POLL: Do you process your own deer?

Just taking a poll to see how many people process their own deer. Personally I do because it's a family event where my wife and kids help out.

 

I process my own. I don't trust any of the processors around here to do it to my liking or to reliably give me back meat from my deer.

 

We will do most ourselves. We do take in "scraps" to be made into sausage/sticks. the processor is a family friend. I would take in the whole deer if there is a conflict with time that wouldn't let me get it done.

 

I do my own. For me, it's part of the entire hunting process.

 

I do my own, venison needs to be aged and trimed properly and I do not trust somebody else to do it.

 

I did my own for the first 20+ years of hunting. Once I moved to IL, I had my hands too full with family stuff to really carve out the time for it. Plus the local butcher here does a lot of specialty stuff that's really good. Now I get it processed by them and it's well worth it.

 

I do most of my own, i do get a few things made from a place that guarantees your own meat back. I am very picky how my meat is cut, if they wont give me my meat I wont take it anywhere and will learn how to make a few of the things I get made.

 

Do my own last few years can not afford processors here in wi. Over $100.00 just for general processing, steaks, roasts chops and burger, if you desire extras such as summer sausage its much more--my sons first bow kill I told him he could have made whatever he wished, besides the normal, he asked for hot dogs and garlic summer sausage---he was extremely happy--I got the bill $325.00 nearly fainted, the next year I purchased a grinder, a cutter, s sausage stuffer and went on internet to gather summer sausage recipes, yea a little more work but after first year I more than paid for processing equipment, local processors can take a flying leap (&*^%^

 

I do my own usually. This year got away from me so I took it into a processor that I know them very well. They are very particular about the meat they accept. They have ticked more than a few people off sending them back where they came from with their unprocessed deer.


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I do my own because I don't know what others processes are and it is fun for me.

 

I'm right there with you, as a fairly new bow hunter it makes sense just to invest in all the gear. I you tubed, read books and bought wild game cook books. I was even able to get my daughter involved making brauts. I enjoy doing it myself and more cost effective. At $120 a deer, I cant afford it. But my doing it myself it's priceless.


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I do my own as well. My grinder paid for itself i. The first year. I usually do steaks, ground meat, ribs, and jerky.


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Nope.

 

I cut everything up and package my own steaks, roasts, & loins. I take all of the scrap meat to my butcher for burger and summer sausage. Just eliminating the processing fee is savings enough for me.

 

I debone and separate the cuts my self. I've considered taking all my stew meats to Web's and have it turned into summer sausage in the off season and never get around to it. Web's is incredible but it's quite a drive and like others have said. I don't think I would be to excited about the bill and am a little nervous about getting my own back.

 

Did for many years but life has caught up with me and I have a good friend who takes 3 weeks of vacation to just cut deer in the fall.
Only charges $75 for a regular cut but I have all of my burger mixed with bacon so the three deer that he did for me last year ended up costing me $280 for all three. Since it's just my wife and I at home now, I have the burger and steaks put in 1 pound or small steak packages.

 

I process them myself, the cost of taking somewhere to be processed is not something I can afford to do. I have bought books, watched videos and even watched a live demo at a the Illinois Deer and Turkey Expo. I don't own a grinder but my brother does so I use his and give him a couple pounds of ground for the use of it.

 

Hey Sota - I understand about the trimming! My question is about "aging". I've read quite a bit about the pros and cons, but would be interested to hear your rationale for aging. I personally do not due to location issues. Now, having said that, the deer may stay in the refrig for a few days during processing, but it is not a deliberate thing (I'm just not speedy in the butchering department!).

Thanks!

 

I usually shoot a buck first week in November, the temps are down by then and I have climate control in my shop so it is pretty easy to maintain a temperature. I like tender venison and I read some stuff that people said and they said it in a way I agree with so I age my venison before I process it. People do compliment the venison I make they even comment it does not taste like venison.

 

Thanks! Appreciate the info.