Deer Processor gave me back the wrong Deer..Now what?

Well, After shooting a nice large 3 1/2 year old doe, and have pictures and witnesses. Brought it to my deer processor the second day of gun. There were about 20 deer there. When i got it back, i received 28lbs of meat when there should have been 50lbs+. The tenderloins were the size of chicken fingers. I called and expressed my concern and told him i got back the wrong deer. He said he would get back to me. I have used this gut for a few years. It has been 5 days and no call. I need some opinions: 1.) I paid this guy $80.00, should i call and demand the money back? What restitution, if any, should he offer? Do I have any recourse? What would you be willing to accept, to ease the pain?
I am so pissed i can barely sleep!

 

$80....wow yeah I'd be expecting some kind of correction or restitution. Go about it politely though, but honest. Tell the guy you both know you got less meat than that does rear-end had on it alone. If nothing, black ball him with honest opinions and such to other hunters. Hunters go in packs to places, if he wants good business he'll correct the situation...if not well "wipe the dust from your feet" as the saying goes.

 

You probabaly got a little of every deer there .

Not sure how far you will get with them.

 

I'm going to pick mine up tonight. I have always been afraid of these places because they have no rules to follow, hard telling how clean everything is and I bet a lot of people get sick from eating the stuff. I doubt everyone gets 100% of his or her deer, probably more like 80% if that.

This is my first deer and I'm not sure I want to eat any of it after reading about deer processors on the web.


If I were you I would at least demand my money back and tell others to avoid the guy.

 

I would be willing to accept that I need to start processing my own deer if I am going to complain about someone else doing it for me.

 

Why I cut my own, I don't want meat from a gut shot deer that someone strapped to the hood of his car and showed off to the whole county before dropping it off to the processor.

 

For eighty dollars you can buy a decent hand grinder and a good knife. I doubt you have much recourse and I am sure some processors do that a lot.

 

First of all guys there ARE processors out there who do and will guarantee you get back your deer and all of it as they work one deer at a time and keep all meat tagged and panned seperately. I know this because my father in law is one of these processors. However I do believe its fair to say that this is likely the exception to the rule. So ask some questions before hand. But more over do the work yourself!! Its certainly not hard and you'll likely find it's quite rewarding. Plus you will never have to worry about cleanliness or process because you will be the one doing it. Quality grinders are becoming cheaper every year and even better yet is to talk a couple buddies into going in together on a good grinder and vaccuum sealer then pass it around. Or even better yet get together like we do and help each other get it done. Kinda becomes a party and further strengthens the brotherhood bond of hunting. Good luck to ya though!!

 

Around my area the processor gives a weight on the hoof when we drop deer off. But I will say if you have sausage made up who knows what deer your getting back. There has been many places skimming off to sell sausage sticks and such.
I would ask for your money back and then warn others in the future.

 

A few years ago, I dropped off a deer to be processed. When I got the meat back it was probably double what I should have gotten. I questioned the butcher about the large amount of meat and was told there is NO way he made a mistake. So I shot a 100 lb. deer and got close to 80 lbs. meat. I do my own now.

 

I am a little curious how you know she was 3 1/2? Most does here in central Alabama are going to weigh somewhere around 90-100 pounds and by time you lose the hide, head, guts, bones, legs and other non-edibles, 28 pounds +- is about what I would expect unless I had a lot of sausage or fat added burger. I don't know how much she weighed but deer are seldom as heavy or as old as estimated. Not saying your wrong, but it really does seem a fairly reasonable amount unless you knocked down an above average sized doe. Again, that would be around here.

 

I have been hunting over 30 years and have left processors because i was unhappy with the poundage, but it was sometimes questionable and i never challenged the butcher. This time I know i got screwed! I guess a lot of us have stories to tell, but what would you guys do in this instance? I want to know what the common man would do? I am not very easy going when conditions like this arise. I want to move forward doing the right thing. Thanks

 

You'll need to take it back and show your reciept. Giving that you still have it. At my processer they weigh the deer that you bring in and the wieght is noted on the Bill of sale. if you still have that you will want to bring it as well. with all the deer they get in over a firearms weekend it's easy to believe that someone made a mistake. You're much better off skinning and debone deer yourself then you know exsactly how much meat you actually have. I don't have an talo added to my burger so it's cheaper and healthier. Also, I'm pretty sure most state require a processer/butcher to keep each deer seperater and butcher one at a time. they can't track the deer meat that way. Best of luck to you bud.

 

50+ lbs of finished trimmed and packaged meat for any doe is a lot...I'd expect that from a decent buck.

That said, perhaps you didn't get it all back. Anyone who doesn't atleast grab the tenderloins out which take two seconds when dropping it off is asking for trouble IMO.

 

I didn't notice or I should say didn't pay attention to location of OP...Muzzy is probably on to something. I shot a yearling a few years back (our yearlings are probably like your 2 1/2s) and got 31lbs back from her and was tickled. Tasted great!

 

Just curious as to where you are getting your deer processed in our area?

 

I agree with you, Muzzy and Trevor. 25-30 lbs is about right for a doe 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 around here. That is nice clean meat with little fascia and no fat. There are a few tendons but they get removed during grinding. I get another 10 lbs or so of meat for the dogs, trimmings, fat, organs and such.

I would suggest to anyone that claims a butcher is shorting them to process at least one deer and process it like you would like to receive it from a butcher, nice and clean without much fascia and fat. I would suspect that some eyes would be opened as to how much meat is on a deer.

 

Butcher your own deer .... it is way more rewarding and it is YOUR deer...I trust none of those guys....

 

I would drop the subject, and be happy with your meat. Starting arguments with local businesses is never a good idea.

Then go to Wally word pick up a cheap processing kit ( I got one for 16.99) and watch a few YouTube videos and call it a day. It will save you a lot of money in the long run and you know it's your deer, and it's clean. Plus being able to butcher an animal is a very valuable skill to have for many different circumstances.

Side note: 80 bucks is a lot of money to be spending on something you can do at home in 2-3 hours with very little equipment.

 

I had a 100 + pound pig processed and in the freezer last week in less than 40 minutes. Normally it goes faster but I struggled with the tough hide around the shoulders some. It would take longer than that to take it to the processor.