures represent only the officially reported acts of charity. Hunters contributed more venison on an individual basis.

“Most states have programs under which hunters can bring their donations to centers that process and distribute them. According to one report, the meat from a single deer can feed up to 200 people.”

Snyder said, “These are difficult times for our country. Many people face critical situations. Reports indicate that Census Bureau figures on the numbers of poor and nearly poor people in the United States startle many of the experts.

“The practical charity shown by men and women who are hunters in our country is heartwarming and uplifting indeed. This year, hopefully, more than 2.8 million pounds of game meat will be donated by our hunters to those in need.”

“This is important to consider as we prepare for Thanksgiving and for the Christmas season,” he added.

www.GunRightsPolicies.org

About John Snyder:
Named the Gun Dean by Human Events, “the senior rights activist in Washington” by Shotgun News, a “champion of the right to self-defense” by The Washington Times, and “dean of gun lobbyists” by The Washington Post and The New York Times, John M. Snyder has spent 45 years as a proponent of the individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms as a National Rifle Association editor, public affairs director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, treasurer of the Second Amendment Foundation, and founder of www.GunRightsPolicies.org.

A former Jesuit seminarian, Snyder is founder/manager of Telum Associates, LL.C., founder/chairman of the St. Gabriel Possenti Society, Inc., a director of Council for America, and serves on the boards of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens. He is also the author of the book Gun Saint. Visit: www.GunRightsPolicies.org

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- County wildlife damage staff across the state are gearing up to roll out this season’s deer donation program.

The DNR deer donation website will be updated as venison processors sign on, and these processors will be ready to accept deer when their information is posted.

This year, the program will extend until Monday, January 9, 2012 as the last day to donate a deer.

We expect to have about the same number of processors as last year. Nearly half of all licensed Wisconsin venison processors participate in the program.

Wisconsin has a network of venison donation efforts including Hunt for the Hungry, which operates in the Green Bay area, Target Hunger, which handles donations from the CWD Management Zone, and the Wisconsin Deer Donation Program, which covers all remaining areas of the state. USDA Wildlife Services staff also help administer the programs in 49 counties.

Wisconsin Venison Donation Program

Deer taken in the CWD Zone and registered with a red metal tag may be donated to participating processors in the Target Hunger program. These processors are located within or near the CWD Zone. Deer donated to Target Hunger will be tested for CWD, and only negative-tested deer will be processed for food pantries.

Groups supporting Target Hunger include:

• • Southwest Community Action Program, Dodgeville
• • Community Action, Inc., Janesville
• • Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Madison
• • Central WI Community Action Coalition, Wisconsin Dells

Since the program began in 2000, hunters have donated over 77,000 deer, which were processed into over 3.5 million pounds of ground venison. The voluntary venison processing donation code added to the ALIS system in 2002 has netted more than $127,000 from some 40,000 hunters. Hunters, you can help feed needy people throughout Wisconsin this fall by taking 5 simple steps:

• Donate any legally harvested deer taken outside the Chronic Wasting Disease Zone by dropping it off at a participating processor by January 9, 2012. Deer taken outside the CWD Zone are registered with a silver metal tag. Only silver tagged deer may be donated to this program.
• Field dress the deer and register it at a Wisconsin DNR registration station prior to donating the deer. • Call First! Contact one of the participating processors before dropping the deer off to verify the processor has space to accept your deer.
• Donate the entire deer to receive the processing for free. (Head and/or antlers may be removed for mounting.) Please handle the carcass as if it were destined for your own table. A couple bags of ice placed in the cavity will help preserve the carcass in warm weather.
• When dropping your deer off at a processor, please sign the simple log sheet indicating your desire to donate the deer. We’ll do the rest. The donated deer will be processed and the venison will be distributed to charitable organizations to help feed Wisconsin’s needy.

Hunters are encouraged to make the switch to non-toxic (non-lead) ammunition to eliminate exposure to lead in venison. Page 21 of the 2011 Deer Hunting Regulation booklet lists important information to reduce potential exposure to lead in venison and web links to find copper bullets and non-toxic ammunition for hunting. Although lead in venison does not rival lead paint in older homes as a health risk for the public, the risk is not low enough to ignore.

Please Check our website for updates. Information on participating processors will be updated as soon as processors are signed up, and can be found here: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/ damage/donation/mainindex.htm.

