What do you look for in a Processor?

[frankwright]

wish you the best of luck and hope it is a success.

The reason most processors quit is because they no longer have a life. It is difficult to keep help and if you do it yourself, you are in for long long days.
Most just can't do it for a whole season.

 

[notnksnemor]

Keep in mind you are still dealing with humans.
You will hear every excuse why they can't pick up their meat when ready.
The locker I use in Tifton for beef does deer in the fall and they have 5 to 6 every year that don't come back to get their meat.
They try to sell it for the bill due, but if someone has a lot of custom sausage made the cost can be prohibitive.

Good luck.

 

[DynamicDennis]

I look for a fat guy with a beard and his retired ex-butcher dad. Been awesome having my dad show me a lot of his tricks, not all of them, but enough for me to know how to do most stuff.

 

[ucfireman]

I look for a fat guy with a beard

Thats what I look for in a BBQ joint,
That or on fat black man that can barley stand up or walk, figure its got to be good for them to get that fat tasting samples.

Sorry to change the subject , back to processing

 

[transfixer]

Everyone covered it already but,

Clean place, don't want to smell guts or ruining meat
assure your customers you do one deer at a time, and do it that way, I field dress my deer immediately, and cool them down with bags of ice if its warm weather, and keep the carcass covered with a nylon breathable bag so flies and bugs can't get to it till I get it to the processor, I do all that to preserve the meat as best as possible, I don't want someone elses they didn't field dress till the processor did it, and rode it around in their truck for 3hours .

Place needs to have cooler big enough to hang all deer, laying on concrete in cooler doesn't cut it with me

let it hang in proper temperature cooler for minimum 7 days, then vacuum sealing is a must,

Everything has gone up, if I have one processed I don't mind paying a fair price, if its done correctly, I don't like paying $90 or more for processing a deer that field dressed 135# and I get back 20lbs of meat ! especially when I shoot high behind the shoulder and no meat is destroyed by my shot !

 

[wm742]

wish you the best of luck and hope it is a success.

The reason most processors quit is because they no longer have a life. It is difficult to keep help and if you do it yourself, you are in for long long days.
Most just can't do it for a whole season.

My BinL used to cut meat for super markets. It was actually one of his favorite culinary positions. He also has connections from doing that work for cutters that could use some side work on the weekends.

 

[wm742]

Keep in mind you are still dealing with humans.
You will hear every excuse why they can't pick up their meat when ready.
The locker I use in Tifton for beef does deer in the fall and they have 5 to 6 every year that don't come back to get their meat.
They try to sell it for the bill due, but if someone has a lot of custom sausage made the cost can be prohibitive.

Good luck.

That's the reason for the upfront cost. We will still be able to sell for processing cost with out loosing labor and material for sausage and added fat.

 

[wm742]

CLEAN
Welcoming / Friendly
Affordable
Gives you your actual meat, not someone else's
Willing to teach kids the basics after shooting their first deer (time permitting)

Would also be cool to host a hunter gathering like a big BBQ at the end of the season to celebrate everyone's success and as an appreciation for the business and have a great time sharing stories

Ill go as far as to say if a kid with their first deer wants to learn how to field dress, with guardian supervision, Ill take half off the gut fee if all I have to do is point, pick on them when they won't touch the nut sack.

 

[Kowtown]

Something small that my current processor does that is a great example of customer service. They have a garden hose where people drop off their deer. They rinse any blood out of the back of your truck. I think that a 5 day policy for pickup is a good idea … just when an out-of-stater calls and explains that they can’t get there in the 5 days, make an exception to that rule. That’s what my processor does. Other than that I agree w/ the already stated above. Good luck!

Sounds like Deans. Good people. He has one of mine now

 

[WOODIE13]

Good luck with your business ! After reading everyone’s responses I’m sure glad I make the time and enjoy doing my own .

