Statewide Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has launched a new program that connects hunters with other Iowans who want venison.
Mick Klemesrud with the DNR says the Iowa Deer Exchange allows hunters who want to keep hunting a way to provide high quality, lean protein directly to those in need.
“What we’ve done is create a database on our website where hunters can go and enter their information like what they are willing to provide, where they are located and that sort of thing,” Klemesrud said. “And then, somebody who is interested in receiving venison can also go in there and put their information saying, ‘I’d like some deer meat, and this is what I would like.’”
Klemesrud says recipients choose the condition that they want the meat when they register.
“There is a drop down menu that outlines all of that, whether it’s a boned out deer, a whole deer that’s been field dressed, or if they are looking for more processed deer like jerky or sausage, and then the amounts,” Klemesrud said. “Recipients have the ability to put in the information as to how long this offer is good for. Say if it’s good through the end of the year, there’s ways you can set that parameter up.”
Klemesrud adds the program includes an interactive map.
“They can identify the town or area that they live in so each side can kind of see where each other is,” he said. “Say the hunter is in Fremont County, they can place a dot in the middle of the county. People that live down in Fremont County can take a look at that and put their dot in there and try to connect that way.”
Once connected, the parties work out the details of the transfer. Donors are responsible for reporting the harvest and encouraged to properly care for the deer from the field to the recipient. It is illegal to sell venison in Iowa. The Iowa Deer Exchange is at iowadnr.gov.
