The Venison For Veterans program began 16 years ago with a simple chat between Assemblyman George Amedore (who was at the time running) and Tom Georgia of Tribes Hill at an Amsterdam Mohawks baseball game.
"I always had a dream of taking care of our less fortunate seniors and veterans, not in the form of money, but hearty protein of real value," Georgia said. "I pitched the idea to George, and he told me if he was elected, he would make it happen. Long story short, he was, and the idea came to life and grew and grew."
During the first year, the program included around 30 senior citizens all located within Montgomery County. Through the Office for the Aging, the next year brought on 45 seniors, the following year 80-100 seniors. The program continued growing and thriving for more than 10 years and primarily consisted of local senior citizens.
The venture was really growing out of its shoes. Tom and his wife Kathleen, who also shared an equal amount of passion for this project, would personally deliver venison to the seniors. This job was huge and getting bigger every year, the point in time came that they found themselves needing a little help. That's when Sheriff Jeff Smith entered the picture and became a key factor in helping deliver the growing need for venison.
Word began to get around, and approximately five years ago, friends Don Wicksell, Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino, and 118th District Assemblyman Robert Smullen, wanted in on the action, as well. Smullen commanded the ship full-steam ahead and began to orchestrate similar benefits for not only the seniors of Fulton County, but also began including Veterans, as well.
Fast forward to 2024. From what started out servicing around 30 seniors in only Montgomery County with a couple hundred pounds of venison has turned into a monster of a program now reaching into Fulton, Saratoga, Schoharie, and Herkimer counties as well.
This year, over 250 seniors from Fulton and Montgomery counties signed up for the program through the Office For Aging, along with over 220 Veterans signing up via VFW's, American Legions and Assemblyman Smullens Office. Both Giardino, Montgomery County Sheriff Jeff Smith and Herkimer County Sheriff Scott Scherer promoted the program via social media outlets and press releases.
Over 4,000 pounds of cleaned-and-processed venison were donated this year. Not only venison but two cows, a pig, half an elk and over 70 pounds of goose sausage all went to our seniors and veterans in need.
Where does all the meat come from? Mainly generous hunters just like you and I. Sixty-eight full deer were donated by local hunters and another 133 people donated some amount of venison ranging from 5 pounds to 150 pounds! Any hunter that donated a full deer also got put into a raffle for a free muzzleloader, as well, not that any incentive was needed, but mainly as a token of appreciation.
The program works in part with the local Sheriff's departments and our local Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs), as well. 21 additional deer were donated to the program via motor vehicle incidents or illegal poaching activities where a deer has been seized by ECOs. All of these deer are taken, processed, packaged and frozen. Speaking of frozen, when the program started it used a small single chest freezer; these days it has now grown to fill 10 chest freezers and also a donated full-size commercial freezer, as well.
"The words homeless and Veterans should never be together." Michelle Straight, Executive Director of the Veterans and Community Housing Coalition in Saratoga said. "Unfortunately, in all reality, they are all too often together. Thanks to this gentleman and all you kind folks, this venison is going to go to our Veterans who are struggling with housing and can't afford to put food on the table."
Hundreds of bags spanned 50 yards of tables, which was hosted at Fulton Montgomery Community College. Law enforcement, first responders, ECOs. and other volunteers all lined up to accept their venison to deliver. Other volunteers have lists of each senior or veteran they are going to visit within the respective area and given the appropriate number of bags. When everything comes together to function like a well-oiled machine, it is quite a sight to behold. What started as just Tom and Kathleen making the deliveries years ago now has hundreds of people taking part in making deliveries.
Not only is this a wonderful program for our seniors and veterans, but there is also a second, underlying message here, as well. Cut and dry, none of this would be possible without hunting and firearm ownership. It is vitally important to keep the tradition of hunting heritage alive and well and support Second Amendment rights. The mainstream media sometimes seems to only focus on the bad and the ugly of anything gun-related, but this program is a prime example of the good and the great that would not be possible without hunting and firearms.
STRIPED BASS SIZE LIMIT CHANGE
Pay attention as this is a big change. The DEC made an announcement late Tuesday evening that striping regulations were changing starting Wednesday.
Striped bass caught in the Hudson River and tributaries north of the George Washington Bridge may only be kept if they are between 23-28 inches long. The Hudson River striped bass fishing season and bag limit remains unchanged, with targeted angling allowed between April 1-Nov. 30, and a one-fish bag limit.
This action was taken in response to the large increase in the coastal recreational harvest of striped bass in 2022, and repeated years of poor reproductive success in the Chesapeake Bay. In an emergency regulation change coming earlier this year, Maryland has fully closed its striped bass season, as well.
If you fish for striped bass in marine waters or in the Hudson River and would like to participate in important striped bass research that helps biologists understand and manage the fishery, visit https://on.ny.gov/3QscdO1.
