Hunters Helping Their Neighbors

The spirit of conservation and community runs deep in Montana, and a great example of this is Montana’s Hunters Against Hunger program. This partnership between Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Food Bank Network transforms the bounty of a successful hunt into high-quality protein for Montana families facing food insecurity.

For more than a decade since its inception in 2014, the Hunters Against Hunger program has been a shining example of how hunters, both local residents and nonresidents, are actively contributing to the well-being of their communities. The program is simple yet powerful: hunters can donate a portion or all of their legally harvested big game, including deer, elk and moose, to participating meat processors free of charge. The cost of processing is covered by donations from hunters, and the game meat is then distributed directly to local food banks and pantries across the state.

So far this year, 18,461 total donors contributed over $112,000. The average donation this year stands at $6.11 per donor. Nonresident hunters, who made up about 27 percent of all donors, provided nearly 35 percent of the total funds, averaging $7.76 per contribution.

FWP would like to extend its gratitude to all of the hunters who donated game or money to Hunters Against Hunger.

To learn more, visit mfbn. org/hunters-against-hunger.