For the 40th year, hunters again flocked to Dallas County for the annual Morgan Academy Deer Hunt.

Once again the hunt proved to be a huge success with 40 hunters from all over the Southeast blanketing the 40,000 acres of prime Black Belt hunting lands.

This year’s hunt was another strong draw, business manager Judy McKinney said.

“We had hunters coming in from all over the country,” she said. “It’s been going on since the 1970s, so it’s pretty cool because we have a lot of the same people that come down every year.”

The hunters began arriving Friday and participated in a variety of packages. Some arrived for a Friday hunt, two Saturday hunts and a Sunday hunt.

Those who came to town had hotel accommodations, meals and transportation to their respective hunting sites.

The deer harvested were also quartered and cleaned.

The event, McKinney said, allows many people to get in the outdoors and enjoy some of Dallas County’s most beautiful areas.

But, McKinney added, the benefits of the hunt are much larger than the peace and quiet its participants enjoy.

“This is a really, really neat program and it has funded a lot of the growth and technology Morgan has taken on,” she said. “the funds have helped us put smart boards in all of our high school rooms, aesthetically, we have painted and resurfaced, gotten new fencing on our football field, and new goal posts.”

Computer stations were also placed in each elementary school classroom and educational software was purchased for both students and teachers.

Morgan Academy headmaster Randy Skipper said he always enjoys the social aspect of the hunt.

“It’s always great to come to the fish fry and meet the hunters,” he said. “I think it’s important that everyone come out and see the hunters that help us raise money. They get to meet the families and talk about what we are doing at Morgan.”

The final figures were still being tallied Saturday night, but more than $40,000 was expected from the hunter fees.