The Hunters Against Hunger program, a partnership between Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Montana Food Bank Network, allows hunters to donate part or all of their legally harvested big game animals to be processed free of charge. The meat is then provided directly to a nearby food pantry in the area.

Hunters and others can also donate money to the Montana Food Bank Network to support its mission, which “is to end hunger in Montana through food acquisition and distribution, education and advocacy,” according to its website.

Big game donations (deer, elk, antelope, moose and wild buffalo) can only be accepted as part of the program by authorized participating meat processors set up around the state. Only legally harvested or confiscated big game animals can be donated. No road kill can be donated.

The participating processor nearest to Lincoln County is Pat’s Wild Game in Trout Creek. Donations left there are sent to the Community Services Fellowship and Community Harvest Food Bank

Since its inception in 2014, over 130,000 pounds of meat has been donated through the program and distributed to Montanans struggling with food insecurity through 29 local food pantry sites. Meat is extremely expensive for food pantries to provide, yet a highly nutritious resource for their clients.

To offset the cost of processing, hunters purchasing a Montana hunting license are given the opportunity to make a monetary donation to this program.

Learn more at mfbn.org/hunters-against-hunger/.