Rock Creek Park, a 2,000-acre park that bisects Washington, DC, has seen a recent boom in its deer population. According to the , an estimated 320 deer live in the park, and this large population is threatening much of the area’s vegetation.
The National Park Service wants to diminish the population from and has been soliciting a team of sharpshooters to stealthily kill the deer during the night.
However, all that deer meat does not go to waste. The venison is inspected and given to , an organization that distributes the meat to shelters and centers in need across the city. In the past year, the park has donated almost 4,000 pounds of venison to the kitchen. Although many people are shocked because of where the meat comes from, April Hanson, the case manager at a substance abuse program simply says, ““