Dang! Processing getting expensive.

[Cougar Mag]

My buddy called the little town nearest to where we are going hunting to find out what the meat processors are charging. They told him the cost to process an elk would be $210, two years ago it was $175. I do realize an elk islarger than a whitetail deer butbringing in an alreadyquartered elk for butchering?

[elknut1]

Kinda like gas & groceries!!! Here in our part of IDaho it's 150.00 for elk, 90.00 for deer. It can vary from place to place here but that's an average~~ We always do all our own & so do the guys that hunt with us, then they put it in coolers & head out!!----------------------------ElkNut1

[Antler Eater]

The cost can seem overwhelming when a guy is on a tight budget and you start adding up what you have already spent. But when you get inon a bugling bull that is carrying on so much that he seemingly makes the ground in front of you shake, the expense seems worth it.

On a related note, a guy in our group last year took in a quartered animal just to put in the cooler so he could take it back home (he lives in Colorado and wanted to call for some of the other hunters in camp so he didn't want to leave)and have it processed and it cost him over one hundred bucks just to store it.

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Wow!! That does seem high....over here in Pa, it costs us $45+hide for a deer, and my dad and I still do it ourselves. I don't think I would bre able to hand over that much money for someone to do it for us.

[thndrchiken]

That is a lot of meat, and if your a ways from home that may be the best option so it can be stored in a minimum of space. Would I pay it, probably if I had no other option.

[TXhighrack]

Can you donate the elk meat to those places. I really dont have any need for a couple hundred pounds of elk.

[Cougar Mag]

Tx., would I donate the meat? Heck no. If I am going all the way to Colorado and get lucky enough to kill an elk, I am going to spend the extra money to keep all the meat.

[snowman69]

we started doing our own processing about 5 yrs ago. Took us a few yrs to get the recipe and quality that we wanted but oncewe did its well worth it.

[Judyboi]

We got a good shop near me that does elk for $60(up to 300lbs with every 10lbs more being another $.50), and deer and antelope $40.
We do typically do our own butchering just since we have 5 of us that hunt in our house, our own electric grinder, and great counter space! And you save a couple of bucks, and you know precisely how well your meat is taken care of.

Also, I think it sort of ridiculous that they have such drastic price differences between elk and deer. Size is a factor, but not too much. You are dealing with the exact same cuts, just different sizes. We can fully butcher an average sized elk in around 2 1/2 hours. A deer takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes or so. Not such a huge difference. Oh well, I gripe.

[huntnmuleys]

txhighrack, have you ever eaten elk meat? i cant imagine not wanting a couple hundred pounds of it. i know families who live all year on the elk they shoot. if you wantin to donate, get ahold of me, i always know people who want elk.