Outdoor Writers of Ohio Presents Award to FHFH

FHFH.org

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Ohio Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry was presented the Bruce Dawson Memorial Award by the Out-door Writers of Ohio at their 72nd Annual Awards Banquet held at Mohican State Park in Ohio on May 14, 2011.

In the photo above, the $500.00 Bruce Dawson Award for Ohio FHFH is being presented by Jim Morris of the Outdoor Writers of Ohio to Dennis Derflinger, Coordinator for Wayne County, Ohio FHFH.

The Bruce Dawson Memorial Award was created after the death of Mr. Bruce Dawson, a past president of O.W.O., and honors Ohio groups with a plaque and cash that is presented at the O.W.O. spring convention.

Consideration for the award is given to applicants from any non-profit organization involved with habitat, teaching kids about the outdoors (including shooting sports), promoting outdoor and boating safety, helping animals and those working with divisions of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

About:
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) is an outreach ministry of the people of God called upon to feed venison to the hungry among us nationwide. Visit FHFH.org

South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- January brings a great opportunity for Sportsmen to help those in need.

This time of year brings a number of reasons to celebrate.

For many of us, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day are spent relaxing with family and friends and partaking in good food and holiday cheer; however, there are those who are not as fortunate and struggle to make ends meet, especially at Christmas time.

These past few years have been especially difficult due to economic conditions. As a result, putting nutritious food on the table is a daily challenge. In fact nearly 1 in 7 – or 100,000 people – in our state seek assistance from the food banks and almost half of those are children.

In 2006, a dedicated group of sportsmen formed South Dakota Sportsmen Against Hunger to provide individuals and families with some desperately needed food by harvesting abundant deer and antelope in our state, paying for processing costs and distributing the meat through the food banks and pantries across the state.

Distributing the processed meat through these organizations guarantees that this food will go to those with the most critical need. Sportsmen have been a significant component in the success of the program and with their help we hope to exceed our goal of delivering over 100,000 pound of venison this year.

“You as sportsmen can help us reach our goal this season,” Jeff Olson, president of the Sportsmen Against Hunter association, said.

“On New Year’s day and extending through Jan. 9 2011, unused South Dakota deer and antelope licenses for 2010 will convert to antlerless licenses. As a sportsman who cares, you can help those less fortunate by filling your unused tags and taking those animals to a participating SAH meat processor.”

There are also unsold licenses in many units that can be purchased and used in this antlerless season. Another benefit is that it may help reduce damage to stored feed experienced by farmers and ranchers who have concentrations of these animals on their land.

“January 1st happens to be on a Saturday this year so it is a great time to get out do some hunting on the weekend. Please take the time in early 2010 to help those in need,” Olson said.

For more information about South Dakota Sportsmen Against hunger, and to find a list of participating processors in your area, go to our web page at www.feedtheneedsd.com.

Deer Meat Ginger Onion Feeds the Hungry

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The Wisconsin Venison Donation Program and its affiliates, Hunt for the Hungry and Target Hunger along with more than 140 participating meat processors, are ready to accept and distribute extra venison donated by hunters.

A list of participating meat processors is available on the Department of Natural Resources website.

In this, the program’s 11th year, there are participating meat processors in 65 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. In 10 years, hunters have donated more than 73,000 deer providing 3.3 million pounds of venison to food pantries across the state.

“Hunters have been generous providers in this program,” said Laurie Fike, venison program coordinator,

“but it has been the volunteers who have put a shoulder to the wheel and accomplished the huge job of distributing the product to the pantries, making it available to families needing some food assistance.”

In the southern Wisconsin CWD management zone, Target Hunger has taken on the task of making the program work smoothly. It involves a partnership of community action groups including Southwest Community Action Program (Dodgeville), Community Action, Inc., Janesville, Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Madison, and Central Wisconsin Community Action Coalition, Wisconsin Dells. Hunt for the Hungry operates the program in the Green Bay area.

Additionally, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Wildlife Services staff help administer the program in 49 counties.
How to donate

For hunters, the process for donating a deer hasn’t changed. There is no charge to the hunter except for transporting the deer.

