Going Rate for Deer Processing

[Hunter24113]

I recently harvested my first deer, gutted it, and took it to a processor.  I left the hide on because I was nervous that it was a bit warm and didn't want to risk spoilage.
The vacuum-sealed packages I received back were very professional and the meat looks great.  I'll put some of the context below, but the price I paid was quite a bit higher than I'd figured on.
What do you guys figure is a reasonable price for butchering?
Tri-Cities area
Mule deer
121 lbs, gutted, beheaded, but with bones in and hide on
The box and vacuum-sealed packages weighed exactly 79 lbs., (10% beef fat added to the ground)
Thanks

[Stein]

Silvana Meats is $0.95 a pound cut and wrap, minimum $95.  I have never used them or any other processor, but there's a data point for you.

[Karl Blanchard]

I process all my own meat so can't touch on what it costs to process but just an FYI, if it's warm out you want to REMOVE the hide not leave it on. That hide traps in a lot of heat and is far worse on meat than ambient air temp. Congrats on the first deer by the way 

[KP-Skagit]

 

I also process my own meat so can't speak to cost. That said you pay for everything you don't do yourself.

[Longfield1]

Also butchered my own. My brother paid 290 for his doe but got lots of pepperoni jerky and steaks at a butcher shop in issaquah.

[Remnar]

I cut my own also . But some friends went to Idaho this year and with high temps didnt want to mess with doing it their selves so took it in . Of course it had to be cut up by the time they left to go home so that cost extra . They ended up paying $2 a pound to have it done . Basic steaks and burger . But they knew the cost going in and were fine with it .

Did you not ask the price before hand? Or did they charge more than they quoted you ?

 I would guess the cost around $200

[buckfvr]

I imagine you got charged for skinning and cleaning it on top of cut and wrap.  A doe probably put you in the minimum charge category so you paid more there. My guess is the 79lbs includes bone and fat that you wont eat.  Ive only ever had one deer done that was a great job, boned out and all because we didnt have time to do it ourselves.  Aside for the exception, its best to do your own.

[Magnum_Willys]

I always do my own so its done perfect.  But son had his elk done recently $.95/lb brought in boned and very cleaned Elk meat was less than $100 cut and ground. 

You will  cut cost in half by using gutless method and boning meat - leave all the bones in the field and clean excess fat, sinew, bloody meat off.    Of course if there is a minimum charge that won't save you with a deer, might with an elk.

[HntnFsh]

Vacuum seal cost extra also.

[Basinguy]

I have never taken in an animal, but every time I'm done doing an animal (brats, breakfast sausage links, burger, steaks, chicken fried steaks, roast, strips, chunks, taco sliced you name it) I always say "next time I'm gonna take it in". Then the next time comes around and I look at their prices, and say "naw I got this." vicious cycle.

FYI - The last time this cycle happened was Saturday with my sons deer, and it's gonna happen again this weekend because my other son is up to bat this time so I guess it's not that bad.

Have fun and start buying gear, one thing at a time.

[IslandHunter]

I highly recommend doing it yourself. Lots of factors in price, you get what you pay for in most cases.

Its very intimidating at first, but then once you realize as long as you don't let the meat spoil, you can't really mess anything up. On the first one some steaks looked nicer than others, lots of trim that could have went into the grinder went to the dogs instead. Now that my wife and I have a few under our belt we are much faster and enjoy being able to decide what we want to do with the cuts as we are cutting it up. Last year we did a rack of ribs and tomahawk steaks, next year we want to try bone in shanks.

[Remnar]

I always do my own so its done perfect.  But son had his elk done recently $.95/lb brought in boned and very cleaned Elk meat was less than $100 cut and ground. 

You will  cut cost in half by using gutless method and boning meat - leave all the bones in the field and clean excess fat, sinew, bloody meat off.    Of course if there is a minimum charge that won't save you with a deer, might with an elk.

Once youve done all that the hard part is over

[GWP]

I refuse to take one in. One of the reasons I stopped hunting fur. They are a fair amount of work to process, and the wife said she would not help any more. While I do think she would probably help if it came down to it.

Funny side note:
Last one she helped with she was cutting up and wrapping portions while I separated and handed her parts.
I turned around and saw her writing her name on ALL the tenderloin and back strap packages. I asked what that was about and she said, "These are all mine. You get the rest."
You have to pay for the good job one way or another!
She did share though.

