I usually do my own but I have noticed alot of buzz around people not having a place to have deer processed anymore. Is it a dying business? What are you folks doing? Is this just my area?
Deer processing
- Thread starter giles
- Start date
I have noticed a decline in the processors in my area (that do beef and such) that also do deer. It's primarily been since covid when everyone started scheduling 6-12 months out. I know of two that just stopped completely doing deer since then.
I'm lucky enough I'm set up to be able to virtually do everything myself, the hard part is taking the time to do it right.
I'm lucky enough I'm set up to be able to virtually do everything myself, the hard part is taking the time to do it right.
I've done it myself ever since I started.
I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to take a deer.
I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to take a deer.
JARHEAD
Active Member
We have always done our own processing but we are limited on what we can do.
Same shop I took my 2nd deer to in 2000 is still the go-to spot around here. We have 3-4 places within 30 minutes of my house, so no issues up my holler.
I usually do one myself each year so I can have custom cuts. I take the others to one particular processor to give them business since one of the 3rd generation owners is married to my wife's BFF. They do good work and have been doing deer for us for 23 years with no complaints. This is what's fun about going to a processor, seeing all the other deer. It's reminiscent of the old check-in stations. (My 2021 buck is on the right.)
I usually do one myself each year so I can have custom cuts. I take the others to one particular processor to give them business since one of the 3rd generation owners is married to my wife's BFF. They do good work and have been doing deer for us for 23 years with no complaints. This is what's fun about going to a processor, seeing all the other deer. It's reminiscent of the old check-in stations. (My 2021 buck is on the right.)
If I had a little more time and some motivation, I think I'd know what to do for some extra cash.
I know of 3 guys right around me that just got old and quit doing them. I think I've only ever had 2 deer done. Done the rest myself. I heard of this being one mores last year. So that's 4 that have stopped processing deer around here in the last 5 years. 0 have stepped up to take the place of them.
I know of 3 guys right around me that just got old and quit doing them. I think I've only ever had 2 deer done. Done the rest myself. I heard of this being one mores last year. So that's 4 that have stopped processing deer around here in the last 5 years. 0 have stepped up to take the place of them.
JARHEAD
Active Member
Sounds like a good chance to get into the biz if you was serious about it!
JARHEAD
Active Member
Which processor do you use? Since we are in the same area.
Paid to have my first one done. Horrible experience. Have done all the others myself until last year. Was scheduled for neck surgery. In major pain. Paid a guy to do one and he did a really nice job. I've done two this year so far. One for my buddy to give to a neighbor. And then I did my buck. My doe was done by the person I gave it to. I helped skin and quarter it out.
We had one place shut down by the health department a few years ago. Sadly it was a well established place. Another to my south quit last year. The next generation didn't want to take over. The guys left processing deer were nearing retirement and ready to be done with the extra work load. They still make sausage, snack sticks, jerky, etc. but you bring the meat to them. Sounds like it is getting more common. Retiring and nobody to fill the void. I'm not the guy. I'm slow at processing. I'd be terrible at making any money at it.
We had one place shut down by the health department a few years ago. Sadly it was a well established place. Another to my south quit last year. The next generation didn't want to take over. The guys left processing deer were nearing retirement and ready to be done with the extra work load. They still make sausage, snack sticks, jerky, etc. but you bring the meat to them. Sounds like it is getting more common. Retiring and nobody to fill the void. I'm not the guy. I'm slow at processing. I'd be terrible at making any money at it.
We need to quit pushing college and admit that some kids just need a simple job. Not all are born gifted.
Good Lord ain't that the truth. I wish I could like this post more than once.
I am stoked that my youngest is doing the apprenticeship program and will be working and going to school. The company pays for everything, even pays him while he is in class. So now that I don't have to pay for college, might be seeing a newer truck in my future. Lol
Nice! Congratulations too him….. It’ll be good to see another Tundra @ Strouds
Who wants to grow up being a butcher? Is this a mindset problem? This is a job that is needed and it has my mind turning as to why no one wants to do it.
These are just guesses...might be totally off base.
1) Gubmint regulations.
2) Expenses with 1) require you to process a lot of deer, or charge a lot, to make any money.
3) Quality of deer meat provided - Its hard to make a deer taste good when its been gut shot or ridden around in the back of a truck for 12 hours.
4) Dealing with Mr. Green Jeans auditing the deer you are processing....sorta like they do with taxidermists
Here is what is happening/has happened...
When COVID hit, people freaked out and started buying local, increasing the demand for farm raised beef, pork, and poultry products. As a consequence, butcher shops were slammed with custom butcher orders. Right now, for instance, our local butcher (who's been in business 50+ years I believe) currently has a 2-YEAR waiting list for butchering steers. So with all the increased demand for butchering domestic animals, there is less time and manpower available for butchering and processing deer. A lot of the smaller shops simply quit butchering deer altogether. And now there's a large portion of shops that will not accept whole deer... only boned-out meat. Another reason for this is CWD in Ohio. A lot of butcher shops don't want to take on the extra requirements for processing deer from CWD-infected areas.
If someone wants to open a business, custom butchering would be a good one. Yes, there is a fair amount of regulation and red tape involved on the domestic side of things, but wild game butchering is pretty loose. I've seen firsthand for 10+ years how hard these butchers work during deer season and they can have it. I'd never open a butcher shop. The deer themselves aren't that big of a deal... it's the damn hunters. People bringing in rotten deer. People bringing in deer full of sticks and leaves. People bringing in deer that they half-ass skinned and covered the carcass in hair. And then of course there's the people who bring in a button buck, and then ask for 30# of summer sausage, 20# of snack sticks, 10# of steaks, pull the backstraps out separate, and 20# of ground. Hunters, as a whole, would surely test my own patience beyond a level that I could tolerate.
When COVID hit, people freaked out and started buying local, increasing the demand for farm raised beef, pork, and poultry products. As a consequence, butcher shops were slammed with custom butcher orders. Right now, for instance, our local butcher (who's been in business 50+ years I believe) currently has a 2-YEAR waiting list for butchering steers. So with all the increased demand for butchering domestic animals, there is less time and manpower available for butchering and processing deer. A lot of the smaller shops simply quit butchering deer altogether. And now there's a large portion of shops that will not accept whole deer... only boned-out meat. Another reason for this is CWD in Ohio. A lot of butcher shops don't want to take on the extra requirements for processing deer from CWD-infected areas.
If someone wants to open a business, custom butchering would be a good one. Yes, there is a fair amount of regulation and red tape involved on the domestic side of things, but wild game butchering is pretty loose. I've seen firsthand for 10+ years how hard these butchers work during deer season and they can have it. I'd never open a butcher shop. The deer themselves aren't that big of a deal... it's the damn hunters. People bringing in rotten deer. People bringing in deer full of sticks and leaves. People bringing in deer that they half-ass skinned and covered the carcass in hair. And then of course there's the people who bring in a button buck, and then ask for 30# of summer sausage, 20# of snack sticks, 10# of steaks, pull the backstraps out separate, and 20# of ground. Hunters, as a whole, would surely test my own patience beyond a level that I could tolerate.
I had no idea the things in your first paragraph had happened. Makes sense though....as for the second, yea...that's kinda what I was thinking, but didn't want to go all scorched earth on fellow hunters. Yea...we are our own worst enemy.