Coldwater Noon Club Partners with Branch Area Food Pantry to Support Local Hunger Relief This Deer Season
The Coldwater Noon Club has joined forces with the Branch Area Food Pantry to assist those in need during the current deer hunting season in Branch County, Michigan.
Volunteers at the Branch Area Food Pantry operate from 22 Pierson St., Coldwater, handling food collection and distribution every Tuesday. In 2024, students from Legg Middle School actively participated in one of the collection events.
Streamlined Process for Donated Deer Meat
Hunters participating in this initiative are only required to field-dress their harvested deer before delivering it to one of four partnering processing facilities—three within Branch County and one in neighboring Hillsdale County.
The Coldwater Noon Club generously covers all processing costs, ensuring that the resulting venison is fully donated to the food pantry for local distribution.
Tim Hart, a member of both the Food Pantry Board and the Coldwater Noon Club Foundation, estimates the program hopes to receive about 15 deer donations this season, although actual numbers remain uncertain.
Participating Processing Locations
- Thompson’s Deer Processing, 252 W. Pearl Road, Coldwater, 517-462-5697
- Wonders Deer Processing, 748 Slisher Road, Bronson, 517-736-4609
- Finley’s Deer Processing, 234 Ridge Road, Quincy, 260-343-1100
- M&M Smokehouse, 4880 Hudson Road, Osseo, 517-523-2121
Hunters must inform processors that their deer is a donation to the food pantry. Processors then convert the meat into venison burgers to maximize yield and convenience for storage in the pantry’s freezer. Coordination between the processing facilities, the pantry, and the Noon Club ensures that the donated meat reaches those in need efficiently.
Hunting Regulations and Population Management
The program operates throughout the hunting season in Branch County, where hunters comply with Michigan’s statewide deer harvest limits.
Hunters may take up to two antlered deer with a deer combo license, which includes two kill tags. Additionally, up to ten antlerless deer can be harvested with the purchase of extra licenses.
Michigan Hunting License Fees for 2025
- Basic license: Residents – $11; Out-of-state – $151; Seniors 65+ – $5; Juniors 17 and under – $6
- Each deer tag: Residents and Nonresidents – $20; Senior Residents – $8
- Deer Combo two-tag (one regular, one restricted antlered buck): Residents – $40; Nonresidents – $190; Senior Residents – $28
- Antlerless tags: $20 each
A restricted antlered tag applies only to bucks meeting minimum antler criteria—at least four points on one antler, with each point a minimum of one inch in length.
Hunters are required by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to report deer kills within 72 hours or prior to transferring possession. Reporting can be completed online or via the DNR’s mobile application.
Population Control Imperative in Branch County
While each hunter can purchase up to 20 antlerless tags, the total number of antlerless permits remains limited. According to the Michigan DNR, the Deer Management Unit (DMU) encompassing Branch, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo counties needs to remove approximately 16,000 deer to stabilize local populations.
From a wildlife management perspective, such population control is critical. Overabundant deer populations can lead to ecological damage, increased vehicle collisions, and impacts on forest regeneration. Programs like this not only provide much-needed nutrition for vulnerable humans but also align with responsible wildlife stewardship.
Additional reporting and sources from: Donate your deer as Coldwater Noon Club and Branch Area Food Pantry team up for the hungry
