• Any game killed under a kill tag will not be processed with funds from the Hunters Against Hunger fund unless it has been preauthorized by Montana Food Bank Network. This must be prior to dropping the game at a meat processor used by Montana Food Bank Network.
• Per FWP Bureau Chief, the intent of the legislation was to have hunters be able to donate game animals and donate funds at the time of license purchases to pay for processing the donated game. FWP hunts and landowner kill permits are eligible for HAH funds, but first priority should be given to hunters.

• If all paperwork is in order and correctly completed, MFBN will submit payment to processors within seven days of receipt of invoice. This paperwork includes:
  • Processor's W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification);
  • Hunters Against Hunger MOU;
  • Invoice including all of the following:
    • Date within the last 30 days;
    • Bill to "Montana Food Bank Network";
    • Poundage;
    • Dollar amount;
    • Signature of local food pantry confirming receipt of game meat;
  • Carcass tags - copies or scanned are acceptable as long as ALS number is legible.

MFBN is required to track processing quantities on a per pound basis and has structured the reimbursement guidelines accordingly, including a maximum allowable per pound fee. In order to fulfill our obligations we request and require billed poundage in order to provide reimbursement payments. Payment on invoices that do no include poundage will be delayed until all necessary information is collected.

• Yes, by Montana law the tags are required to stay with the meat for inspection by FWP until it reaches the final consumer. However, part of MFBN's arrangement with FWP is a departure from this practice since additional entities are involved in the distribution of the game meat. As such, the tags (or copies) must be included with invoices for proper documentation.
• If the hunter wishes to retain a portion of the meat, a copy of the carcass tag must be made to be kept by the processor and the original tag will accompany the hunter and the meat retained by the hunter.
• The carcass tag, or a copy in cases where a part of the meat was retained by the hunter, and a list of individuals who donated game animals containing the name, current address, ALS#, and game animal(s) donated must be retained by the meat processor and open to inspection by FWP for a period of five years.

Please don't! MFBN serves the entire state and we can always find a good home for excess game meat once the local area has been stocked (provided that funding remains). We will work with both the processor and our network partners to work out a plan to make the most of all game animals donated to Hunters Against Hunger.

Preapproved allocations are set to avoid processors needing to contact MFBN for approval on all game processing, hopefully making it easier on you. The goal of the allocations is to equitably share the available processing funds around all regions of the state. If you feel that you are going to reach or exceed your preapproved allocation, please contact MFBN before processing any additional game. We can discuss how much additional funding remains and can be allocated to you.

To help promote the program, MFBN is following up with some hunters that have donated game animals to Hunters Against Hunger to ask them why they donated. We then share this information on social media and in our statewide marketing campaigns. It is completely voluntary for both hunters and processors, but we encourage you to include a stack of the flyers at your facilities for those that donate to help ensure the future of the program.

Participating processors will be informed of their local food pantries in the same letter in which you are assigned a preapproved processing amount. If you have questions about which food pantry you should donate to, or if multiple pantries exist in your area, please contact MFBN.