[huntnfmly]

I’m going to learn how to process our own
Last time I took both my daughters mule deer in to mt view meats who have done several of ours and does great work
After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

[Ridgeratt]

After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

Here's a large part of your cost. Ask what they charge for this. It's pretty easy to do that yourself.

[MIKEXRAY]

I just had a deer done at a butcher eastside Wa and it was 99 cents a pound to process , $ 75 minimum. $ 3.50 a pound for Summer Sausage or Pepperoni sticks,  25 # minimum on specialty.  There was an extra small charge for the added fat @ a couple of pounds. 

[Ridgeratt]

3.50 a pound at a 25 min is 87.00 bucks. You drop the animal off at the butcher and they write down your instructions.

[huntnfmly]

After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

Here's a large part of your cost. Ask what they charge for this. It's pretty easy to do that yourself.

Agreed I knew that would be expensive that’s why I’m determined to do our own from now on
But then again I said the same thing the time before that lol 😂

[highside74]

After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

Here's a large part of your cost. Ask what they charge for this. It's pretty easy to do that yourself.

For $675 I would have bought a grinder and ground everything then took ground meat to the butcher for pepperoni and  summer sausage then made my own ground sausage. Holy smokes.

[highside74]

The last time I took a deer to a butcher I asked for the Backstrap turned into steaks as part of my order. I received bone in t-bones. From that point on I cut my own and would grind at my bodies house. Bought a small smoker for and tried my hand at summer sausage and Jerky. I've decided just to let double T meats make my summer and pep since then and I do everything else my self. It's really quite simple.

[huntnfmly]

After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

Here's a large part of your cost. Ask what they charge for this. It's pretty easy to do that yourself.

For $675 I would have bought a grinder and ground everything then took ground meat to the butcher for pepperoni and  summer sausage then made my own ground sausage. Holy smokes.

👍

[highside74]

I’m going to learn how to process our own
Last time I took both my daughters mule deer in to mt view meats who have done several of ours and does great work
After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

MT. View Meats off 112th? If so you can't be to far from me. Send me a message next time and I'll help you cut up your deer if you want. You don't have to grind it to take it to double t that's part of their sausage and pep process anyway. We can cut and wrap your own steaks no problem.

[huntnfmly]

I’m going to learn how to process our own
Last time I took both my daughters mule deer in to mt view meats who have done several of ours and does great work
After they got all their jerky and pepperoni sticks along with the standard burger and steaks it was $675+ ouch

MT. View Meats off 112th? If so you can't be to far from me. Send me a message next time and I'll help you cut up your deer if you want. You don't have to grind it to take it to double t that's part of their sausage and pep process anyway. We can cut and wrap your own steaks no problem.

Yes on 112rh
Thank you I very much appreciate that I will probably take you up on that next time👍

[Stein]

It isn't hard, aim to cut the major muscle groups off whole using YouTube videos and pictures as guides.

If you mess up a roast, you end up with steaks.  If you mess up steaks you end up with stew meat.  If you mess up stew meat, you end up with ground.  Keep it out of the dirt and don't cut yourself and you really can't lose or screw it up that bad.  You won't ruin it, worst case it will just be different cuts than ideal.

The best part of doing it yourself is you can get exactly what you want.  No matter what you tell the butcher, they do every animal like they were taught and what is fastest as they get paid by the pound not the hour.  When I do a deer I only end up with maybe 5 pounds of ground max, I prioritize roasts and stew meat.  Others like grind.  Do whatever you like to cook and eat however you like it.

It's a great learning experience.

[snake]

Going rate is from anywhere from $1-$2 a pound for just a basic cut and wrap and grind the trimmings into burger. Add maybe $10 for the pork/beef/fat they add.  Then you got charged something for them to skin the deer and cut the legs off.  I would guess $25 -$50 for that. 
What did you pay and where did you have it processed?

[scotsman]

Just got back from eastern Montana. A top quality wild game processor has a flat rate of $135 for deer. They won’t accept it if you bring it in skinned because they have had too many dirty hairy deer carcasses for good quality meat. So for $135 they’ll skin it, rinse, cool, butcher to your specification and vacuum pack each piece. The only additional is $3 pound for superb breakfast sausage. HighLine Meats in Gardner MT. Not only that, but they’ll give you a beer or shot of whiskey while you hang around watching them work. Shoulda seen them process a buffalo!

