South Hills archery group donates to food pantries, local residents

Deer hunting has its proponents and opponents, but one positive result is that the activity can produce plenty of food.
South Hills-based Whitetail Disabled Hunting and Associates is among the organizations that regularly donates to local food pantries and residents who can use a bit of a break on grocery bills.
“I feel like Santa Claus, delivering meat to these people,” Glenn Lackey, Whitetail Disabled Hunting president, said. “It’s very fulfilling.”
The Castle Shannon resident founded the organization in 2010 to give hunters with disabilities a chance to participate in their avocation. Each year, he takes about 60 people to hunt on private properties, mostly in Bethel Park, where the owner has given permission.
As of Dec. 29, Whitetail hunters had taken 80 of the animals, with about 25 of them going to food pantries, according to Lackey.
The suburban environment provides good hunting opportunities, he said.
“This is where the deer problem is, not in the mountains,” Lackey explained. “We still have so many herds.”
He spends much of the summer looking for prime spots.
“If I see a piece of property where I know there are a lot of deer, I ask for permission to hunt on the property,” Lackey said. He also is contacted by those who would like to have hunts conducted on their land.
He makes sure safety zones are sufficient and also secures permission from the owners of neighboring properties.
“No matter what, safety is No. 1,” Lackey said. “I do it by the book.”
For more information, visit www.whitetaildisabledhunting.com or call 412-882-2158.