Toy4Two

I think I'm going to have to start,the cost of processing is getting way to high.

My deer field dressed @ 162lbs and I had 52lbs of meat from that. It cost me $250 to process it this year. I get all of it made into Jerky and Sausage and I know that adds to the cost, but this is getting out of hand.

I think next year I'll have to bone it out before I take it to the processer or process myself to save a buck.

rybohunter

Getting all that good stuff adds up. That is MUCH more of the cost than the actual processing of the deer itself. I bet if you took them 50-60# of meat to be made into all that you'd still pay almost $200. You are probably better off getting the deer cut up by them, them making the sausage & jerky yourself. Or do it all, I've been doing it for years. It can be time consuming though.

Rhody Hunter

i process my own

Hunter_59

Process every deer myself, 3 this year. It takes about 2-3 hours to do it right, clean it and remove the hair but it's worth every penny. I've got the cleanest deer meat available. When I first started hunting and had my deer processed commercially, I ended up with too much hair. That was the end of that! I don't worry about a bone saw, just de-bone it and slice the hams and backstraps into steaks and the rest into burger.

srwshooter

yep,sure do. i have a boat winch mounted to the wall in my shop for hanging.i keep a extra frig in the shop ,i usually quarter them and proccess later. i also have a meat grinder and a hobart cuber. i have made my own jerky,summer sausage,breakfast sausage and pepperoni. i like deer best canned or cubed.

The Rifleman

There you have that Big old John Deere tractor and you are complaining about how much it costs to get your deer processed.

Where I live, the Amish does it as a second income and they charge $25 for a simple cut - if you get the meat processed.

$1.50 per a pound for Jerky, weiners, kelbassa, pepper sticks / even with cheese.

$3.00 for bologna - which weighs about 3 lbs.

I get my whole deer cut up for about $90!

That's 10 lbs - dried - jerky
10 lbs. - kelbassa
10 lbs weiners
10 lbs - pepper sticks with cheese
and the rest ground into hamburger.

I wonder how much that would cost where you live?

Then again, most of the jobs in my area only pay's $8 - $8.50 an hour!

A $10 an hour job - even for a skilled machinist is considered a good job!

Carpmaster

I do all of it....costs lots less!!

heeze gutshot shortee

all the time....I just love them does...and those tasty younguns

Criggster

I always process my own, and would not have it any other way. It's all part of the process of hunting!

FiremanE4

As I am new I take it to a guy I know. He is a retired firefighter and butcher on the side. I took two to him this year, had one ham cut into steaks the other made into burger, Cost....$35. Sounds good to me.