Average cost of taxidermy/processing?

[Smossy]

Being as this will be my first year out. Id like to get whatever I put a tag on, processing for eating and shoulder mounted if its a deer/elk, or turned into a rug if its a bear. Im wondering on prices because I honestly dont have the foggiest clue. As far as deer/elk.. Id like the meat obviously processed/packaged up and ready to throw in my freezer.
Im sure there will be others who wonder the same thing.

Price guestimates and or tips in regards to this would be great.
I know everyone probably pays a different price so lets hear it, and see some of your best mounts with cost. Thanks.

[NWBREW]

If you take it to a butcher, bone it out first. They will charge by weight.


As for horn mounts...do that yourself to save money...very easy. For rugs or shoulder mounts you can go to the taxi's website for prices. I have a whitetail shoulder mount with natural habitat at a taxi now and it is around 750 or so. Top quality work is well worth the money in my opinion.

[Smossy]

Ok cool thanks.

[JoeE]

I've taken a few deer to Olson Meats in Enumclaw and I've always been  happy with their game processing. I usually get the best cuts in steaks and the rest ground into burger and if I remember right its less than $100. Its not that hard to butcher a deer yourself, my wife just doesn't want me making a mess in the garage so I pay somebody else to do it.

[bear hunter]

I use to pay 55 cents a pound min. 100 lbs. Now I pay 75 cents a pound. If you have extra stuff made it will cost more depends on the butcher. I do my own butchering if I have time. Sometimes I am out for the week and fillled my tag the first day in hot weather. I than take it in to be processed, but I also have butchered my deer in camp the day before we left for home once. Deer mount range 450.00 and up Elk mount range 600.00 and up. Hope that helps.

[huntnphool]

Contact Charlie (bucklucky) for taxi prices, he does great work at a reasonable price.

[jackelope]

I would learn how to process the meat yourself. It's not difficult and it will save you a bunch of money. I've done it every year for as long as I can remember except in 2010 when holidays and weather caused me problems and I took it to a butcher shop in Bellevue. I decided to get lots of sausages, jerky, etc made and I spent close to $300 all together. That was excessive and I probably won't do that again. Not with a whole deer anyway. You could do all that yourself too if you've got the equipment like a smoker, grinder, dehydrator, oven, etc. That too is not that difficult.

[Bean Counter]

  I've never paid a butcher. It will definitely save you money, but you have to consider the opportunity cost. It takes me a few days to get through an elk. If I were low on vacation hours at work, it would be more cost effective to pay someone rather than take time off work without pay. 

Start keeping your eye out on Craigslist NOW for a used freezer. I found  a great upright a few years ago for $100 and it works great 

If you just want to kill an animal and don't care about antlers, put in for doe/cow tags. When you kill it, you can always save the cape and have it tanned into a sheet of leather. That will be at least some form of keepsake. Check out WB Place in Wisconsin. You can also DIY euro the skull. All depends on how much time you have on your hands.

[Smossy]

I've taken a few deer to Olson Meats in Enumclaw and I've always been  happy with their game processing. I usually get the best cuts in steaks and the rest ground into burger and if I remember right its less than $100. Its not that hard to butcher a deer yourself, my wife just doesn't want me making a mess in the garage so I pay somebody else to do it.

Dont they just grind your stuff up with everyone elses when making burger meat? Thats what I read online. But we all know everything you read online isnt always true

[Smossy]

I would learn how to process the meat yourself. It's not difficult and it will save you a bunch of money. I've done it every year for as long as I can remember except in 2010 when holidays and weather caused me problems and I took it to a butcher shop in Bellevue. I decided to get lots of sausages, jerky, etc made and I spent close to $300 all together. That was excessive and I probably won't do that again. Not with a whole deer anyway. You could do all that yourself too if you've got the equipment like a smoker, grinder, dehydrator, oven, etc. That too is not that difficult.

