DNR Deer Donation Program
Carnival Deer Processing is pleased to be the only drop off processor this year in Kewaunee and Door County. Your venison will be donated to local pantries. Below is information from Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources website, abbreviated and customized for our site. For the full details, follow this link: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/donation.html
Deer Donation Program
Are you looking for a place to donate a deer near you? The Deer Donation Partners Program opens deer drop-off locations for the Gun Deer Season. This list gets updated throughout the season, so check out the Participating Processor list to see if a drop-off site is available in your area.
Hunters can help Wisconsinites in need by donating deer harvested in Wisconsin through the DNR’s deer donation program.
Venison from donated deer is processed and distributed to food pantries across the state. Since the program began in 2000, hunters have donated over 94,000 deer, which were processed into over 3.8 million pounds of ground venison.
Wisconsin has a network of venison donation partners, including county land and water conservation departments, food pantries, charitable organizations, Hunt for the Hungry, USDA – Wildlife Services and participating processors who all help implement and administer the program.
HOW TO DONATE YOUR WISCONSIN DEER
Hunters can donate any deer harvested legally in Wisconsin. Deer harvested outside Wisconsin cannot be donated. Deer harvested in a listed county affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD) must be tested for CWD before or at the time of donation (see below).
- Field dress your deer. Please handle the carcass as if it were destined for your table. A couple of bags of ice placed in the cavity will help preserve the carcass in warm weather.
- Register your deer. Make a note of your registration confirmation number, which you’ll need later. Kewaunee, Door, Manitowoc, Brown, Outagamie, and Calumet counties are still exempt from CWD testing. If your deer was harvested from one of the CWD-affected counties please ensure that you have completed the required CWD testing before donating.
- Drop off your deer at our facility- N9153 Cherry Tree Drive, Algoma- and place a numbered tag on it. Fill in a log sheet donation form from our check-in table, with your contact info and the tag number.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN DROPPING OFF YOUR DEER
Hunters can donate the entire deer free of charge and retain the head and/or antlers for mounting if desired. If you want us to cut and freeze the cape, or remove the antlers, there would be an additional charge.
When dropping your deer off at a processor, you will be asked to complete the 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.