Yes sir. Plus having the kids help teaches them life skills getting their hands messy...and this gutting fee, lordy

 

[ssramage]

Do yourself a favor... I stopped using processors a long time ago. It's really not that hard to cut one up, and with prices being what they are, it doesn't take long to get an ROI. Black Friday is a great time to jump in on equipment.

Below is really all you need. There are smaller, cheaper grinders but I have the 1.5hp and it will grind a whole deer in about 20 minutes. Start to finish, I can be done with a quartered deer in about an hour if I'm hurrying and not getting fancy with the cuts of meat.

1.5 HP Meat Grinder (#32) | MEAT

1.5 HP Grinder (#32)

www.meatyourmaker.com

The Dexter Russell 3 Piece Knife Combo Set - Cutlery Butcher Chef Set https://a.co/d/idm1q8O

Limited-time deal: FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine with Automatic Bag Detection, Sealer Bags and Roll, and Handheld Vacuum Sealer for Airtight Food Storage and Sous Vide, Black https://a.co/d/7tpywuQ

 

[Toliver]

After yesterday, I'll just be thankful for a place that will accept a deer and hang it for me without forcing me to pay for processing.

 

[Bowyer29]

1. clean
2. easy to find and convenient to access
3. reasonable prices for standard cuts (burger cubed etc)
4. I dont want it to smell like rotting guts when I arrive
5. I want my meat not someone elses
6. A quick/orderly way to take my deer and my information and what I want done with the deer
7. vacuum sealed meat
8. ample cooler space
9. a friendly greeting when I arrive to show that they appreciate my business (I have used processors that seem like they are doing you a favor and are downright rude. I use them once)
10. id prefer just a few sausage options if you can do them all equally well.

This!

 

[rugerfan]

After yesterday, I'll just be thankful for a place that will accept a deer and hang it for me without forcing me to pay for processing.

IF you don't mind me asking who did you go to in Covington?

As for my reply to the orginal thread. Right now in the Putnam county, processors seem to be on the decline. I would like a few more options. I liked the Meat shed, before they went to a membership. I like Mathers Meats but they went out of business.

But! Here is what I want.

1.) Clean and not stink, keep bugs down.
2.) Cut options - I don't like a lot of ground.
3.) Specialty meats - Sausage / Jerky etc.
4.) Space , space, space - for hanging , for parking.
5.) Efficient drop off / taking information process.
6.) a more accurate pick up date. If it is going to be 2 weeks , great but don't tell me 2 weeks and it be 4 or 5 weeks.
7.) Reasonable Prices

 

[Toliver]

IF you don't mind me asking who did you go to in Covington?

 

[rugerfan]

View attachment 1269914

I used them a couple of times when I lived in Conyers. I liked them.

 

[Toliver]

I used them a couple of times when I lived in Conyers. I liked them.

Glad to hear it. I knew nothing about them other than they were the first place I called that were taking in deer. Thanks.

 

[Mackie889]

Sounds like Deans. Good people. He has one of mine now

You got it!

 

[Jim Boyd]

I wish you the absolute best luck.

My guess is that it is gonna be largely a thankless job that is frantic for several months and then you gotta support the overhead for the rest of the year.

Look at the comments in the thread……

What many of these folks have done is branched into taxidermy, even it is is simple euro mounts - that can be done in the off season.

Get old barn wood, some rusty barbed wire and a cooker and you could be in business at maybe $100 -150 per pop.


Wish ya all the best!!

 

[Shadow11]

Killed a small buck this morning at about 830. Called a place at 9, that i took a doe to on opening morn of bow season. She said we've got about 25 hooks open right now, but if you've got your own bring it any time. I said it'll probably be an hr or 2. She said don't wait too long.

Sure enough, when i called her back at 1030 they were full. Luckily there's a place nearby that had room. I used these folks a couple yrs ago, and I was happy with em. Ppl i know say bad things about em, but i think they don't like seeing the blood at the unloading spot. Doesn't bother me much