Fellow big game hunters:

After your successful hunt, please consider carefully what great things can be done with the hide from your deer, moose, elk or mule deer. Many collection sites are merely collecting hides for personal purposes — but there is a way to use your hides to assist the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Southern Gateway Chapter to promote hunting for future generations. The program is called Hides for Habitat.

Hides for Habitat has a diversified approach to preserving hunting for future generations of hunters. Young hunters are provided opportunity to go to Forkhorn Camps around Minnesota. Boys and girls are given a chance to learn hunter safety, survival skills, ecology, biology and many things about the wilderness. Hundreds of young people attend Forkhorn Camps across the state every summer. Hide dollars have paid for dozens of young boys and girls to attend from our area. Hide dollars are also used to purchase and maintain hunting land and habitat improvements. Around $250,000 is spent annually on improvements and acquisitions including wildlife management areas.

The Southern Gateway Chapter “Hides for Habitat” boxes are clearly labeled Hides for Habitat with the Southern Gateway logo on the poster. Please make sure you double check, because there are copycat boxes out there.

Our boxes are located at the following business in Freeborn, Waseca and Steele counties: Tom’s Taxidermy in Clarks Grove, Nick’s Meats in Hayward, The Short Stop Station in Glenville, Conger Meats in Conger, Jeff Miller west of Mansfield, Craig’s Taxidermy in Freeborn, Nielsen’s Conoco in Hartland, Morgan’s Locker in New Richland, Steve’s Meats in Ellendale, Geneva Automotive in Geneva and, new this year, Kevin Schewe’s Lakeside Auto in Alden, Lair’s 66 Station in Emmons, in Albert Lea there are boxes at the former Norby’s Gas Station on Main Street, entrance to the Freeborn County Fairgrounds, Karl’s Carquest Auto Parts and at Hart Brother’s Weaponry.

We can’t use heads or legs from your animals.

We would like to thank the businesses that allow us to put out our boxes on their property. Your support for our cause is appreciated by the entire deer hunting community.

Thank you from the Southern Gateway Chapter. If you would like to join our Deer Hunter Organization or have questions regarding our programs or Hides for Habitat, please call one of the following members: Clark Hammer 507-256-7609, Tom Norby 507-373-4645 or Jack Adams 507-373-4153.

Best of luck for a successful hunting season.

 

Clark Hammer, chairman, Hides for Habitat

Geneva