Montana game processing might turn you away

[1Guy]

My buddy lives in eastern Montana He said because of CWD a lot of meat shops are turning a lot of hunters away from processing their game so just a heads up if you are going you might want to give the local shop a call or bring a sharp knife and get it done quick before it freezes if you go late LOL

[DWBMontana]

A lot of it is to do with the USDA and regulations regarding cross contamination of domestic livestock and wild game. One processor I know and recommend highly is Pioneer Meats, in Big Timber, Brian and his people will take great care of you, hard to find a better processor in my opinion. They have plans to open a second shop in downtown Big Timber that will handle wild game processing.

[Stein]

It wouldn't surprise me, it's a long shot but the liability would be huge.  I know I am concerned until I get the results and it's usually like 5 weeks you have to wonder.  I do use a separate set of knives just to be safe.

For a butcher shop, it would be nearly impossible to avoid cross contamination since there is nothing that can "kill" CWD in the traditional sense that I am aware of.

I also wouldn't be surprised if shops in WA refused MT deer and elk at some point.

[Platensek-po]

It looks like a pretty hefty bleach solution will effectively kill prions on a metal surface. Or just cook it at 900f for a few hours. Meat is probably fun a be a little crispy at those temps. Prob want use bacon or something to help keep the moisture in.

[Stein]

You're right, just looked it up and Wisconsin and others have done testing and you can deactivate it with a 50/50 bleach water solution soak for stainless.  The only problem is that if you have a tiny scrap of meat or tissue on the knife it won't work, has to be 100% clean going in.  It's also pretty caustic at that concentration.  Not too easy to soak bandsaws or even hand saws or countertops though.

[Platensek-po]

Oh I 100 agree with you. Not easy, not ideal and probably very difficult to do. Pretty nasty buggers those prions