[millerwheeler]

Saw mt view meats was mentioned all I’ll say is that place is the dirtiest butcher I have ever been inside . I do all my own after taking a deer there in a few years ago after going inside told him I’ll take my business elsewhere and grabbed my deer and left went home and made the time

[Shoofly09]

It isn't hard, aim to cut the major muscle groups off whole using YouTube videos and pictures as guides.

If you mess up a roast, you end up with steaks.  If you mess up steaks you end up with stew meat.  If you mess up stew meat, you end up with ground.  Keep it out of the dirt and don't cut yourself and you really can't lose or screw it up that bad.  You won't ruin it, worst case it will just be different cuts than ideal.

The best part of doing it yourself is you can get exactly what you want.  No matter what you tell the butcher, they do every animal like they were taught and what is fastest as they get paid by the pound not the hour.  When I do a deer I only end up with maybe 5 pounds of ground max, I prioritize roasts and stew meat.  Others like grind.  Do whatever you like to cook and eat however you like it.

It's a great learning experience.

great advice.

[Widgeondeke]

The best part of doing it yourself is you can get exactly what you want.  No matter what you tell the butcher, they do every animal like they were taught and what is fastest as they get paid by the pound not the hour.  When I do a deer I only end up with maybe 5 pounds of ground max, I prioritize roasts and stew meat.  Others like grind.  Do whatever you like to cook and eat however you like it.

It's a great learning experience.

    THIS ^👆

[huntnfmly]

Saw mt view meats was mentioned all I’ll say is that place is the dirtiest butcher I have ever been inside . I do all my own after taking a deer there in a few years ago after going inside told him I’ll take my business elsewhere and grabbed my deer and left went home and made the time

Interesting
I’ve had the completely opposite reaction to mt view it’s always looked very clean.

[millerwheeler]

Saw mt view meats was mentioned all I’ll say is that place is the dirtiest butcher I have ever been inside . I do all my own after taking a deer there in a few years ago after going inside told him I’ll take my business elsewhere and grabbed my deer and left went home and made the time

Your definition of clean and mine may be different but you enjoy them I’ll just keep doing it myself
Interesting
I’ve had the completely opposite reaction to mt view it’s always looked very clean.

[GWP]

Saw mt view meats was mentioned all I’ll say is that place is the dirtiest butcher I have ever been inside . I do all my own after taking a deer there in a few years ago after going inside told him I’ll take my business elsewhere and grabbed my deer and left went home and made the time

Don't know the shop, but it being a butcher shop I would ask what time of the day you were in there? If it was later and they had been processing a bunch of critters they 'generally' don't do a full clean up after every one.

[millerwheeler]

Saw mt view meats was mentioned all I’ll say is that place is the dirtiest butcher I have ever been inside . I do all my own after taking a deer there in a few years ago after going inside told him I’ll take my business elsewhere and grabbed my deer and left went home and made the time

Don't know the shop, but it being a butcher shop I would ask what time of the day you were in there? If it was later and they had been processing a bunch of critters they 'generally' don't do a full clean up after every one.

 Was opening first thing in the morning and y’all can saw as you want I saw how dirty it was and all the flies and we know what flies do too meat, then add in the fact he was smoking while in the shop  and ya let me , obviously nothing was cleaned from prior business day

[Hunter24113]

Going rate is from anywhere from $1-$2 a pound for just a basic cut and wrap and grind the trimmings into burger. Add maybe $10 for the pork/beef/fat they add.  Then you got charged something for them to skin the deer and cut the legs off.  I would guess $25 -$50 for that. 
What did you pay and where did you have it processed?

Thanks for all the feedback and info.
My total charge was ~$440 for the deer I mentioned in my first post. 
The rate at this place (Bryan's Meat Co.) is $2.69/lb. with a minimum of $269.00 for deer/elk/moose/antelope (this WAS posted inside the business).  It seemed steep to me, but the other butcher's that I called in the area weren't taking wild game.

