Hunters Feeding Illinois

It's Hunting Season

Hunters Feeding Illinois connects hunters, meat processors, and food pantries to bring lean protein to Illinois residents and families.

Hunters donate their harvested deer. Partnering meat processors turn harvested deer into ground meat. Food pantries receive ground venison to share with their guests. Along with the meat, food pantry guests receive support from the staff of Eat. Move. Save. through recipe tastings, cooking and storage information, and more!

Beginning in hunting season 2024-2025, "Illinois Deer Donation Program" is now "Hunters Feeding Illinois." The program is a partnership of Feeding Illinois, Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, and University of Illinois Extension.

Two adults sitting behind an information booth

Eat.Move.Save. staff share venison recipes and cooking and storage information.

Two adults holding a box of frozen venison for donation.

Your donated deer reaches local food pantries.

The ground venison comes frozen.

The 2024-2025 Hunting Season

Map of Illinois with deer donation counties highlighted

Hunting Supports Food Security.

The program currently supports food pantries in east-central and southern Illinois.

East-Central territory: Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, and Shelby.

Southern territory: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, White, and Williamson.

Donating Supports Local Businesses.

Take your harvested, whole deer to a partnering meat processor. Let them know it's for Hunters Feeding Illinois and they'll take care of the rest. We recommend contacting processors before dropping off deer to ensure they have space.

Partnering Meat Processors in East-Central territory

Partnering Meat Processors in Southern territory

Let's Get Cooking

Food pantry guests receive support from Eat. Move. Save. through recipe tastings, cooking and storage information, and more!

And everyone can enjoy our simple, tasty recipes using ground venison. Print recipes at Cooking with Venison or watch us make recipes online.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is deer season?

Illinois Department of Natural Resources coordinates dates for deer hunting season.

I'm a hunter and would like to donate a deer. What's next?

Well...it's free to donate your deer - or multiple deer!

Where do I donate? Donate at a partnering meat processor. During drop-off, tell the processor you want the deer to go to Hunters Feeding Illinois. We recommend checking with the processor before drop-off, as sometimes processors run out of space and stop accepting deer for a few weeks or maybe for the rest of the season.
Do I need to live in a certain Illinois county to donate? No. You can live outside the area and still donate. However, you must transport your deer to one of our partnering meat processors.
Do I have to donate a whole deer? Yes. For food safety reasons, we required whole deer be brought to meat processors.
Can I donate old meat in my freezer? No.

I'd like to participate in the program as a meat processor. What's next?

See the "Contact Us" section on this page and email the Extension staff member closest to you. We will contact you about next steps.

Partnering processors must be located inside the current multi-county territory, process whole deer, and be inspected by a county, state, or federal agency.

What if my business is outside the current territory? We hear from meat processors all over the state that would like to process meat for the program. We appreciate your excitement to bring more venison to Illinois residents! At this time, we ask for your patience. The goal is to get this program statewide.

I'd like to participate in the program as a local food pantry. What's next?

See the "Contact Us" section on this page and email the Extension staff member closest to you. We will contact you about next steps.

Partnering food pantries must be located inside the current multi-county territory.

Does the meat stay local?

Yes. All donated meat goes to food pantries in our multi-county territory in east-central Illinois.

Are you feeding road kill?

No. All donated deer must be hunted. Hunters will have to present their deer with tags.

I'd like to donate money.

We appreciate your support. See the "Contact Us" section on this page and email the Extension staff member closest to you. We will explain where to send money through University of Illinois Foundation.