Does anyone know of a good priced processor I can take my deer to (when I kill one) around the middle TN area (Sumner co.) Or if anyone around my area would want to do it for me/teach me. I wouldn't mind paying or giving half the meat or whatever. I've just never done it or know how to.
Meat processing
- Thread starter Austin95
- Start date
bigtex
Well-Known Member
If you were closer or if you want to make the trip I would be more than glad to show you how.
Nothing to it, just takes a little practice. I wouldn't charge you cent.............
Nothing to it, just takes a little practice. I wouldn't charge you cent.............
Just mapped brush creek, about 55 minutes. If I don't get any other offers closer, I might make the trip when the time comes. I really appreciate the offer! Like i said I wouldn't mind doing it, just don't know how.
bigtex
Well-Known Member
I live in the "other" Brush Creek, about 50 miles north of Chattanooga. A long drive but my offer stands.........
DntBrnDPig
Well-Known Member
Start watching YouTube videos. It may take you one or two to get the hang of it, but once you start processing yourself you will never take your deer to a processor again.
DntBrnDPig
Well-Known Member
Here is Indiana's DNR's set of videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34cCn_o1 ... e=youtu.be
treefarmer
Well-Known Member
I highly recommend your option of learning how to do it yourself. A quartered deer will fit in a cooler with frozen 2-liter bottles of ice so you can process it over several days time. Get a good LEM grinder, some filet knives, some quart size zip-lok bags, a kitchen scale and you will be forever glad you learned how. One tip: Don't cut steaks or cubed meat - just freeze roasts and cut when you use them - that way you don't have to predict how much of each cut to process.
Urban_Hunter
Well-Known Member
I do mine myself but when the Bait Shop in Hendersonville quit storing them I took one to Shackle Island Meats because it was hot and I didn't have a cooler. I see you are in Portland so it isn't too far. It is near Beech High School on Long Hollow Pike. Was very reasonable and did a good job with mine. When I took mine they wouldn't store it unless they processed it and it was too late to try anything else as it was 80+ degrees.
cottontown
Member
I have been taking mine to shackle island meats for the last 15 years and never had a problem. Good price and pretty quick on getting it back. The old man that owns it is a little grumpy but if you can look past that i would give it a try.
catman529
Well-Known Member
Yeah watch youtube videos, but I would be glad to show if I am available when you kill one. Might be at work or in the woods myself, but if I have the chance I would not mind showing you how to cut em up, there really isn't much to it at all. I'm in franklin (williamson county) have fished in sumner county a bunch and it's not far. Get you a hoist and gambrel system from walmart (fairly cheap). screw in an eye bolt into a joist in the ceiling of your garage or wherever you want to butcher, or you can just hook the gambrel onto a tree limb and butcher outside. You can also butcher a deer lying on its side and do one side at a time, but the gambrel has made it a lot easier for me when the deer is hanging at eye level.
this is my only concern...i can practice all day with my bow, be as confident possible, scout and set stands, etc etc etc...but im still mentally preparing for everything after the kill. especially at my lease thats 2 hours away. gonna clean out some coolers so i'll be ready to field dress, quarter best i can and ice it all down for the drive home
would love to learn from someone first hand, but looks like i'll learn thru experience. which i am ok with
would love to learn from someone first hand, but looks like i'll learn thru experience. which i am ok with
TNDeerGuy
Well-Known Member
I process my own�it's cheap, it's super easy, I know everything has been handled properly, I get a much better yield and I know it's MY deer.
Just about to order me a new grinder and tenderizer. Gonna do a few more this year. Get queasy everytime I think of taking a deer to someone else to process. You don't need a bunch of fancy equipment.
knives
vaccum packer (to me a must)
can't think of anything else you have to have other than a flat place like the tailgate of a truck or top of a chest freezer. Kitchen counter will work, too. Just skin em, bone em out and cut to preference. Probably take two hours when you first do one. Takes me less than an hour. Don't even need to hang one up. Just as easy and fast to do them laying flat. I do most of mine on the tailgate, boning out as I go. When I am done, about 20-minutes max, I have them skinned and boned out and ready to cut up and vac. pack.
knives
vaccum packer (to me a must)
can't think of anything else you have to have other than a flat place like the tailgate of a truck or top of a chest freezer. Kitchen counter will work, too. Just skin em, bone em out and cut to preference. Probably take two hours when you first do one. Takes me less than an hour. Don't even need to hang one up. Just as easy and fast to do them laying flat. I do most of mine on the tailgate, boning out as I go. When I am done, about 20-minutes max, I have them skinned and boned out and ready to cut up and vac. pack.
