UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - As of December 12, 2013, 104 deer have been harvested.

ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - In addition to reducing the overpopulation of deer, the Meridian Township Deer Management Program is feeding the hungry with the venison from this year's hunt.

So far, 81 deer have been harvested and of that amount of deer, around 1,000 pounds of venison has been generated.

The Haslett and Okemos Community Churches are distributing venison to needy people in the community.

Jane Greenway, Parks and Land Management Coordinator, said "Yesterday, Nick Sanchez, also a Meridian Township employee, distributed 500 pounds of venison and he took some of it to the Haslett and Okemos Community Churches and not all of these places have huge freezers so they can only take a little at a time."

Not all of the deer harvested have been donated. Hunters involved in the managed hunt are required to donate their first deer taken, they are allowed to keep their second deer and then the rest is donated to the community.

"A lot of these churches are already putting together food baskets and things for the holidays so they were very grateful to get the venison and the Meridian hunters are of course very happy to help with feeding the hungry this year," said Greenway.

"The processing is paid for by Michigan Sportsman Against Hunger, Meridian Township doesn't pay for any of that and they pay Merindorf Meats in Mason and I believe Merindorf's takes a reduced rate for the processing since it's a food bank program so Meridian Township doesn't have to pay anything," Greenway added.

For more information about this year's managed hunt, contact Meridian Township at 517-853-4600.