Hides for Heroes: How Your Deer Hide Can Help a Hero

Waupaca County - Every fall, as hunters across Wisconsin get ready for deer season, another tradition quietly begins. Trucks and trailers head out with collection boxes. Gas stations and small-town shops make room for drop-off spots. Volunteers pull on their gloves and start stacking salt. Long before the first arrow flies or the first shot rings out, the mission is already underway.

That mission is Hides for Heroes, a Wisconsin-born nonprofit that turns donated deer hides into meaningful support for combat-wounded veterans.

What began over a decade ago as a simple idea from Waupaca’s own Dave Hintz has grown into one of the most meaningful community efforts in the region.

Dave never set out to build an organization. He saw a need. He saw hunters discarding hides that still had value. And he saw an opportunity to take something that would normally be thrown away and use it to help a hero who sacrificed far more.

Today, Hides for Heroes is on pace to break yet another record. Last year, the program collected just under ten thousand hides. This season, Dave says the count is already climbing ahead of schedule.

“We are looking to break another record,” Dave said. “The support from hunters has been incredible.”

How It Works

The process is simple but powerful. Hunters donate their deer hides. Volunteers salt, fold, and stack them. Hides are sold to buyers, and the proceeds are given directly to veteran support programs, including outdoor recovery events and hunting experiences that help veterans heal physically and emotionally.

For hunters, donating is easy. Dave recommends folding the hide in four with the hair facing out. Some hunters like to salt them, which is helpful but not required. One tip he emphasizes is to avoid using black garbage bags during warm weather. They trap heat, which can damage the hide.

Drop-off boxes are spread throughout the region, and hunters can find them using the statewide interactive map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?mid=1hYAjF6RkD5-AkfDTCZbGT6hHAr3Ek3c

Local Faces Behind the Mission

Although the organization’s reach is wide, Hides for Heroes remains deeply rooted in small-town Wisconsin. Dave is quick to shift the credit to the volunteers, businesses, and leaders who keep the effort moving, highlighting 5 below.

• Neuville Motors in Waupaca once again sponsors the Hides trucks every season, making the logistics possible.

• Weyauwega High School FFA member Trevor Handrich is managing nine drop-off locations. Dave calls him a “heck of a young man” and one of the standout helpers this year.

• Becks Pub continues to support the mission with raffle items that help raise money.

• Radtke Little River Meats (Weyauwega) and Thick Richards Deer Processing (Waupaca), and Frontpage Processing (Scandinavia) donate all their hides to the effort.

• Plus L&L Propane, donating time with a skid steer to help move and load pallets at the shipping site.

These are just some of the many sponsors making a difference for Hides for Heroes. The whole thing would not be possible without the dozens of local businesses across Central Wisconsin allowing collection boxes on their property, making it easy for hunters to give back.

It’s a grassroots network built on community trust. Hunters drop hides. Volunteers haul them. Businesses help with space and equipment. And together, they create an impact felt far beyond Wisconsin’s woods.

Where the Money Goes

The funds raised through Hides for Heroes reach far beyond a single program. The proceeds from hide sales and related events flow directly to support veterans through outdoor healing experiences, especially at Camp Hackett in northern Wisconsin. In past seasons, the generosity of hunters and donors has grown so strongly that support has extended even further. Money has also gone toward helping local law enforcement agencies, emergency services, and veteran groups throughout the area. This wide impact reflects the gratitude shared by everyone involved and shows how a simple donated hide can strengthen an entire community.

A Message to Local Hunters

As hunters prepare for opening weekend, Dave has a heartfelt message for everyone in the Weyauwega and Fremont community.

“We want to thank all the area deer hunters for donating their hides in the past and present. We wish you a safe and successful hunt. The impact you are making to support our combat wounded heroes is tremendous.”

How to Donate to Hides for Heroes

Those who want to contribute financially can make donations at: Hides4Heros.org

Hides for Heroes will continue collecting throughout the hunting seasons, and with strong early momentum, this year may become one of their most successful yet.

From a simple idea to a statewide mission, Hides for Heroes stands as proof that generosity often begins with one small act. One hide. One hunter. One moment of giving. And thousands of veterans who feel the support of a community that has not forgotten them.

Have a story or message to share? Email us at events@weyauwegafremontnews.com.