Donate during deer season

Deer donation program

The Iowa DNR, the Food Bank of Iowa and 31 meat lockers are participating in the Help Us Stop Hunger program for 2024. Hunters are encouraged to contact a participating locker before they harvest a deer to see if the locker has any additional drop off instructions.

Hunters may also sign up as a deer donor or recipient with the Iowa Deer Exchange at iowadnr.gov/deer. Scroll down to Iowa’s Deer Exchange Program link.

There, donors can provide information about what they are willing to donate. The database creates a map and table with information deer donors and deer recipients can use to connect with one another.

Hunters and recipients who have previously registered for the Deer Exchange Program should review their information to make sure it is still accurate and active.

There is no cost to participate. It is illegal to sell wild fish and game in Iowa

Donated deer hides benefit disabled veterans

Hunters donated more than 4,700 deer hides to Elks Lodges across Iowa last year, an increase of nearly 200 hides from the 2023-24 season.

The deer hides are used by the Elks Veterans Leather Program to make professionally-crafted leather gloves for veterans in wheelchairs and are turned into leather used for therapy programs for recovering veterans.

The Elks Veterans Leather Program relies on the charity of hunters to donate their deer hides. Hunters willing to donate their hides are encouraged to contact the local Elks Lodge for drop off locations or visit elks.org/lodges to find the nearest lodge.

The therapeutic kits and gloves are distributed at no cost to the veterans. Contact Lisa Widick at 208-360-6294 or ozzywidick@gmail.com for more information.

Doe harvest registry

Hunters interested in working with farmers to harvest additional does are encouraged to sign up with the Iowa Doe Harvest Registry. The Registry has been a resource that the Iowa DNR has offered to farmers since the mid-2000s, but is now easier to access.

To participate, go to iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting and complete the online form. Hunters and farmers can select their preferred hunting seasons and their region of the state.

Harvesting antlerless deer is the most important tool for managing deer populations at the state, county and local level.