Do Game Processors allow you to work on the meat yourself?

[S-3 Ranch]

My dad ran a small-town butcher shop for most of my childhood. If someone walked in and showed any interest in using a knife, their only problem would be walking away without being offered a full time job.

Funny you say that, my local game processing guy offered me a very nice side gig job to help him keep up during the season.
seems like lots of folks don’t have a clue how properly skin, cape , dry age , cut up , make sausage, ect

 

[Jamen]

Funny you say that, my local game processing guy offered me a very nice side gig job to help him keep up during the season.
seems like lots of folks don’t have a clue how properly skin, cape , dry age , cut up , make sausage, ect

My dad and i run a small game processing gig in the fall. Seems more people dont know how to butcher their own animal vs those that do. That being said for liability reasons i wouldnt let someone process theirs at our place.

 

[LuketheDog]

seems like lots of folks don’t have a clue how properly skin, cape, dry age , cut up , make sausage, ect...or generally take care of their game meat!

FIFY

No kidding. Before I started doing my own processing the condition of carcasses and quarters I'd see at the processor drop-off area was absolutely shocking. I once saw a guy bring in a huge black bear stuffed in the back of his nice Jeep Cherokee that he'd killed the day before, it was still ungutted (there was some stink coming out of that JEEP), and he wanted the guys doing the intake to skin it nicely too so he could have a rug made. They told him to take it away and gut it before bringing it back and that if he had them skin it instead of a taxidermist the rug probably wasn't going to look so nice. Dude got REAL upset

 

[Shortbowshot]

The last few years I've taken vacuum sealers to camp with a folding table. We get the crew lined up and can process an elk in a couple hours. Any processor will freeze it for you.
I normally try to leave the cooler in the freezer as well. The day you leave pack the frozen meat back into the chilled cooler. No Ice needed we normally split the drive home into 2 days. Use spare clothes to fill any remaining voids. It will be just like you put it in. I like to age it a few days prior if possible. We're normally in camp 2 weeks so it works out.

 

[matechakeric]

FIFY

No kidding. Before I started doing my own processing the condition of carcasses and quarters I'd see at the processor drop-off area was absolutely shocking. I once saw a guy bring in a huge black bear stuffed in the back of his nice Jeep Cherokee that he'd killed the day before, it was still ungutted (there was some stink coming out of that JEEP), and he wanted the guys doing the intake to skin it nicely too so he could have a rug made. They told him to take it away and gut it before bringing it back and that if he had them skin it instead of a taxidermist the rug probably wasn't going to look so nice. Dude got REAL upset

So to take care of game meat. Remove cape as soon as possible, remove guts or get meat off carcass ASAP, keep meat as clean & dry as possible, hang meat in well ventilated very cool areas in good breathable game bags, keep meat very cool/cold in a cooler, age meat if possible

Any critiques to the above?

 

[schmalts]

Funny you say that, my local game processing guy offered me a very nice side gig job to help him keep up during the season.
seems like lots of folks don’t have a clue how properly skin, cape , dry age , cut up , make sausage, ect

I don't mind doing my own to a point, but man.. that is one job I just would not want as a full time gig.

 

[S-3 Ranch]

I don't mind doing my own to a point, but man.. that is one job I just would not want as a full time gig.

It’s not a big deal with proper tools like a houst and meat railing to the aging cooler, then a cradle to work on , the daily clean up is the PIA

 

[schmalts]

It’s not a big deal with proper tools like a houst and meat railing to the aging cooler, then a cradle to work on , the daily clean up is the PIA

Hard on my back though. Some of it is table height but I sure need beer while I am doing it

 

[COEngineer]

...I sure need beer while I am doing it

My dad's shop was retail up front and as soon as the front door closed at 5:30 pm the beer came out. Deer season - 2 months of insanity.