MFDfire15
Well-Known Member
nothing better than processing your own deer. I was intimidated at first but was surprised at how easy it really is...after a kill, I either quarter up the deer or take all the meat off the bone and get it on ice as soon as I get back to camp. Then once I get home (w/in couple of days)I grind up the meat and freeze it in 1-2lb bags. We just grind everything besides the backstraps and tenderloins. Not hard just takes practice...If you were closer I would gladly help you out...good luck bubba and good hunting
tchristian
Well-Known Member
Which direction is your lease? I've used a couple decent places in mid tn, and a couple that I wouldn't use again. I prefer to butcher them myself, and would be happy to break one down with you. I'm here in Nashville.
El Jagermeister
Well-Known Member
I highly recommend a book by Krause Publications called "Gut It, Cut It, Cook It". The Deer Hunters Guide to Processing & Preparing Venison, by Eric Fromm and Al Cambronne.
It's 25.00 retail and covers every aspect with the best, clear photographs of EXACTLY how and where to cut. It covers tools, shot placement, field dressing, butchering cut-by-cut, sanitation practices, wrapping and freezing, saving antlers and hide, etc. it's well worth it.
It's 25.00 retail and covers every aspect with the best, clear photographs of EXACTLY how and where to cut. It covers tools, shot placement, field dressing, butchering cut-by-cut, sanitation practices, wrapping and freezing, saving antlers and hide, etc. it's well worth it.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
I live in LaVergne, TN. Let me know if you can come to me and I will be glad to show you, I do not quarter, I bone out while hanging. Not being rude but field dressing is important to me and so many show up at my house every year with the colon, the bladder, deer dropping spread all over the exposed meat, etc. and some are "repeat offenders", all I ask is field dress the deer completely and I can show how to that also.
moose1984
Active Member
I don't know the price but there is one on 231 in bethpage just up from 31, and there is owl holler down 10 out of Lafayette
moose1984
Active Member
My family and I always have butchered our own stuff
Awesome Poser...thanks. Is a bone saw basically the same as a hack saw?
I agree with the previous posts about doing it yourself instead of taking it to a processor. We know the meat has been handled correctly. Also, I agree with Bowriter about vac pac being a MUST!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with the previous posts about doing it yourself instead of taking it to a processor. We know the meat has been handled correctly. Also, I agree with Bowriter about vac pac being a MUST!!!!!!!!!!
treefarmer
Well-Known Member
Remember the hunter loins inside the chest cavity against the backbone!
A hack saw will work fine instead of a bone saw, though make sure you don't have a painted blade. -uncoated stainless steel is what you want.
You can also just bone the rib meat out and throw it in the grinder if you don't want to do actual rib recipe. Catman did a few ribs last year as well and I recell him really enjoying them. [/quote]
Good advice. Thanks.
You can also just bone the rib meat out and throw it in the grinder if you don't want to do actual rib recipe. Catman did a few ribs last year as well and I recell him really enjoying them. [/quote]
Good advice. Thanks.
I am going to try to have someone show me also. This year I plan on killing 5+ deer and I would like to save the 400 bucks it would cost me. I think I might have my wife's pap-aw show me but he is in east tn.
The place I took my deer last year did a great job. Their name is Flower's Garden center and deer processing. Really friendly folks too.
The place I took my deer last year did a great job. Their name is Flower's Garden center and deer processing. Really friendly folks too.
WMAn
Well-Known Member
MattR said:
If you think Flower's did a good job, then I'm sure that you'll love the quality of your work even if you're new to processing.
Redfred16
Well-Known Member
moose1984 said:
I used Owl Holler last year. They do a good enough job that I'll use them again/or until we buy a house and I learn to do my own. I'd to vacume pack the cuts and make my own sausage(I don't recommend the Owl Holler summer sausage).