There only a few simple steps:

• Field dress the deer and register it at a Wisconsin DNR registration station prior to donating the deer.
• Call First! Contact one of the participating processors before dropping the deer off to verify the processor has space to accept your deer.
• Deer legally harvested outside the CWD management zone are registered with a silver metal tag. These deer can be dropped off at a participating processor by Jan. 10, 2011.
• Deer harvested in the CWD management zone are registered with a red metal tag. Red-tagged deer can only be donated to a processor participating in the Target Hunger program. Donated red-tagged deer are tested for CWD and only deer that test negative will go out to pantries.
• Donate the entire deer to receive the processing for free. (Head and/or antlers may be removed for mounting.)
• When dropping a deer off at a processor, sign the simple log sheet indicating your desire to donate the deer and the donated deer will be processed and the venison will be distributed to charitable organizations to help feed Wisconsin’s needy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Fike – (608) 267-7974

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH –-(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio deer hunters have donated more than 95,500 pounds of venison to local food banks so far this deer season, according to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The 95,500 pounds equals approximately 382,000 meals for needy Ohioans. To date, 1,910 deer have been donated with plenty of deer hunting opportunity left in the 2009-10 season. Last year at this time, 671 deer had been donated representing 33,550 pounds of venison.

Last year FHFH collected 54,800 pounds of venison from 1,096 deer through the entire season, from September 2008 to February 1, 2009.

“I applaud Ohio hunters for their generosity and continue to encourage them to donate what they can so Ohio’s food pantries will receive the nutritious red meat they so desperately need,” said David M. Graham, chief of the Division of Wildlife.

Hunters still have a weekend of deer-gun hunting, December 19-20, and eight weeks of archery hunting; the archery season remains open until February 7, 2010. The statewide muzzleloader deer-hunting season will be held January 9-12, 2010.

FHFH.org

The Division of Wildlife collaborated with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) in an effort to assist with the processing costs associated with donating venison to a food bank. A $100,000 subsidy grant was provided in two $50,000 allotments that are to be matched with funds generated or collected by FHFH. The division subsidized this year’s FHFH operation as an additional deer management tool, helping wildlife managers encourage hunters to kill more does.

Venison donated to food banks must be processed by a federal, state or locally inspected and insured meat processor that is participating with FHFH. Hunters wishing to donate their deer to a food bank are not required to pay for the processing of the venison as long as the program has funds available to cover the cost. There are presently 65 participating meat processors across the state. A list is provided at www.fhfh.org.

Currently there are 33 local chapters across the state with a need for more. Anyone interested in becoming a local program coordinator or a participating meat processor should visit the “Local FHFH” page at www.fhfh.org. The Web page includes a current list of coordinators, program names and the counties they serve.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.

Ohio Division of Wildlife

XENIA, OH –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Southwest Ohio Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) along with Shawnees Outdoorsmen Association and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife donated venison to several Southwest Ohio food pantries in recent weeks.

Hunters wishing to donate their deer to a food bank are, in most cases, required to pay for the processing of the venison. Organizations, such as Safari Club International, local conservation clubs and private meat processors, have helped absorb the cost of deer processing in some areas.

These efforts have resulted in recent donations of nearly 400 lbs. of venison in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties. Food pantries generally receive very little red meat donations. Any monetary donations they do receive are then used to buy meat. The monies cannot be used for administrative fees and the food pantries and banks are run by volunteers, not paid employees.

The Southwest Ohio Chapter of Safari Club International has funded venison donations in this area of the state for more than 10 years through their Hunters Feeding the Hungry program. A total of 200 lbs. was distributed to needy families in a five-county area the first week of December.

This year the Shawnee Outdoorsmen Association, in Adams County, also paid for deer processing. Almost 200 lbs. of venison was distributed locally prior to Thanksgiving through the New Life Fellowship of Adams County.

Hunters in Ohio will have plenty of opportunity to harvest multiple deer again this year during the 2009-2010 deer seasons. For more information on donating venison, visit www.wildohio.com. For information on the Southwest Ohio Chapter of Safari Club International, visit www.sciswo.org.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

Schumer: Tax Deduction For Hunters Who Donate Game Is A Win-Win-Win; Will Save Hunters Money, Fight Deer Overpopulation Rampant In The Hudson Valley And Help Feed The Hungry

New York State

New York – -(AmmoLand.com)- Processors Will Also Receive Important Tax Benefit To Make Processing Donated Venison More Affordable

Schumer: Hunting is an Economic Engine in New York State – Hunters and Processors Should be Rewarded For Helping the Community

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced his legislation providing a tax benefit to hunters who donate their processed venison to anti-hunger programs. Schumer’s legislation will allow hunters to take a tax deduction for the cost of processing their venison, when the final product is donated. The legislation will also provide a tax benefit to processors who participate in venison donation programs by making all processing income they receive from charities – or the state – tax exempt. Schumer said that this is a critical measure because the traditional venison donation programs have seen their funding levels decimated in recent years, and, in turn, the amount of venison donated has declined.

