(Lewis) The first shotgun deer season is underway, and the DNR reminds hunters that the Atlantic Elks Lodge is collecting deer hides again this year for their veteran deer hide program.
John Lorenzen, appearing on Saturday’s KSOM DNR report, says the collected hides are tanned, and leather kits are assembled; these kits allow a person to make items such as gun cases and leather products, such as wheelchair gloves. The tails are also used to make fishing flies. These leather kits are given to disabled veterans throughout the country.
One year ago, the Iowa Elks Association collected its 100,000th deer hide since the start of this program. Eight States participate, with Missouri usually donating the most hides; however, last year, the Iowa Elks took the top spot with 11,916 hides donated by Iowa hunters, which made 89,000 square feet of leather.
In the last five years, this Elks program donated over 7,000 pairs of gloves, nearly 27,000 square feet of crafting leather to veterans’ hospitals and clinics, and almost 370,000 square feet of crafting leather to veterans themselves. It manufactured about 422,000 crafting kits for veterans.
There are collection boxes behind the Elks Lodge at 411 Walnut Street in Atlantic. Additionally, the Wiota Fire Station and McCunn Firearms in Massena have collection boxes. When hunters place a hide in one of these boxes, there will be instructions on the box on who to call, and that person will come and prep the hide so it does not spoil.
