(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak to help control the deer population and encourage hunters to donate venison to help feed the hungry was advanced Monday by an Assembly committee.
“This is a great way to not only support the sport of hunting, but to help our most vulnerable residents,” said Andrzejczak (D-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic). “Controlling the deer population but also encouraging hunters to donate venison to the less fortunate is a win-win for everyone. It’s smart on many levels – socially, fiscally and environmentally.”
The bill (A-3242) would amend and supplement the law, in several different ways, as it pertains to deer and deer hunting. In particular, the bill would:
· expand the law relating to deer depredation control activities;
· add a statewide, general prohibition against the feeding of deer;
· clarify the law pertaining to deer baiting; and
· establish a uniform procedure by which monetary donations can be made by hunters to the non-profit organization Hunters Helping the Hungry.
The bill would establish a new, and general, prohibition against the feeding of deer and the enticing of deer to feed through the placement or improper storage of edible materials or deer attractants. The bill would, however, explicitly exempt from this general prohibition the authorized use and placement of bait for deer hunting purposes, and the feeding of deer at a deer farm.
The bill would also establish within the state’s “hunters’ and anglers’ license fund,” a special account to be known as the “Hunters Helping the Hungry Fund.”
Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) is a nonprofit organization that works with regional food banks to provide hungry State residents with nutritious, high-protein venison meat, which has been donated to the organization by deer hunters.
The bill was advanced by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
