I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I'm heading on an elk hunt here in MI on Monday 12/6. I am looking for pointers on picking a processor that will do me right. The main thing I am worried about is them skimming off some of the meat but I also want a good job. Are there anyways I can protect myself?

Here's where I am at right now. I have determined that I want vacuum packing and have narrowed it down to 2 processors. One is a slaughter house that does elk constantly and wants $150.00 but their near the hunt, 4 hrs from home. The second is a county market that does 90% deer (but has done elk) and wants $80, and is < 2 hrs from home.

With the first one, I talked to the owner who said I could get a hanging weight after skinning, and request all bones & scraps back, and get a final weight with this + meat. Sounds real fair. The second said they could quarter up the elk then get a weight but didn't seem interested in the providing a bones + scrap + meat weight, but the seem honest none the less.

Any opinions on who sounds better?

Also, Can't I just cut the tenderloin out myself before taking it in? If yes, can someone please try to explain it to me so I can do it?

Finally, someone told me the pull the molars as their ivory. Is this true, and how would I do it?

-Fred