My invoice showed:
121 lbs. "DEER CUT & WRAP BNLS" at $2.69/lb.
A small charge for "Raw Material Inedible Charge"
$75 for Skinning
Almost $30 in sales tax

I weighed the box and packages when I got home, it was 79 lbs. total. The breakdown was:
50 packages of Ground (they added 10% beef fat)
9 Round steaks
8 Rib steaks
5 New York Steaks
2 Roasts
2 Tenderloins

What I'm gathering from your responses is that I need to find another butcher or learn how to do it myself

[Bullkllr]

Too late now, but I got this off the Butcher Boys website:

Cut and Wrap $.79 per lb. ($79.00 minimum)
Grind and Wrap $.89 per lb.
Grinding Only $.60 per lb.
Cryovac $.50 per bag

 HANGING
Elk $25.00 a day
Deer $15.00 a day

Can't give you a review of them or other recently, but the few I checked seem to advertise much lower prices. I have dealt with Stacey's Meats up in Ephrata and they were a stand-up operation and went over and above when we needed them at a very reasonable price.
For what you paid you can buy a grinder that will last your whole hunting career.

[huntnnw]

I will never understand all the preparation, scouting , the hunting etc that goes into hunting then be like “ I don’t have time” or “ I don’t know how” you learned how to hunt and you sure as hell made time to hunt, putting your meat in the freezer is the last step in the hunt. The one time someone takes their meat in and has any sort of sausage made you coulda bought a nice meat grinder.

[huntnfmly]

I will never understand all the preparation, scouting , the hunting etc that goes into hunting then be like “ I don’t have time” or “ I don’t know how” you learned how to hunt and you sure as hell made time to hunt, putting your meat in the freezer is the last step in the hunt. The one time someone takes their meat in and has any sort of sausage made you coulda bought a nice meat grinder.

And I will never understand why comments like this are always made
Some people don’t have time and have not learned processing yet and my answer to that is so what?

[huntnnw]

Then you don’t have time to hunt

[C-Money]

DANG!! $440 /deer? I think I would learn to love deer processing if I could get that much per deer. Not sure I'd feel right charging that much...

[Jpmiller]

I will never understand all the preparation, scouting , the hunting etc that goes into hunting then be like “ I don’t have time” or “ I don’t know how” you learned how to hunt and you sure as hell made time to hunt, putting your meat in the freezer is the last step in the hunt. The one time someone takes their meat in and has any sort of sausage made you coulda bought a nice meat grinder.

Couldn't the same be said about reloading, gunsmithing, sewing your own hunting clothes etc?

I subscribe to the make it all into roasts, steak the roasts you mess up and chili meat the steaks your screw up method. Plus if you don't have enough steaks it's really easy to slice up a roast for steaks. It's extra work, you need specialty gear and a decent sized kitchen space to do it in. I'm not going to thumb my nose at someone for taking it to a processer though.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Big difference in cost between bringing in an unskinned deer with all the bones vs a boned out box of just meat.

Then you don’t have time to hunt

Or, the person was limited to how much time off available from work or other life requirements.  Not everyone has unlimited free time or the space to process one. 

I have done both ways depending on just those exact reasons, bottom line, he got out, got a deer and is now able to enjoy it over the winter. 

Can't people just congratulate the successful hunter and simply answer his questions or give helpful guidance without interjecting their opinions, oh wait, clearly they cannot.

Got to love the internet!!

[RockChuck]

The best part of doing it yourself is you can get exactly what you want.  No matter what you tell the butcher, they do every animal like they were taught and what is fastest as they get paid by the pound not the hour.  When I do a deer I only end up with maybe 5 pounds of ground max, I prioritize roasts and stew meat.  Others like grind.  Do whatever you like to cook and eat however you like it.

It's a great learning experience.

    THIS ^👆

 

It’s nice to be able to make packages just the size you want.

I took one deer to the same place in tri cities years ago (price wasn’t that high then probably went up)  and had the same experience as the original poster. Seemed way over priced, have done them myself since

[Twispriver]

It looks like they charged you for skinning and then charged you $2.69 per pound in cutting and wrapping for the hide weight 

[duckmen1]

Some people may get an evening to go out after work during the week and have to work the next several days but may have been successful in that evening. Thus a butcher being a good option. If you have time and ability to do it yourself great. If not that is what a butcher is for. I have done both.

Finding a butcher willing to take meat in during season is getting tougher and tougher. They are just getting so busy. And Butcher Boys has treated me well on cut and wrap for a good cost. Cost posted in a prior post Although sometimes they get busy too and due to the racks being full I have not been able to drop off all animals. That being said they have treated us good. Trying to go into season with different butchers in mind to get ahold of can be a life saver. Or finding an option of someone who has a deep freeze to put meat into while waiting to go to a butcher is a good too.

And learning how to process can be very rewarding and enjoyable too if time allows. Can be cost savings and minimal cost to get into.