(Iowa DNR News) – Hunters may sign up as a deer donor or recipient with the Iowa Deer Exchange at www.iowadnr.gov/deer then scroll down to Iowa’s Deer Exchange Program link. There, donors can provide their information on what they are willing to donate. The database creates a map and table with information deer donors and deer recipients can use to get connected. Hunters and recipients who had previously registered for the Deer Exchange Program should review their information to make sure it is still accurate and active. There is no cost to participate. It is illegal to sell wild fish and game in Iowa.

The Iowa DNR, the Food Bank of Iowa and 32 meat lockers also participate in the Help Us Stop Hunger program for 2025. Hunters are encouraged to contact a participating locker before they harvest a deer to see if the locker has any additional drop off instructions.

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Hunters interested in working with farmers to harvest additional does are encouraged to sign up with the Iowa Doe Harvest Registry. The Registry has been a resource that the Iowa DNR has offered to farmers since the mid-2000s, but is now easier to access. To participate, go to www.iowadnr.gov/deer and scroll down to Doe Hunter Registry (Connecting Farmers with Hunters) and complete the online form. Hunters and farmers can select their preferred hunting seasons and their region of the state.

Harvesting antlerless deer is the most important tool for managing deer populations at the state, county and local level.

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Hunters donated nearly 3,500 deer hides to Elks Lodges across Iowa last year, which was a decrease from the year before but still very beneficial to the program. The deer hides are used by the Elks 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 Elks 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. Contact Curtis Blystone at 712-621-2823 or blystonecurtis@gmail.com for more information.