PULASKI COUNTY – Missouri’s chief executive became the state’s “chief deer hunter” Friday afternoon.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon harvested a button buck while deer hunting in Pulaski County. Nixon will donate the venison to Missouri’s Share the Harvest program, a public-private partnership that provides meat to families in need. 

Nixon took the deer using Fiocchi ammunition produced in Ozark and a Sierra bullet produced in Sedalia.  

Gov. Nixon took the deer Friday evening to Steve N Sons Custom Meat Processing in Newburg, where the venison will be packaged for distribution to a local food bank, shelter or feeding center. Share the Harvest has been a tradition for Missouri hunters since 1992. Since then, Missouri hunters have donated well over 2 million pounds of venison through Share the Harvest.

“I’m delighted to again be one of the thousands of Missouri hunters donating venison to help provide for those in need,” Nixon said. “Share the Harvest has helped put meat on the tables of countless Missouri families over the past 20 years, and continues to grow as more hunters and processors become involved. It’s a great way to make a difference for someone.”

During the last hunting season approximately 6,100 deer were processed through Share the Harvest, resulting in more than 350,000 pounds of venison for needy families. That was an increase over the 4,600 deer donated for Share the Harvest in 2009 and the 4,200 in 2008.

Share the Harvest is a partnership between the Conservation Federation, the Missouri Department of Conservation, regional food banks, local food pantries, and meat processors.

To find a list of participating Missouri meat processors online, go to mo.gov and search for “Share the Harvest.”