I'll be hitting the rifle deer hunt in a couple of weeks, and since I'm an optimist I'm confident that at least one or two of us will come out filling our tag. Although I usually butcher my own deer, my buddy is looking for a good game processor in Utah County, preferably Provo/Orem area south to Payson, to process his deer for him if he gets one.
Anyone have any good ideas on where to take it? I've heard ugly rumors in the past about only getting 3/4 of your meat cause the processor keeps his share and hopes you won't notice, etc.
Thanks for any input anyone has.
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I do not know of anyone in the Utah/SLC or Davis county area, however I use a guy out in the Uinta basin. For the price and quality it has been worth it for me to take the extra drive out there to have him do the processing. The business is Chucks Meat in Duchesne. Top quality and reasonable prices. And they do not jerk you around or keep any of your meat. They also deliver as promised, as in when they tell you 20 days it will be ready in 20 days.
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[font "Impact"][#ff4040][size 3]My buddy a couple years ago took his deer to a place called Ford's Meat...I think that is what it was.It was in Provo somewhere...I can't remember it's been a couple years.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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Hey Jack, what is the prices like at your place in Duchesne, I'm hunting near vernal and could drop my buck off on my way back to slc. I've always done my own, but my wife's tolerance for the process is getting smaller and smaller and I think this is the year when I pull the trigger and pay for someone else to go through the hassle.
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I usually do my own cutting as well. This year we are going to do some extra's like sausage and Jerky so I have been looking for a good place as well. I have found a few in the springville to Payson area. Everyone that I talk to love the jerky from Springville meats in Springville. Dixons meat in Payson has resonalbe prices and the quality is also very good.
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[font "Impact"][#ff4040][size 3]I usually cut my own too. This year is a different story. No deer or elk hunting this year. Just had a kid in June so I'm pretty strapped for cash. I usually get all my jerky done by one of my buddies Mom. She has the best jerky ever.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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I am not sure on the price as it is decided by weight and what type of processing you want done. I can tell you though it is very reasonable and you get a good product back. They will do any type you want to custom cuts and sizes. They are the ones that do my hog/cow/big game butchering. They are outside of Duchesne.
Chuck's Meat
5425 South 11500, Roosevelt, UT 84066
(435)646-3240
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Thanks everyone for the ideas. I'll let him know. We're hunting out near Roosevelt, however it'd be more convenient to drop it off in Springville or Payson. The money saved by going out there would quickly be lost in gas to retrieve the meat. Thanks again.
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I've heard that complaint my whole life from people, My dad has been a butcher for 50yrs. He hates venison and elk meat and has no use for any of it. but has been accused of stealing meat every year. (even with the hunter standing in front of him helping him) The common misconception with this is that alot of people see a deer or elk and on the hook they seem to have alot of bulk and weight to them but they also have alot of cavity and bones, not to mention that even a perfectly shot animal will have some blood into the tissue that should deffinately get trimmed away.
He quit cutting meat during the hunts for this reason several years ago. When he was cutting the last few years that he did he worked for a hunting club and it was taking up too much of his time.
He and I would cut, grind, and wrap 5-7 deer or 3-5 elk a night for over 2 months every year. for a man in his 60's he is very proficient and clean.
we've had hunters that come in and watch us cut and see the scraps and the bones and even make the call on what to grind and what to throw out and still accuse us of stealing meat.
one rule of thumb is to be there and participate in the butchering and ask questions, Most butchers prefer beef to game and see enough of it throught the hunt to sour the taste of it.
DZ
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Good point Danzilla. I sell a few steers every year to the neighbors. I sell them by the pound using the hanging weight which is about the only fair way to weigh them and I give them an awesome deal. Most people are real happy but I've had some say " well this doesn't feel like 200 lbs. When I've calculated it out even after the bones are gone they are still getting the meat for under $2.00 per pound and thats steaks roasts and burger.
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carsen meat in af
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I haven't heard of them stealing the meat but I have heard that you never know if you will get your own deer or elk because they go by pounds and you will end up with that amount of meat whether it be your own animal's meat. If someone knows if this is B.S let me know, I've always heard that.
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I think there are good processors and bad but I learned a long time ago that a lot of them will take some of the better cuts of meat. For those of you that have processed your own meet, you know what the tenderloins look like (the grain is fine not course like the rest of the animal). As long as the animal has not been shot up or spoiled there should be a certain number per carcass. When I use to take my animals in to be processed, I would get few if any of those packages, when I ask them why they would always say the same thing, spoiled meat, even though I knew that wasn't the case. The last time I took an elk in, I just took the tenderloins out and only had them process the four quarters. The four quarters weighted over 300 lbs, when I picked up the elk there was only four boxes that weighted under 100 lbs. I thought that was a little short but was glad I had taken the tender loins and did them myself. When I do my own animal, I figure 1/2 can be lost to trimming the meat and bones, maybe more if it is shot up. Years ago when I got a moose, I did not have room to store it, so I took it to a place that had a walk in cooler that charged a fee to store the meat. I started talking to one of the workers and he told me it was common practice to take some of the meet they processed. That was the last time I had anyone process an animal for me, the next year I bought a freezer and have done it myself since. WH2
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I use Bob Hines "butcher boy" in moab for my elk butchering needs and I usually cut my own deer. I know for a fact that I get 100% of the meat back and that it is indeed the animal I harvested. How do I know this? I have him package the t-loins whole and the back straps in 4 packages per side (8 total). I know that it's my meat because he cuts one animal at a time, much easier than trying to keep track of multiple animals and their different cuts.
p.s. I also know he absolutely hates deer and elk meat...
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