JEFFERSON CITY | Gov. Jay Nixon bagged a deer yesterday on a hunting excursion in Pulaski County.

Following the hunt, the governor donated his doe to Share the Harvest, a public-private partnership that provides meat to food banks, homeless shelters and feeding centers.

He encouraged other hunters to do the same.

"Hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation are important Missouri traditions, and vital parts of our cherished way of life," Nixon said in a statement. "Share the Harvest is a wonderful way for Missourians to continue that tradition, by providing fresh, nutritious meat for their neighbors in need."

The program allows hunters to take their deer to a processor, which butchers the meat and donates it to charity organizations. The state, in partnership with the Conservation Federation of Missouri, reimburses processors for part of the butchering costs.

The November season for deer hunting with firearms ends today, although the antlerless season begins Wednesday and muzzleloader hunting starts Dec. 19.