A single young deer can yield about 45 pounds of meat, enough to supply dinner to a family of four for weeks. Older deer yield more. For those hunting in the E.U.P. who would like to donate their harvest, or part of it, to needy people, here's what to do:

Deer can be donated at Love Farms and Processing in Rudyard. The processing fee of $65 is waived when making a donation. The company accepts 10 to 30 deer a day and processes them into one-pound packages of venison, and can be reached at 478- 5201.

There also are numerous private processors throughout the E.U.P. that can be reached by calling Louis Colegrove in St. Ignace at 643 8875.

Once processed, the meat goes to food pantries for distribution to the needy. The St. Ignace Food Pantry, for example, accepts processed venison and distributes it from its facility at 202 Ferry Lane, said Tom Schenkle, who works there.

Cedar Post food pantry in Cedarville is prepared to receive and freeze processed deer. Contact Jane Clover at 484 9512 to make donation arrangements.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages deer hunters to donate all or part of their harvests to help feed the needy. Last year, almost 23,000 pounds of venison were provided to charities by hunters through licensed venison processors. Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger has been coordinating this effort since 1991. More information is available online at www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.