CHOCOLAY TOWNSHIP -- For the past nineteen years, U.P hunters have been helping feed the needy. The Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger teams up with the DNRE each year to make sure families are getting the meat they need.

"They can provide monetary funds. When you're buying a license you can actually donate a couple of dollars or whatever you feel to the fund. Or you can make donations of meat and there are local processors that do the processing for free," explains DNRE Wildlife Biologist Brian Roell.

With many deer weighing well over 100 pounds, it's no surprise that many families will be unable to use all of the meat. Last year, more than 33,000 pound were donated. Some local processing plants will take care of the deer for free if it's being donated to a food pantry.

"First they bring it in and we skin it, quarter it, bone it, and then we double grind it and bag it and they use it for chili or spaghetti or whatever," describes Kurt Zinksi, owner of Marquette Deer and Game.

After the meat is separated and packaged, it makes it's way to local food banks. And they make sure it's put to good use.

"We use it as donated for our food pantry. It helps those that come in that need a food pantry or need a food basket and we use it to help supplement that. So that they're able to get some kind of meat and that's really great for them," says Captain Joel Arthur at the Salvation Army.

If you're interested in donating your deer to Sportsmen Against Hunger, you can find the complete list of processing plants here.