Coldwater Noon Club Partners with Branch Area Food Pantry to Support Hunger Relief This Deer Season
The Coldwater Noon Club has formed a partnership with the Branch Area Food Pantry to provide venison to families in need during the current deer hunting season. Volunteers at the food pantry collect and distribute food each Tuesday from their location at 22 Pierson St., Coldwater.
Recently, students from Legg Middle School took part in a food collection event, demonstrating community involvement in this effort. Under this initiative, hunters are only required to field-dress their deer before delivering them to one of four participating processors located across Branch and Hillsdale counties.
Processing and Donation Details
The processing expenses are fully covered by the Coldwater Noon Club, allowing the resulting venison to be donated directly to the food pantry. Tim Hart, serving on both the Food Pantry Board and the Coldwater Noon Club Foundation, anticipates approximately 15 deer donations but notes the total could range up to 20.
Participating processors include:
- 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 simply need to inform the processor that their deer is being donated to the food pantry, at which point the animal is converted into venison burgers designed to maximize the amount of meat provided. The processors coordinate with the food pantry and the Noon Club to handle distribution and payment.
Hunting Regulations and Population Management Context
The program will continue throughout the hunting season in Branch County. Michigan hunters are permitted to harvest up to two antlered deer under a deer combo license, which includes two kill tags, and may harvest up to 10 antlerless deer with additional permits.
Licensing fees for 2025 include:
- Basic hunting license: Residents $11, Out-of-state $151, Seniors (65+) $5, Juniors (17 & under) $6
- Each deer tag: Resident $20, Nonresident $20, Senior Resident $8
- Deer Combo two-tag license: Resident $40, Nonresident $190, Senior Resident $28
- Antlerless tags: $20 each
The restricted antlered deer tag requires that the harvested buck must have at least four points on one antler, with each point measuring at least one inch. This ensures adherence to managed buck harvest practices aimed at sustaining healthy deer populations.
Hunters must report their deer kills to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) within 72 hours or before transferring possession. This reporting is mandatory and can be completed online or via the DNR mobile app.
While individual hunters can acquire up to 20 antlerless deer tags, the DNR has emphasized that the Deer Management Unit encompassing Branch, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo counties needs to remove about 16,000 deer this season to maintain balance between deer populations and habitat capacity.
Wildlife Expert Perspective
From a wildlife management standpoint, programs like this serve multiple purposes: they assist vulnerable human populations with nutritious protein sources while supporting responsible deer population control. Overabundant deer populations can strain ecosystems and increase vehicle collisions, and targeted hunting permits help maintain ecological balance.
Additionally, venison is a lean meat rich in protein and iron, making it a valuable dietary supplement for underserved communities. The cooperation between local hunters, processors, and food banks exemplifies effective community engagement in wildlife stewardship.
Additional reporting and sources from: Donate your deer as Coldwater Noon Club and Branch Area Food Pantry team up for the hungry