“The hunting, fishing and outdoor sporting industry is a bright spot in a dark economic time – and one that must be protected and allowed to grow,” said Schumer. “This legislation will provide hunters with an economic boost, combat overpopulation of deer and help the hungry all at the same time.”

Schumer’s legislation creates a tax deduction for a hunter that pays to process venison that will eventually be given to a feeding program. This simply means that if a hunter spends $65 processing the meat, he or she will be able to deduct that amount from his or her taxable income. The legislation also makes tax exempt any income received by a processor from a not-for-profit. Therefore, if a hunter were to bring in a deer to be processed and donated, and a tax exempt entity paid the processing fee, the processor would not have to pay taxes on that income. This would allow the charity’s dollars to go further because the processor could be reimbursed at a lower rate and still achieve the same after-tax income. This would allow more venison to go to charity per dollar, and allow more processors to take part.

Organizations, such as the Venison Donation Coalition, pay to process game that hunters bring to designated processors, so long as the final product is donated to a feeding program. Schumer said that these organizations are being stretched to the brink and are starved of funding. Up until 2 years ago the Venison Donation Coalition was funded by the state at $100,000 per year, last year it was funded at $75,000, and this year it was funded at $21,000. Donations have also dropped precipitously during the recession. Schumer’s legislation would help these organizations stretch every dollar further, and would also allow hunters to realize benefits even if they wanted to have donated meat processed at another facility.

Here is an example of how an organization like the Venison Donation Coalition would see a benefit Schumer’s legislation: A hunter brings a deer for processing to Joe’s Processing Center, with the intention of donating the venison to a feeding program. Under current law, the Venison Donation Coalition could pay the $65 processing fee to Joe’s Processing Center, and Joe’s, in turn would pay $10 of that in taxes to the government. Under Schumer’s bill, Joe’s wouldn’t have to pay the $10 in taxes, so the Venison Donation Coalition could pay Joe’s $55 instead. Joe would see the same end result from the transaction (a post-tax gain of $55), and the Venison Donation Coalition would have saved $10.

Schumer’s legislation would particularly benefit hunters in New York State where deer hunting is one of the most popular sporting opportunities and a critical component of the state’s economy and well being. Nearly 700,000 New Yorkers and over 50,000 nonresidents hunt in the Empire State contributing over $1.5 billion annually to the state’s economy and supporting thousands of jobs. Importantly, hunting is also a critical tool in managing overcrowded deer populations. According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s’ Bureau of Wildlife, there were more than 220,000 deer taken in New York State in 2008 with over 7,400 of them taken in Orange County, 3,700 in Ulster and 4,400 in Sullivan.

With so many deer roaming freely in New York, Hunters are needed to help maintain healthy herds and minimize the amount of annual deer damage. Every year, overpopulation of deer leads to damaged crops, landscape, and vehicles. Deer contribute to an estimated $250 million worth of damage annually and deer-car accidents consistently outnumber accidents caused by drunken driving. Five years ago, the Southeast region of New York ranked the worst in terms of deer-related damage at $68 per acre, three times greater than the statewide number. Hunters can help minimize these costs by safely and legally managing these wildlife populations to prevent crop and environmental damage.

With the current state of the economy, the donation of venison has become increasingly important and the impact that the hunters have in the fight against hunger has grown. At the same time, the Venison Donation Coalition has seen its funding slashed. In order for these types of programs to continue to flourish, the Venison Donation Coalition, and groups like it need a boost. Individuals can support the Venison Donation Coalition by making a contribution when they purchase a hunting license or by visiting the coalition’s website at www.venisondonation.com

In an effort to take some of the burden off of these coalitions and support hunters across the state, Schumer today announced that he introducing legislation to create tax deductions for hunters and processors who donate their game to the hungry.

Schumer’s legislation will support hunters, a major economic engine in the state; raise the profile of venison donation programs; provide a reward to hunters and processors for helping their community; and help people in a time of need.