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Hunters Show Thanksgiving Charity, notes Gun Dean

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

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NSSF Study: Hunters Donate 11 Million Venison Meals
Food banks and individuals are thankful for such generosity.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- When you’re passing the turkey and stuffing around the Thanksgiving dinner table, 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.”

The study revealed that donations were largest in the Midwest and the South. The Midwest provided 1.3 million pounds of game meat, amounting to 46.1 percent of total donations, with the South close behind at 1.25 million pounds and 45.7 percent. The Northeast contributed 7.2 percent of total donations and the West 1 percent. Though lower than other regions, the West’s contribution still accounted for 108,520 meals.

“Certainly the Midwest, South and Northeast benefit from having large populations of white-tailed deer,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF’s director of statistics and research. “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.”

Curcuruto added that NSSF commissioned the study to better understand the size and scope of these venison donations.

Groups often cooperate to ensure a successful donation program. In Georgia, according to the Athens Banner Herald, the Georgia Wildlife Federation pays for the meat to be butchered and packaged at state-licensed processors, the state Department of Natural Resources oversees the program and the Georgia Food Bank Association coordinates distributions. Additionally, the game meat satisfies shelters’ need for nutritious food items. Dave Williams, who manages food resources for a northeast Georgia food bank, said in the Banner Herald that he is focused on acquiring more nutritious items and noted, “Deer venison is such a low-fat, high-protein item, agencies greatly appreciate getting it.”

Another recent news report out of the Indiana-Kentucky-Illinois area pointed out that one deer can feed up to 200 people. Ground venison is a versatile food, with cooks using it in pasta sauces, chili, tacos, meatloaf, burgers and other dishes.

Individual hunters donate game meat and even pay for processing, though many hunters choose to work with organizations dedicated to the cause of helping the hungry. Many of these groups were sources for the NSSF study and include Hunters for the Hungry, Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry, Hunt to Feed and Buckmasters, among others. Visit this website for more information about groups active in various states.

And don’t forget to tell this heartwarming story ’round your Thanksgiving table.

NSSF Venison Donations Chart

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

NSSF is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011. Learn about the Foundation’s history at www.nssf.org/50.

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