HELENA — The city of Helena is getting ready to start its annual urban deer count, which helps wildlife officials manage the deer population within city limits.
If the population density is too high, the city will cull deer. If that happens, the meat does not go to waste. Instead, it goes to Helena Food Share.
The city brings meat from culled deer to a local processor, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks funds the processing. Food Share then picks it up and puts the meat on the shelves for customers.
Last year, the city provided more than 1,200 pounds of deer meat for the food share.
“Having wild game is so important,” said Patty White, Helena Food Share's communications director. “It brings a whole different type of food into the market, and the customers here in Helena really appreciate that.”
