x
Breaking News
More () »

Deer Kill Ends Up Feeding Hundreds

HONESDALE — Hundreds of needy families went home this week with venison in Wayne County. The food was given out at the food pantry, by way of the controve...
Sequence 1

HONESDALE -- Hundreds of needy families went home this week with venison in Wayne County.

The food was given out at the food pantry, by way of the controversial killings of numerous deer in a private community.

Even before the doors opened at the Wayne County Food Pantry location in Honesdale, people were waiting outside in the cold.

This month and next there will be something extra in the bags they take home.

"Would you like venison?" asked a volunteer helping people at the pantry.

Hundreds and hundreds of pounds of deer meat were being given out to people who say they're happy to have it.

"It goes good when we're short on meat. I can put it with regular hamburger. It makes my husband's chili sweet and different," said Debbie Mclaud of Honesdale.

The way the 2.5 lb packages of venison came to the food pantry is also different. It's a donation from The Hideout, a private community near Hamlin.

The Hideout recently asked the Pennsylvania Game Commission for a permit to kill off as many as three hundred deer, citing overpopulation within the community.

Deer Culling Permit & Application

Last month, the permit was issued and the process of killing the deer started. Then the meat was processed and wound up going home with folks like Jim Diehl of Honesdale.

"I say thank you to folks at The Hideout. It's truly appreciated, will not go to waste," said Diehl.

The ground venison does not come without controversy. Folks protested against The Hideout's plan to kill off all those deer. The management of the hideout came by the food pantry to see the food distribution in action, but would not comment saying they've been taken to court over the issue.

"Every little bit helps. If it saves them $10-$15 on the food bill it's $10-$15 they can stretch somewhere else," said pantry coordinator Kathleen Terry.

When all the donations from The Hideout are done, a total of 600 households across the county can take home the venison, according to the food pantry. One more thing for their dinner tables.

Before You Leave, Check This Out