Lake County forest preserve deer management program benefits food banks

The deer population in Lake County forest preserves is thinned annually to keep ecosystems balanced, but there also is an ancillary benefit for area food banks.

As a condition of the state permit, meat from deer that are removed as part of the annual management program is required to be processed and distributed.

"We're mandated to donate that to food banks as part of our permit," said Andrew Rutter, wildlife ecologist with the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

According to Rutter, 19 food banks benefit. Last year, more than 16,000 pounds of deer meat was donated, he added.

Native animals, including white-tailed deer, are an important component on the landscape, according to information provided to forest district commissioners.

Winters aren't severe enough to naturally reduce herds, according to forest district literature, and vehicles are the only significant "predator" of deer in Lake County.

Too many deer pose a "significant threat" to local biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem, according to the district, because they damage habitat for native plants and animals.

An overabundance of deer also increases the risk of disease transmission and the chance of accidents involving vehicles, the district says.

The deer management program began in 1988. In 2002, the forest board approved using U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife biologists to remove deer from district property.

The removal portion of the management program is conducted December through March every year. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources permit mandates all processed meat be donated to charitable organizations.

Typically, 100 to 450 deer are made available every season, Rutter said. The permit also requires the meat be processed at a certified business.

"It's all ground into one- to five-pound packages," Rutter said.

Each deer is tested for disease and taken to the processor, usually the next morning, Rutter explained. Each is packaged separately and not released until a negative test result is received.

In preparation for the upcoming season, the forest board on Tuesday will consider a $35,020 contract with Wayne's Country Market in Marengo to handle the processing.