The annual Elks Lodge deer hide collection is underway to support the Elks Veterans Leather Program, which is used in therapy programs for recovering veterans as well as the creation of professionally-crafted gloves for veterans in wheelchairs.
Local organizer Earl Hansen told KCNI/KBBN that Nebraska was among the top states in the country in support last year.
“The state of Nebraska had 1,249 deer hides last year and we came in third in the nation for deer hides, and that was real good. We came up from seventh,” said Hansen.
Eight states collected 11,916 hides in 2023-2024 and 938 veterans received free wheelchair gloves. The Veterans Leather Program also donated over 74,000 square feet of leather to be used in free craft kits for recovering veterans.
Here in Nebraska, Hansen said that 19 Elks lodges across the state bring their deer hides to Custer County. This year, they’ll be sent to New York, a prep and packing process that Hansen said takes many hours of work behind the scenes.
Hansen thanked Merna Pack for donating over 600 hides last year, Thomas McCaslin and Gateway Motors for placing a collection box on the north end of their property again this year, as well as Mean Creek Taxidermy for hosting a box at their location on South 9th Avenue in Broken Bow. Evans Feed furnished 59 bags of salt last year, and Dick Taylor, Gary Wright, Mick Clark, and Monte Clark are ready to help salt again this year.
From fields across Nebraska, to Custer County, to New York, and then to veterans; the Elks Lodge is excited to see what number the deer hide collection hits this year.
Listen to our full conversation with Earl Hansen here:
