$1 sucharge on deer license for food shelf processing-What do you think?

[BLACKJACK]

Its been proposed that $1 be added to the cost of each deer license to set up revenue source to pay for butchering costs for extra deer that hunters would shoot and donate to food shelves, the money would go to cover the processing costs at butcher shops. What do you think of the idea?

Personally, I'm undecided. The extra couple of dollars won't kill me and I suppose it would be good PR for deer hunters but why should hunters have to pay the cost? Take the money from the USDA or some other agency that funnels money to the food shelf programs. I also wonder how many extra deer will get shot? You'll get a few young guys that will try to get bragging rights 'I shot 8 deer and hauled them to the butcher shops' but how many hunters will really do it? How about you?

[Mark Christianson]

What Blackjack said.

I agree completely.

Making it easier for me to shoot deer to drop off isnt going to change my mind.

Personlly,you could put a bounty on deer, and I would still refuse to shoot more.

I want more deer. Not less deer in our area.

I think a lot of deer hunters feel the same way.

The more antlerless deer you shoot, the more small bucks you are taking out before their prime.

[luckey]

Here's my take on this. Back in 1996 they added a $.50 surcharge to the license to cover "emergancy deer feeding". That fee collected approximatly $250,000 per year. Let's see now 9 years later (to my knowledge no deer feeding has taken place) the fund should have $2,250,000.

This would be enough to process about 32,000 deer. Seems to me there is more than enough money already collected that could be used for this purpose. Now, remember I said the fund "should" have funds. I hope it does.

[Cootz]

Here's my first question, why should hunters shoot deer for needy families? Seems to me that if you want to help the needy there are already SEVERAL programs in place to do just that. And working for the government for the past 17 years there's NO WAY I'd trust that the $1 would go towards what it is intended. Same thing as the HIGH taxes we pay for gasoline don't go 100% towards transportation. And to me it's a personal choice, if I want to help someone I'll give the cause the money myself. I don't want to be forced to give to charity. I give to the causes I support and deny those I don't believe in. If anything set something up so that you just give the processed deer to the individual by the individual that shoots it. It'd take some of the "fun" out of it if you had to process each deer you shot to give away. It'd differentiate a bit between hunters and shooters. Or make it an option when you buy your license. I'm just tired of supporting through high taxes and hundreds of "programs" all the people that are just to lazy to work.

[ozzie]

Yeah I think this is a dumb idea. Our party doesn't even get a deer some years!! Now why can't I have a deer donated to me since I have been out hunting and doing the work just get unfortunate and don't shoot a deer. Why should the "needy" force me to spend another $1 to a license when if I want to donate to them I give to the food shelves directly. I don't donate my fish and I sure ain't donating my venison!!! I hunt cause I like the meat and I take, when I can, what will be used. If you want to donate it to the food shelves either you or the food shelf pays not me......Another bogus way for the government to get another dollar if you ask me.....$600,000 a year to process deer...Thats alot of venison donated!!!!!

[camdu7]

I'm not sure I would support the $1 surcharge. Although I think the program is great. Why not donate deer? We have areas in MN that need to increase harvest and if a hunter only wants one deer for himself it is a way to get that hunter to increase the harvest. I donated a deer last year and paid processing. It was a way to donate to charity and help people in my community. I feel better about giving someone good venny than paying for foodstamps and having them spend it on twinkies. Plus it is great PR for hunting. Hey, helping people in need, reducing deer pop in needed areas, more time in the woods, good PR for hunting....That is a win,win,win,win situation if you ask me. As for the $1.. i don't think we should force it on any one and 600,000 is a lot of $. I'm not sure you would get 6000+ donated deer. What ever comes of it, as long as the deer pop remains high I will donate a deer every year if given the oppertunity to harvest and extra doe.

[MNpurple]

Interesting about the surcharge Luckey, never heard of that.

I dont think hunters should have to pay for this. I shoot 4-5 deer every year and use every one of them. I would be paying $1 for a program that I do not use. Yes, I know it is only $1 but it is the principal of the thing. If I have a tag left and I personally know a family that is needy, then I WIL TAKE MY TAG, FILL THAT TAG, AND GIVE THEM THAT DEER. I do not want to pay $1 to the governement for a program I do not use and I do not know exactly how that dollar is being used. Also, Is it a dollar charge for every tag you buy? I buy my 5 tags, so then I owe $5, correct?

[picksbigwagon]

A buddy and I have been doing this for the past 3 years. My Brother in law who got both of us into hunting, we were non hunters, was killed almost 3 years ago in a car accident. We have been taking a management deer every year, paying the processing fee and donating it to a shelter in SE MN in his honor. I don't think they need a buck, and I am not sure of the emergency feeding funds, but other states do this. If you are worried about the extra $, buy one less twelve pack of beer for deer camp. My 2 cents I guess.....

