Cost of butcher bill for my elk!!!!!

[nitro]

Just picked up my elk from the butcher and was surprised on what it cost! A friend and I took our elk which where in quarters and was charged 260 for min fee I was not told here was a min. fee for elk when dropped off so was a little surprised. I was told that this has been his price for 14 years wow realy! !! I have never paid that much for process of a elk. This was just a standard cut on the elk no extras done, So with that said i guess i will say who it was BARTS CUSTOM MEATS IN SNOHOMISH. Has any one else had the same encounter with them and does that seem way high to cut and wrap a elk with just four quarter that weighed 128 lbs? Like to hear some your views on this.

[Coastal_native]

No burger? 

[Big6bull]

That seems about right in my experience. Most deer under 100 elk 200 and up. Sausage and specialties on top of that. I think it's worth it.

[TheHunt]

That cost is why we do our own.

[jason stevens]

Yep that's about right I did mine myself cost w as 12 dollars and a couple hours of quality time with the girls.

[X-Force]

Its to bad they don't tell you up front that an elk is $X min.

My cow was just under $200 ground, cut and wrapped with 25lbs of brauts.
It was boned out.

[Bullkllr]

  Last time I brought meat to a shop (just grind) I brought in over 120 #, had them grind in 10% fat and they had under 50  2 pound packs of burger for me. Claimed the loss was from cleaning the grinder.

I bought a good grinder.

[go4steelhd]

 I payed $150 with tax. For a five point bull this year at Stacy's Meat in Ephrata Wa. I gave him boned out meat. And it was just a cut and wrap. But the steaks are vacuum sealed. I think it was 175 pounds. I only took it there because we had a week old baby and I figured it would just be easier for them to cut it. I figured it would be $300 +... So I was thrilled when I heard the cost. He also did a great job.

But I think what you payed is average now days. Sad but true

[Bullkllr]

I payed $150 with tax. For a five point bull this year at Stacy's Meat in Ephrata Wa. I gave him boned out meat. And it was just a cut and wrap. But the steaks are vacuum sealed. I think it was 175 pounds. I only took it there because we had a week old baby and I figured it would just be easier for them to cut it. I figured it would be $300 +... So I was thrilled when I heard the cost. He also did a great job.

But I think what you payed is average now days. Sad but true

I met Stacy a few years ago - had him hang a couple deer in his cooler for us. Only charged us $20, and  he delayed a trip to Banks Lake so we could pick them up a day early. Good guy!

[nitro]

I had stacy meats due my pig this last year with about 10 others that my buddy raised for friends and they did a great job for all of us. Wish i lived over on the east side i would of had them due my elk for sure.

[RG]

Just picked up my elk from the butcher and was surprised on what it cost! A friend and I took our elk which where in quarters and was charged 260 for min fee I was not told here was a min. fee for elk when dropped off so was a little surprised. I was told that this has been his price for 14 years wow realy! !! I have never paid that much for process of a elk. This was just a standard cut on the elk no extras done, So with that said i guess i will say who it was BARTS CUSTOM MEATS IN SNOHOMISH. Has any one else had the same encounter with them and does that seem way high to cut and wrap a elk with just four quarter that weighed 128 lbs? Like to hear some your views on this.

If you had 4 elk quarters there I'm thinking it all weighed more than 128 lbs total or else it was a calf or boned out.  My last quarters were 55 to 60 pounds each and it was a small bodied elk.

[nitro]

The cow i shot was not to big, i was a little surprised when he said what my 4 quarters weighed but thats what he has on my bill.

[Axle]

Think about it - if you cut up deer and elk for money, what do you think you would want per animal? If you are a small business, what would expenses be? What would you need to charge? Cutting one up is not a 5 minute job.
I know that if I did that kind of work, I would charge big bucks too. Especially in tax-to-the-max counties. I actually worked in a slaughterhouse in the mid 70s and got some good knowledge and experience on what takes place. With that experience, all my friends and buddies would bring their ungulates to me to process. I usually got my cut (literally speaking).
I've processed thousands of critters and though I love to do that, I would never complain about the prices you are referring to here.
I'm not beating you up or complaining about what you are saying. What I would suggest is that you learn to process them yourself. There seems to be fewer and fewer who process meat. If I was a commercial processor, I would charge as much or more than the prices mentioned on this forum.
A meat grinder is a nice thing to have and as long as you have access to the internet, you can learn how to cut one up.
Happy cuttings!

[jrebel]

Seems most places charge $.65 - $1 a pound of hanging weight.  I know my cow hung at over 300 lbs so at a minimum that would cost $200.  I think it sounds fair to me...they have to make money too. 

[Magnum_Willys]

You mean 4 legs? No way 4 quarters weigh 128# ?   Typical is 250-350#  for 4 quarters.