Have got me pretty skeptical I guess. Dropped a deer of Saturday and when I got out the car there was one laying in the area outside the cooler, slap covered in flies. Don't know how long it had been there but nobody was in a hurry to tend to it. Not to mention the overall appearance of the place kind of grosses me out now! Maybe I'll try and find a new one! Am I being too picky?!

No

Where did you go?

Good grief men, start butchering your own! I flat never understood taking a deer to a processor. Just get a good 120 quart cooler, quarter the deer and keep it on ice for 2-4 days so you have plenty of time to cut it up and package it.

I think learning to butcher should a part of hunting, just like learning to shoot.

Of course not IMO. If you don't have the time to do it yourself, there are many good processors. I have not used a processor in probably 30+ years, but they have been talking about it on this forum since before season came in. A lot of hunters have made some good suggestions. Just search it if you have not already.

A lot of them are saying(and it makes sense to me), use a processor that also processes pork and/or beef. Those facilities have to be inspected. I've heard the ones that process only deer are not required to be inspected.

I wish I could give you an informed recommendation, but it's been many years since I've used one. But if I was not comfortable with a place, I sure wouldn't leave my deer there. Be picky by all means. Your money and your deer.

Have you tried doing it yourself? A lot of people don't have time. But if you can find time and want to try, I'm sure there are many videos on YouTube. I wouldn't mind having a deer ground for sausage sometime. But other than that, I'll do it myself. Good luck

Yep. If you have time to prep, and go hunt, find the time to handle it when it's down.

No

No no no.No way I woulda left my deer.I use to cut all my own deer up but there's just alotta things I couldn't make without buying a grinder and stuff so I started taking them to a guy I've known most my life that turns out some great meat.All that "do it yourself" " if you got time to hunt you got time to process it" is retarded.People have different preferences and I'm sure if they had the time,means and knowledge to do it themselves they wouldn't be here asking about processors.After years of cutting my own I now prefer to just pay this guy to do it for me.

There are a lot of good processors. Just because someone takes a deer to a processor doesn't mean they don't know how to butcher one.

That's what we do. My bro and I skinned, quartered and carved out the backstraps and tenderloins on 2 deer(We both shot 1 within 10 mins of each other) in a little over 1 1/2 hours. As you said, put the hind quarters and everything in a cooler with ice and that will give you a couple days to carve out the roasts and get everything packed and frozen. Actually, I guess you can take more than a couple days if you want. It's just too easy to make me want to use a processor. But different strokes for different folks I guess.

Very true. It's sometimes hard to find time just to go hunting, much less do the butchering.

I do know how to butcher my own, just would rather pay someone to do it sometimes. Guess that makes me an amateur...I don't want to drag anybody's business through the mud based off of one incident, so will not name names. I am going to find a new one though!

I have created a map on Google where you can add drop pins for your deer processors. Add the phone, address & web page in the description.

Alabama Deer Processors

I take mine to the processor because thats all I do 5-7 days a week as it is now.I don't want to do it when I'm doing something I do recreationally and no you're not being too picky.

Do I have time to process my own deer? Yes. Is it something I could learn to do? Yes. It is something I may do in the future? Yes. As of now, I'd rather pay the experts to do it for me (after researching processors with a good reputation). I also have the time and could learn to build my own tree stands, but I'll pay to let the pros do that as well. Do what you want, fits your budget, and fits your schedule. Have fun doing whatever you choose to do.

I'm not criticizing anyone for taking them to a processor. I'm just saying it isn't hard to process a deer. It's really the only way to know that you are eating your deer and not part of someone else's that rubbed scent glands on the meat or got urine and feces on the meat. Even if you get some ground into yours from a deer someone gut shot, it will make yours taste bad.

Building a tree stand may be a difficulty level of a 6 but butchering is a 1 at best.