Yeah I have all those things at my disposale between my girls family and my stuff. $300 bucks does seem like alot, Is what you get in return worth it though if you were to even just go buy random stuff from the butcher? Im trying to weigh out the $ we spend yearly on meat at local stores, compaired to what we could put into getting meat ourselves and having it processed. Be it done myself or a butcher.

[Smossy]

I've never paid a butcher. It will definitely save you money, but you have to consider the opportunity cost. It takes me a few days to get through an elk. If I were low on vacation hours at work, it would be more cost effective to pay someone rather than take time off work without pay. 

Start keeping your eye out on Craigslist NOW for a used freezer. I found  a great upright a few years ago for $100 and it works great 

If you just want to kill an animal and don't care about antlers, put in for doe/cow tags. When you kill it, you can always save the cape and have it tanned into a sheet of leather. That will be at least some form of keepsake. Check out WB Place in Wisconsin. You can also DIY euro the skull. All depends on how much time you have on your hands.

Well thats just it, I might not be working this year "Lets hope thats not the case".. With my history Im having a rough time finding work. Im not necessarily gung ho about it either. So this may be my way of contributing to the family untill I can find said job/work..
So saving on expenses would always be best.

[huntnphool]

I've never paid a butcher. It will definitely save you money, but you have to consider the opportunity cost. It takes me a few days to get through an elk. If I were low on vacation hours at work, it would be more cost effective to pay someone rather than take time off work without pay. 

Start keeping your eye out on Craigslist NOW for a used freezer. I found  a great upright a few years ago for $100 and it works great 

If you just want to kill an animal and don't care about antlers, put in for doe/cow tags. When you kill it, you can always save the cape and have it tanned into a sheet of leather. That will be at least some form of keepsake. Check out WB Place in Wisconsin. You can also DIY euro the skull. All depends on how much time you have on your hands.

Well thats just it, I might not be working this year "Lets hope thats not the case".. With my history Im having a rough time finding work. Im not necessarily gung ho about it either. So this may be my way of contributing to the family untill I can find said job/work..
So saving on expenses would always be best.

in most cases $$$ spent hunting/fishing for food costs more than just going to the grocery store. If you are doing this with the idea it will save you money you are mistaken.

[Bean Counter]

Hunting is a fun activity and putting fresh, organic free ranging meat in the freezer is a gratifying bonus. However, if funds are short, don't think that you're getting into this to be cost effective. Even AFTER you have spent thousands on optics, guns, bows, ammo/arrows, boots, etc... If you average out your costs in gasoline and out of state tags you could do far better going to a local cattleman and buying 1/2 cow, driving it home in the truck, DIY cut and wrap, and throw it in that upright freezer. Exactly the research I have been doing since 2012 was a tag soup year for me   

[Smossy]

Hunting is a fun activity and putting fresh, organic free ranging meat in the freezer is a gratifying bonus. However, if funds are short, don't think that you're getting into this to be cost effective. Even AFTER you have spent thousands on optics, guns, bows, ammo/arrows, boots, etc... If you average out your costs in gasoline and out of state tags you could do far better going to a local cattleman and buying 1/2 cow, driving it home in the truck, DIY cut and wrap, and throw it in that upright freezer. Exactly the research I have been doing since 2012 was a tag soup year for me   

Ill never be hunting out of state as long as Im unemployed. I have all my equipment already. I'm not doing it ONLY to provide but its a release from all the other bs in my life. Im addicted to the outdoors and always striving to find new things that excite me and make a new lifestyle for myself. I grew up a punk kid running around with guns and smoking a lot of pot doing oxy. I spent a few years incarcerated and found an amazing woman and my whole outlook on life has changed. Wouldn't and couldn't imagine ever stepping foot back in those shoes. So its really a balance of cost efficiency/sanity I guess you could say.

[Bean Counter]

Those are very good reasons to get outdoors! 

Just curious: you do time for dealin'?