[tjm]

We donated deer the last couple of years.In my mind it was a good program until i got to see what actualy took place.Keep in mind we are allowed 4 extra doe tags in this area per person.

We dropped off 9 deer the 1st weekend with a check from the farmer to help out as well.

Heres how it went.pulled into this area 1 guy came out with paper work filled it out gave him the check.Another 2 guys drug the deer off the trailer and hung them up on meat hooks.

When i got in the truck i was thinking boy this is doing people good the parking lot was full of people waiting for deer on the otherside building

So i get out noticed a couple people had 25" empty tv boxes.Thinking no way would they ever be able to carry this box so i got out.The box had about a half a deer in it weight wise about 30lbs.

This person was complaining thats all they got what a rip off.So i said thats a half a deer you got for free.This person replied well look at all those deer what on earth will they do with all that.Looking behind me a line of 15-20 more people waiting to get meat i just shook my shoulders started to walk away she yells this is a blankity blank blank rip off.

Now getting something for free but yet it's a rip off.Go figure.So we got back in the truck just about to shut the door i see this person get in a brand new car.Good program

Now for giving up a dollar bill for this.No way i'm totaly against it now.I will never drop off another deer in Minnesota again

[FoolNFish]

I'm all against it...put these freeloaders to work. The state could give them some venison AFTER they clean up a few road ditches or lake shores. Most of these so-called needy people are just too darn lazy to get off their butts. Personally, I think they're too used to being on the "gravy-train"!

Some nerve...complaining about not getting enough and driving around in a new vehicle. Oh well, that's our welfare system for you!

[harvey lee]

For every bad story there is also alot of good ones.I have participated in some private hunts where if you wanted to donate your venison,you would give it to them and they would process the deer and give it to the needy.They also gave it to some veteran homes and so forth.

No matter who implements these programs,sometimes a few things go wrong.You have to look at the positive side that many in need are recieving thier share.

No different than Christmas toy give aways for children at Christmas.There are some people that pick up toys that can afford to buy them.But,think of the children that recieve some gifts that normally would not,yet through this program they do,and look at the smile on those faces. There is good and bad.

I will donate what they want and focus on the good that it is doing and wont worry about the few that are abusing it.

[Hotspotter]

I'd like to echo Harvey Lee's comments. By en-large, I think this is a good program that helps people out. You'll always have a few bad apples, and guilt-by-association is comitting quite the stereotype IMO. The idea is to pass along meat to those who could use it, from those that have excess. Hopefully we can find an arrangement to make that happen, and encourage taking deer from areas with population problems.

As for the financial and administrative concerns, I have quite a few. I'd like to see some sort of effort from the state or feds in a cost-share or matching funds approach. Those that don't/won't take an extra deer shouldn't have to fund this program to the same entirety that those folks that do take an extra deer should. It would be nice to have the surcharge be optional for those that won't donate a deer, and mandatory for those that do. While this may relate to a higher surcharge, hopefully matching funds could offset this.

Or maybe they would let us donate all types of game and I could write-off that lifetime license I've been eyeing.

Joel

[bigbucks]

I think the program's a good idea in principle, but can see where there's lots of opportunity for funds misuse. Frankly if I'm donating a deer I don't really care who gets it as long as it gets eaten. I could see myself using this service, although I've been able to find people to give deer to on my own in most cases when we've had extras.

I agree there's too many deer in some areas & the harvest needs to increase, so I'm more than willing to shoot more deer than I can personally use, as long as I can find somebody who can use them & I don't have to pay to process them.

[tjm]

jnelson

You live in SE Mn i have hunted that neck of the woods for years.The deer population is high indeed in most of that area.I'll agree with taking out more and more from certain areas and donating the deer.

Now the part i have a problem with is who gets the deer.I'm not going to spend 25 dollars on a arrow then $$ on gas to get the deer to where ever the drop off areas are plus pay for the extra lic then a extra dollar to top it off so some person with plenty of cash comes to get a deer i thought was going to someone who actualy needed the meat not some one who wanted it.Big difference in my mind

Maybe before the state asks for more money they should get a handle on who gets the deer.If i wanted a deer i would ask for 1 from some hunter and gladly pay the meat market to do what iwanted to it not take advantage of something someone else needs to support family with.

I'm thinking what i saw was not the only person doing this.

If (IF) someone on here set up a program to donate deer set up a fund for the meat market and personaly donated it to the homeless i would gladly put some dollars and donate as many deer my lic would allow me to do so if was lucky to fill my tags