(IA DNR) Hunters donated more than 4,100 deer hides to Elks Lodges across Iowa last year, which was a slight decrease from the 2018-2019 season. The Iowa DNR says the deer hides are used by the Veterans Leather Program to make professionally-crafted leather gloves for veterans in wheelchairs and also turned into leather used for therapy programs for recovering veterans.

The Veterans Leather Program relies on the charity of hunters to donate their deer hides. Hunters willing to donate their hides are encouraged to contact the local Elks Lodge for drop off locations or visit www.elks.org/lodges to find the nearest lodge. The therapeutic kits and gloves are distributed at no cost to the veterans.

(IA DNR) – The inaugural season for the Iowa Deer Exchange has attracted 350 Iowans who indicated they were interested in receiving venison and 60 hunters willing to provide it.  The deer exchange, along with the Help us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program, allows hunters an opportunity to provide high quality lean protein to their neighbors, while continuing to do what they enjoy – hunting deer. Officials say they are pleased with the participation we’ve seen thus far, and the large number of registered recipients shows there’s an audience who wants venison. They’re encouraging hunters who are making their plans now to consider picking up another doe tag and registering to donate venison.

To sign up for the Iowa Deer Exchange, go to www.iowadnr.gov/deer then scroll down to Iowa’s Deer Exchange Program link and fill out the required fields. The database creates a map and table with information deer donors and deer recipients can use to get connected. There is no cost to participate. It is illegal to sell wild fish and game in Iowa.

Hunter who prefer to use the HUSH program are encouraged to contact a participating locker before they harvest a deer to see if the locker has any additional drop off instructions. The list of participating lockers is available at www.iowadnr.gov/deer the scroll down to the Help Us Stop Hunger link. The HUSH program is a partnership between the Iowa DNR, the Food Bank of Iowa and participating meat lockers.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joseph Yesufu had 14 points off the bench to lead Drake to a 69-53 win over South Dakota. A.J. Plitzuweit led the Coyotes with 14 points.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Marco Anthony scored a career-high 22 points as Utah State beat Northern Iowa 82-71 in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. Rollie Worster had 17 points for Utah State. Neemias Queta added 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, and Justin Bean had 15 points and 10 rebounds. AJ Green had 24 points for the Panthers. Bowen Born and James Betz had 14 points apiece, and Tywhon Pickford had nine points and 10 rebounds.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Luka Garza scored 41 points, missing just one shot, and No. 5 Iowa beat Southern 103-76. Garza was 14 of 15 from the field, making all three of his 3-point attempts, and was 10 of 12 on free throws for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa center Luka Garza, center, drives to the basket between Southern University’s Andre Allen, left, and Samkelo Cele, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

He also had nine rebounds and three blocked shots in 29 minutes. It was 18th consecutive game of 20 or more points for Garza, the lone unanimous selection to the AP preseason All-America team. Garza had 36 of his points in the first half, making all 12 of his field-goal attempts, and Iowa led 58-35 at halftime. Garza’s perfect run ended when he missed a shot 28 seconds into the second half.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Tyler Goodson ran for 87 of his 111 yards in the second half and Zach VanValkenburg recovered Adrian Martinez’s late fumble to secure Iowa’s 26-20 win over Nebraska. The Hawkeyes extended their win streak to four games and have beaten the Cornhuskers six years in a row.

Iowa running back Tyler Goodson (15) is tackled by Nebraska linebacker Luke Reimer, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Iowa was looking to add to its six-point lead when Keith Duncan’s 51-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the cross bar with 2:02 left. The Cornhuskers then drove from their 32 to the Iowa 39 when Martinez fumbled under pressure and VanValkenburg recovered. Iowa ran out the last 1:18. Iowa improved to 4-2, the Huskers dropped to 1-4.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Breece Hall scored on a 3-yard run with 1:25 remaining, and No. 15 Iowa State held off last-minute drive by Sam Ehlinger and No. 20 Texas to remain in first place in the Big 12 with a 23-20 victory Friday.

Iowa State running back Breece Hall (28) celebrates the team’s win over Texas in an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

After Iowa State sacked Ehlinger on third down, Texas’ Cameron Dicker barely missed left with a 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired. The Cyclones (7-2, 7-1) have almost locked up a spot in the Big 12 championship game for the first time. Hall gained 91 yards on 20 carries, his first game under 100 this season, but had 30 on the final 69-yard touchdown drive.

(A-P) The Kansas City Chiefs are joining with the Missouri State High School Activities Association and the NFL Foundation to launch a state chapter of InsideOut, a national initiative that is designed to empower and equip school communities to implement purpose-based athletics. The InsideOut program has provided training for educational leaders, athletic administrators, coaches and others in the community since its inception in 2015. It supports schools in redefining and reframing sports as a platform for youth development.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved five more agreements with sports betting companies and casinos during its meeting this month. Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilko says those companies are looking ahead to a change in registration rules. “With the in-person registration requirement going away on January 1st, there has been some rekindled interest in this market. And so, there are a number of sports wagering companies trying to enter this market by reaching agreements with casinos,” Ohorilko says.

In January sports betters have the option to sign up on-line — or go into a casino and sign up to bet. Casinos can have agreements with up to three different sports betting providers — and he says more and more of those agreements are being finalized. “Whether it will be January 1st of February 1st — the market hear in this state will look very different in the next few months simply because of the high volume of new companies that we are going to see trying to compete for on-line sports,” Ohorilko says. The casinos benefit from their partnerships with on-line betting companies.

“Typically what we see when these relationships happen is there is an up-front one-time fee that the online sportsbook pays the casino to enter the market — and then there is a smaller percentage of an ongoing revenue share,” according to Ohorilko. “And in some cases there is a minimal annual fee that is paid by these sports books.” Requiring sports bettors to sign up at casinos gave a boost to attendance at the facilities when sports betting started in the state. Ohorilko says there was a concern that dropping the requirement would lead to a drop in revenue from fewer people going to the casinos — but he says that thinking has changed.

“Many people in the industry are starting to think that really one is not impacting the other in a negative way. And because of that, we might not see as much drop off as we initially thought,” Ohorilko says. He says casinos are still able to make revenue from sports betting through their online agreements, and the bigger concern has been a drop in attendance brought on by the pandemic restrictions.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Ric Hanson.

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