Division of Fish & Wildlife announces butcher shops processing
Sportsmen Against Hunger venison donations for 2015/16 season

DOVER (Oct. 16, 2015) – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife today announced the list of private butcher shops accepting donated deer for the state’s Sportsmen Against Hunger Program during the 2015/16 Delaware deer hunting season. All donated venison will be distributed to charitable groups participating in the program.

Last year, 18,016 pounds of venison from 604 deer donated by hunters was divided among 36 food pantries and shelters statewide, providing more than 72,000 meals for hungry Delawareans. Since it began in 1992, the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program has provided more than 1.7 million meals for needy Delawareans.

Successful hunters can take their deer directly to any of the participating private butcher shops found throughout the state, or they may drop off their deer at any of the DNREC-maintained walk-in coolers, as listed below.   

Cooperating Butcher Shops 

Sussex County

Dave’s Cut ‘Em Up

6854 Delmar Road

Delmar, DE 19940

302-381-7257

  Ole McDonald’s Farm Fresh Meats & Produce

8977 DuPont Boulevard

Lincoln, DE 19960

302-265-2321

Kent County

Miller’s Butcher Shop                          D&J Custom Cutting

577 Morgans Choice Road                 89 Myers Drive

Wyoming, DE 19934                           Hartly, DE 19953

302-697-8278                                      302-492-0323

New Castle County

Townsend Deer Butchering                Cedar Hill Custom Deer Cutting

1300 Dexter Corner Road                   738 Paddock Road

Townsend, DE 19734                         Smyrna, DE 19977

302-378-3268                                      302-272-8916

Marks Butcher Shop

7296 Grantham Lane

(River Road Ind. Park)

New Castle, DE 19720                       

302-229-0897

DNREC-maintained coolers for donated deer

Sussex County

Assawoman Wildlife Area, Frankford

Gumboro Community Center, Millsboro

Redden State Forest Headquarters, Georgetown

Trap Pond State Park, Laurel

Kent County

Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, Smyrna

Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area, Viola

Mosquito Control Office, Milford 

New Castle County

Augustine Wildlife Area, Port Penn

These coolers are checked frequently, and donated deer are taken to the Sussex Correctional Institution’s deer butchering program or to participating private butcher shops for processing. If a hunter donates a deer, the Division of Fish & Wildlife requests that the hunter please call the phone number posted on the cooler, so that the deer is transported for processing in a timely manner. 

Hunters are reminded that any deer dropped off at a cooler also must be field-dressed and registered, with the registration number written on the field tag attached to the animal.

All deer taken in Delaware must be registered through the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Hunter and Trapper Registration (HTR) system. Deer hunters are encouraged to access the system online using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt. Those who prefer to talk to a live customer service representative have the option to call 855-DELHUNT (855-335-4868).

For more information on hunting in Delaware, click on 2015-2016 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901 and from license agents throughout the state.

For more information on the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program, please visit Sportsmen Against Hunger, or contact Bill Jones, Kent County Regional Wildlife Manager, 302-284-4795. For deer information, please contact Joe Rogerson, Species Conservation and Research Program Manager, at 302-735-3600.

 

Follow DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Vol. 45, No. 352