| Venison, or deer meat, is a staple on the table of | | | | National Food Laboratory, Inc and compiled by the US |
| many American families. Yet there are many people | | | | Department of Agriculture: |
| who can't stand the thought of "eating Bambi." The | | | | - Beef Bottom round, lean: 189 calories per 3.5 oz, 8 fat |
| deer are too cute, and the hunters who hunt them are | | | | grams, 81 cholesterol grams, 27 protein grams |
| horrible, cruel people. | | | | - Lamb Leg roast, lean: 153 calories per 3.5 oz, 6 fat |
| I agree the deer are cute (actually, I think they're | | | | grams, 74cholesterol grams, 24 protein grams |
| beautiful), but I still eat venison. And there are five | | | | - Chicken Breast, no skin, 140 calories per 3.5 oz, 3 fat |
| primary reasons why I eat it and support urban hunting | | | | grams, 72cholesterol grams, 26 protein grams |
| as a means of harvesting it. | | | | - Venison, leg cut, 139 calories per 3.5 oz, 5 fat grams, |
| 1. It's locally grown | | | | 62 cholesterol grams, 22 protein grams |
| With global warming a serious threat, people are | | | | 4. It's tender and delicious |
| beginning to understand the importance of eating local | | | | Anyone who has ever tried to swallow down tough, |
| foods, whether it's produce or meat. This movement | | | | gamey venison will disagree with me on this point. |
| can be seen in the massive advertising grocers are | | | | Unfortunately, that is most people's experience with |
| doing to show how much of their produce and other | | | | the meat. But when venison is field dressed and |
| food comes from local sources. More people are | | | | processed properly by someone who wants to put |
| planting vegetable gardens and enjoying the rewards | | | | good food on the table, the meat is heavenly. It is |
| of eating what they sow. This is a very good thing! | | | | tender and flavorful (most of the deer here in Northern |
| Venison is locally grown. My husband hunts within 10 | | | | Virginia eat acorns and berries, which give the meat a |
| miles of our home. The meat doesn't travel far to get | | | | sweet taste). |
| on the table, and we know what it went through every | | | | 5. It's a way to support wildlife conservation |
| step of the process (see reason 2 as to why that | | | | In Northern Virginia, we have a very serious |
| matters). | | | | overpopulation problem with the herds. There are no |
| 2. It's fresh and additive-free | | | | natural predators for deer, unless you count the SUV, |
| When you buy meat from the grocery store, you don't | | | | which accounted for the death of more than 6,000 |
| really know under what conditions that animal lived, | | | | deer in 2008. These deer are malnourished and |
| what it ate, how-or when-it was slaughtered, or where | | | | starving because there just isn't enough food for them. |
| it came from. Of course it's safe to consume-the | | | | Lyme disease is on the rise because deer carry deer |
| USDA makes sure of that. But beyond that, what do | | | | tics, which carry Lyme disease. Finally, the chance that |
| you really know about it? | | | | the deer will be wiped out by Chronic Wasting |
| I know where the deer lived and its lifestyle, exactly | | | | Disease, or some other horrible disease, is huge |
| what it ate every day, how it died and when. I know | | | | because they are living in such tight density. Wildlife |
| I'm eating fresh, free-range meat. And I know it doesn't | | | | biologists agree that urban hunting is the most |
| contain any hormones or additives for freshness. | | | | reasonable hope of managing the population and |
| 3. It's nutritious | | | | helping the herds get back to a healthy state of being. |
| I love red meat, but my cholesterol counts don't. | | | | So, support your local hunters. If you live on land that is |
| Venison is the perfect solution. Venison even has | | | | overrun from deer, invite some to come hunt it (bow |
| fewer grams of cholesterol than chicken breast! The | | | | hunters can do the urban hunting). Chances are, there |
| following information is based on data from The | | | | will be some venison in it for you. |