Share the harvest!

Got more deer than your freezer can hold? Donate it. Through the MassWildlife’s SHARE THE HARVEST PROGRAM, your deer is professionally processed at no cost to you, and the meat goes to Island food pantries and families who need it.

The Deer Cooler and Donation Program will be administered by Patrick Roden-Reynolds this year. Contact him for more information at 540-216-9618 or at biologist@dukescounty.gov

Donated deer must:

• Be legally harvested

• Recovered within 4 hours (unless ambient temperature is below 37°F)

• Delivered whole to us within 24 hours

How to donate:

• Report your deer through MassWildlife's harvest reporting, as you would any deer. Every report counts toward the Island's numbers.

• Field-dress it promptly and keep it cool. Bring it in within 24 hours of harvest.

• Call Patrick for dropoffs and pickups 7 days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM. Call or text him at 540-216-9618. He can usually meet within 20 minutes.

• Drop it off at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society processing facility during drop-off hours

Incentives for Donors

• Full Donation: If you donate the entire deer, there are no processing or packaging fees, and you receive a free replacement Antlerless Permit or Either-Sex Permit depending on the management zone.

• Partial Donation: If you donate part of the deer, you receive discounts on your processing fees based on weight (e.g., ≥10 lbs gets $50 off, ≥20 lbs gets $100 off, and ≥30 lbs gets $150 off)

Every donated deer means fewer ticks on the Island and fresh, local protein on someone's table. That's a good day's hunt..