Wild game processor shortage

[JEL]

I process my own but just a heads up for those in MT who do not. I assume this is a problem in other states as well.

https://billingsgazette.com/lifesty...66c24f666.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

 

[Addicting]

Same problem here in MI. We have a cow that has to get done and the first available appointment is in March. I do all my own deer and already have had a request to do 3 and archery season doesn’t open till the 1st.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I’ve always thought it was crazy that there are only 3-ish processors in the Denver metro area. *ish because a couple have super limited hours (before covid)

 

[LuketheDog]

I’ve always thought it was crazy that there are only 3-ish processors in the Denver metro area. *ish because a couple have super limited hours (before covid)

Me too, seems like room for more, but you have to consider that there's a long off-season with no income too...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Me too, seems like room for more, but you have to consider that there's a long off-season with no income too...

Bozeman has like 8, tons of agg in CO and more elk are killed in CO than MT and ID combined. I guarantee just based off the size there are numerically more hunters in the Denver metro than in Gallatin county.

Ive been using the meat cleaver occasionally and he probably turns away 25-50% of hunters with animals. Too late in the day, too dirty, won’t do boned out animals, etc etc. I’ve been happy with the finished product but it’s not like Yellowstone meats in Bozeman where they help out just about every hunter that walks in, my experience with butchers in Denver I might describe as adversarial.

Now westerslope, Hotchkiss Meats, 10/10 they bendover backwards for customers. I called one time during a packout and said I was going to be late and asked what time in the am they opened and the owner said no worries we will take care of you tonight. He came and opened up the shop to take my elk at 11:30pm.

 

[Hunt West]

I’ve always thought it was crazy that there are only 3-ish processors in the Denver metro area. *ish because a couple have super limited hours (before covid)

Does Hudson meat locker still take wild game? They used to make some fantastic summer sausage.

 

[chuckchili]

Similar concerns- I do my own wild game but some friends and I are set to buy a couple cows (moo type) and cannot find an butcher shop to do them anytime soon. The rancher may have to feed them all winter until a butcher can have some available time in the spring. Not good for anyone.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Does Hudson meat locker still take wild game? They used to make some fantastic summer sausage.

Hudson, I believe still takes wild game, but only boned out meat. They are not a full processor.

 

[44hunter45]

Question - Does having game meat, especially dirty or shot-up game meat, in their cooler put a meat cutter's USDA certification at risk?

I have friends who went farm to table on their beef ranch and found that getting a USDA certified meat packer was an issue.

 

[TheTone]

My local area went from four processors down to two in the last couple years. They have typically been slammed and full around fair seasons in September and turn away a lot of archery hunters. This year with the domestic issues I’m sure a bunch of October/November rifle hunters will be turned away as well

 

[shannerdrake]

I just returned from a Trip to southern CO and had an adventure at the processor. In short he was hard to pin down on a time and when he got cell service, it was basically something like "I'll be around for an hour so hurry up."

I dropped off two deer on a Monday and then an elk on Tuesday. I needed them ready by Friday morning. He required they be skinned and quartered before dropping off.

When I picked them up on Friday morning, I was only given a 1 hour window for pickup and was charged an $80 "rush fee" for all three animals.

Not a great experience, but only processor within an hour's drive so what can you do besides do it yourself?

 

[LuketheDog]

Question - Does having game meat, especially dirty or shot-up game meat, in their cooler put a meat cutter's USDA certification at risk?

I have friends who went farm to table on their beef ranch and found that getting a USDA certified meat packer was an issue.

I don't know what the USDA rule is currently, but I know years ago the guy I went to in CA had to have completely separate processing and storage areas for wild game and domestic animals...

 

[Jorgy]

my buddies and I have been talking about this here in Wisconsin. We normally process our own, but will throw in money have have 1 or 2 processed into venison sticks/bacon. All 3 we normally use have announced they won't be taking deeer this year. You can however bring in tubs of meat to get made into sticks or whatever at 2 of them. Getting anything into a meat processor has been tricky since early summer

 

[shb]

If you can cut a deer, you can cut a cow.

 

[Addicting]

my buddies and I have been talking about this here in Wisconsin. We normally process our own, but will throw in money have have 1 or 2 processed into venison sticks/bacon. All 3 we normally use have announced they won't be taking deeer this year. You can however bring in tubs of meat to get made into sticks or whatever at 2 of them. Getting anything into a meat processor has been tricky since early summer

We had always done it thru a processor but the prices and knowing your eating mystery meat finally became too much.

I have been making snack stick for the last year at home. It is quite easy and the Walton’s videos walk you thru it pretty well. The first time there was some lesson learned but this year I just finished up 25lbs finished in 3 different flavors. With the cost of the seasonings, pellets, and packaging we are around $6 per pound. The family helps and it took almost 2 days. If I had a bigger smoker it would be faster but I am limited to 8lb wet batches.

The family loves them and won’t eat the processor’s that we have left in the freezer. Give it a try, it’s worth it.

 

[Valley1320]

We had always done it thru a processor but the prices and knowing your eating mystery meat finally became too much.

I have been making snack stick for the last year at home. It is quite easy and the Walton’s videos walk you thru it pretty well. The first time there was some lesson learned but this year I just finished up 25lbs finished in 3 different flavors. With the cost of the seasonings, pellets, and packaging we are around $6 per pound. The family helps and it took almost 2 days. If I had a bigger smoker it would be faster but I am limited to 8lb wet batches.

The family loves them and won’t eat the processor’s that we have left in the freezer. Give it a try, it’s worth it.

Not all processers mix people's meat up. Sucks that there's processers like that out there, that give us all a bad name.

 

[Valley1320]

We turn away enough business for 3 more processers to stay busy. We quit slaughtering beeves here in about 2 weeks for about 2 months to accommodate all the game that gets brought to us. And our schedule is booked out a whole year.

 

[rwc101]

Seems like a catch-22 for processors. You can't rely on income from hunting season alone, so you have to stay busy with livestock year round. If you neglect your livestock customers for a few months to accommodate hunters you're alienating 90% of your business.

 

[Addicting]

Not all processers mix people's meat up. Sucks that there's processers like that out there, that give us all a bad name.

Most all of the processor I’ve ever met mixed meats for snack sticks or summer sausage. One guys deer isn’t enough trim to warrant running their smoker. I’m not even sure how you would be able to do it and stay at your profit margin.

 

[Joec]

Not Covid related but our local shop stopped due to not being able to find the staffng.