Just about everyone Ive talked to uses someone different so I havent decided where I will take my first deer when I get one. However, Id like to have an idea where before then. Quality, cleanliness, word of mouth, getting your own deer, etc seem like all good things to ask about but what should I expect for pricing to avoid getting squeezed the first time around? I would expect a basic set of cuts and I can change it up next time around. Also, any preferred ones in Wetumpka area? Thanks

60 bucks or so

This^^^

PICKED my deer up sunday and it was 70 ..

I dropped one off a week ago and was told $75. I'm in Tuscaloosa. Thinking about investing in processing equipment next year and doing it myself. Starting to get steep.

I picked up a bow kill last week..$122 but he puts out damn good meat and I got some specialty stuff.He does Bacon burger that cost extra and I got $25 worth of smoked Jalapeno/cheese summer sausage that lasted about 3 days in my house.We love the stuff but its expensive.If I were to take one and have a basic process done I thinks he's around $65-$70

Quarter the deer up yourself, will save you usually 20.00 or more depending on the processor.

All of them are a little different in regards to procedures which effects pricing. Example - Some charge for deboning and others don't and charge higher overall prices to compensate.
Most have a price per pound depending on the end product. Get a price list before you drop it off.
The biggest factor in total cost will be what you get the meat made into too.

Great info, thanks. I have one place right down from club that got so-so reviews and one place real close that I havent heard good or bad.

I recommend processing it yourself, its not hard to do and you appreciate that much more.

Doenut, I'm not sure where you're hunting but you need to check out a processor in the Shorter area. I think the name was Shanna's. It was somewhere around Shorter or Tallassee. I never used them but several guys I know did and were very pleased.

As mentioned above, prices vary based on what you want. Basic cuts like roasts, cube steak, and ground meat are generally covered under the basic fee and prices go up from there. Stuff like jerky, sausage, and other specialties take more time to make so they cost a good bit more. You can easily go over $100 if you have stuff like summer sausage and jerky made. My advice, keep your back straps and loins whole. If you like country fried steak, get some cubed steak, and get everything else ground. Deer steaks and deer roasts are overrated if we're being honest. I eat 3-4 deer a year so I'm not knocking it, but if we're being honest, beef is much better when it comes to roasts and steaks. Beef has more fat which makes it much juicier and more tender. An over cooked deer roast or steak will be similar to trying to eat a Wolverine boot.

I hunt in Coosa county and live in Wetumpka so I will try close to there first. But thank you for the advice. I have two friends that process their own and one that makes his own sausage. Plan on getting with them and learning as much as I can. Ive got a jerky recipe that was good enough to use the whole deer for but not very practical.

A unskinned, ungutted buck that is made into small link smoked sausage can run over $200 with the addition of pork fat.

I got hit with sticker shock last year on the buck in my avatar. $203 for burger and bacon burger, tenderloins and backstrap whole. It was late, raining and we were headed back to Bham so I dropped him off whole. Never again for me. The price added up on the receipt but I just couldn't believe it. Charged $50 to skin/gut.

I'd take +\-$100 all day. I'd love to find these $60-$70 processors y'all speak of. Are y'all taking the deer whole? Gutted? Gutted and skinned out?

Ouch! I bet thats good eatin but it needs to be way than conecuh or kellys for that kind of scratch.

The one I have been taking to in Fairview requires you to gut it but thats it they skin and all. They do the rest for right around $65. They don't do any specialty like smoked sausage, summer, sausage, anything like that. You can get sausage, ground meat, steak cuts, jerky cuts, roast, etc though and price stays the same.

I'm considering taking to a place that does a little more specialty though. Don't mind paying a little more but I'm not paying $200 for a deer.

$50 to gut one does not surprise me. I've had several tell me that disposing of the guts and carcasses are one of their biggest issues. They can quickly fill up a dumpster in less than a week's time when they get busy. When your dumpster is full, you can't do much until it gets emptied. They charge those fees to encourage folks to gut them before they drop them off. I pay $60-70 (honesty don't remember) for one that has been gutted and has the hide left on. I am not getting any sausage or jerky for that price, just basic cuts and ground.

The one I use is $65. That's them gutting, skinning, and basic processing (burger, sausge, cube, roast, and leaving backstraps and tenderloins whole. Snack sticks and summer sausage will run the price up quick.

$55 if you roll em off the tailgate at Rubo's in Fort Gaines GA. That's where I take all of mine obviously. That's for tenderloins and back straps whole, and then half hamburger and half cube steak. Will change it up and do some in breakfast sausage or cut up some stew meat for an extra $5. $35 for that basic cut if you bring the deer to them in a cooler. Took two to them last year, had to buy a deep freezer. He gets everything off of them for sure. Took my last deer to Jimmy's in midland city because I had heard the sausage was good...it was, but I told them tenderloins and back straps whole, cube everything you can, and make sausage out of the rest...ended up with 11 lbs of cube steak and SEVENTY TWO lbs of smoked sausage...and a bill of $367.

The one I use is $60 for a deer gutted and skin on. Summer sausage and jerky is extra cost based on pound per raw meat weight. The normal $60 cut is roast or steaks/ cube steaks, Burger or sausage your choice , and you can get whole, sliced, butterfly cut backstrap or have raw jerky slices cut. I make my own jerky so I normally get a hind quarter sliced for jerky and we like the deer steaks better then beef steaks so I get a bunch of those out of my deer. Also if you quarter and bring the deer to him to process the deer he charges me $30-$40 per deer. He also has the policy of if he wouldn't serve it on his table you don't get the meat. Example of that I destroyed both front shoulders of a deer last year and both shoulder had bone chips and was bloody so it went to the trash pile and I paid half price processing since I only got half the meat from that deer. I will also add he only cuts one deer at a time and you get your deer back and I have never found any hair in my meat. He does charge $35 to gut one.