Metroparks of the Toledo Area donated 9,940 lbs. of deer meat this year to Cherry Street Mission Ministries and Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in Assumption to feed the hungry. The venison is from 200 deer culled from Oak Openings Preserve and Swan Creek Preserve.

Since the beginning of the year, Metroparks donated 9,540 pounds of ground venison to Cherry Street and 400 pounds to Holy Trinity.

The St. Vincent DePaul Society of Holy Trinity distributes the meat to families in the Swanton Area. Cherry Street uses the protein at its Madison Food & Community Services Center, which serves nearly 900 meals a day and is open seven days a week.

A non-profit organization, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, paid for half the cost of processing the meat and Metroparks paid for half. The total cost of meat processing was $12,000 ($60 per deer).

The purpose of Metroparks deer management program is to reduce the number of white-tailed deer safely, humanely and effectively to help relieve an overpopulation problem that threatens the sustainability of natural areas. The culls are conducted at night, when the parks are closed.

Culls were conducted in January and February at two parks by Metroparks staff and marksmen from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under a Deer Damage Permit issued by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Metroparks removed a total of 200 deer, the number allowed under the state permit. Fifty deer were taken from Swan Creek Preserve February 13, and 150 deer total were taken on three nights from Oak Openings Preserve: January 4, 5 and February 3.