Game Meat Processing Timeframe

[tmwtrfwler]

what is a reasonable amount of time to allow a meat processor to cut, pack, and ship your meat home after a hunt?

I shot a bull on 10/18, dropped it off at the processor when we got back to town on 10/22, they report it was cut up on 10/30, and still haven't shipped it.

I'd say that's too dang long but I am typically impatient. What say the group?

 

[Ucsdryder]

My butcher it depends on the time of year. During archery it’s 7-8 days. Once the rifle seasons start its 2+ weeks.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

I think I'm certainly being impatient. However, when they say the order is done and all they need to do is ship it via UPS it makes me wonder what is taking so long to do that part. Who knows.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Most butchers are all hands on deck trying to get things processed as quickly as possible. I’d say you need to have some patience asking them to do something most butchers don’t, ship meat. In the end who cares if you get it a week late? It’s not like you’re losing out. I’d be more concerned once it’s shipped that it doesn’t arrive late!!!

 

[cnelk]

My bet is that you will also be disappointed in the amount of meat you get.... happens all the time

 

[jmez]

Maybe he has several orders that are shipping and is waiting to ship all at once? Call and ask.

 

[S.Clancy]

The very few times I've not done it myself, the butcher I use is almost always done in 3-5 days. But he is a savage and works basically all day, all night. He is the only person I will take meat too. I care too much about the end product to take it anywhere else.

 

[LostArra]

Most game processors want meat out of their limited freezer space as quickly as possible.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

I wouldn't be so impatient if she hadn't told me it was done last Tuesday and ready to ship. She said if I didn't hear from her by Friday at lunch with shipping costs and to get my card number to call her. I spoke with here on Monday just to give her more time at which point she talks in circles and I have to remind her of previous conversations. She said she'd call me back Monday afternoon. No call which was not surprising. Yesterday I forced the issue. I provided her my company fed ex account number yesterday and she said she'd take it there by 4:30. Then she'd call with a tracking # (and I provided my email so she could provide that to fed ex for tracking). I didn't receive a call. Not surprised. She said I had 175lbs of meat coming my way.
Time will tell.

This is the number one reason I wanted to, and should have, driven out there.

 

[wytx]

Might be working around the weather and temps during the transport . I would rather they ship during a cold snap then when it's warm.

 

[2ski]

I shot an elk on a damage hunt last Feb. How many elk are being processed 2 months after hunting season? I got my elk back in late march. So....Also, told me they cleaned it up pretty good since it was so gut shot. Wasn't gut shot. I bought a LEM grinder and vac. sealer this year. That's my butcher from now on.

In Great Falls, the butcher we take our stuff too is very quick. A week or so. I used to love hanging out there as a kid. While you waited for them to get through the line of people ahead of you dropping their animals off, you got to see what everyone was bringing in and sample jerky and sausages.

 

[TraderMike]

My bet is that you will also be disappointed in the amount of meat you get.... happens all the time

X2!

 

[william schmaltz]

Keep in mind that it's a business that must place priority on meat coming in that has potential to spoil quickly over meat already in the freezer. It's very likely that she planned on shipping in the afternoon and then the vehicles started backing in with warm meat that required immediate attention. This is the way it should be and it's what you would expect from the company if you were the one dropping off too.

We had a family-owned meat processing place for 96 years. When it was my turn to take over, I ran in the other direction! I hated hunting season. My parents would break their backs for other people for 7 days a week for over a month. We would never see my dad during that time. We only took in meat that was grinder-ready and never batched people's meat together and we were still busy as hell. I can't imagine how busy a shop is that is doing full processing of wild game as well as shipping for people.

If they are blatantly lying to you, then get upset and figure it out. If they're not lying and just busy, cut them a little slack; your meat is safe in the freezer. I am confident that they are working their ass off right now and bending over backwards for everyone but themselves.

 

[Brafcauknid]

Most game processors want meat out of their limited freezer space as quickly as possible.

Exactly, I worked at a game processing plant here in NW Colorado when I was younger and during hunting season, everything was processed and out the door as fast as possible to make room in the coolers/freezers, and that was pretty standard at all the other local processors.

 

[Chesapeake]

Processors around my place have freezer truck boxes placed out back for freezer storage. They don’t seem to be in too much of a rush, and when I pick up my pork they always look to have plenty of room in the freezer containers.

Might be they are buisy. Likely need to ship early in the week to avoid weekends, ect. Maybe don’t have dry ice handy, ect....

Shipping frozen goods is a pain in the you know what.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

Someone nailed it above....I'd be shocked at how little meat I'd receive. I received my meat yesterday and out of 175lbs of boned out meat I received.........

97lbs of elk meat.

I have contacted them and asked how they managed to trim almost 80lbs of meat away. They said they had to fire someone that was suspected of stealing meat this week and that they'd look to see if any of mine is still in the shop and accidentally didn't get shipped. I think, know, that they're just giving me lip service. To say I'm pissed about it is an understatement.

Should've bought coolers and paid the airline fees. Hindsight is 20/20.

 

[cnelk]

Serious question for you:

Out of the 175lbs of meat how much do you believe you 'should have' got back?

 

[30338]

Best bet is cutting up your own. For those hunting across country, that probably necessitates driving with large coolers. If I was flying I'd probably fly loins, and a boned hindquarter with me and donate the rest. Logistics for shipping meat is just too expensive for me.

I had a enough issues with guys doing European mounts that I learned how to do those as well and would never trust anyone else with that either.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

Serious question for you:

Out of the 175lbs of meat how much do you believe you 'should have' got back?

Figure losing 15 - 20lbs in trimming / tendons, etc. That puts you down to 150ish, then add some pork in the ground and add a few lbs back. That would be a total of 140-150lbs i'd guess.

 

[HookUp]

I dropped off 192 lbs of boned out elk meat. I received 205 lbs (including weight of 4 cardboard boxes) of meat. I was really happy until I got home and saw there was 10 lbs of steak. And everything else was burger and a few roasts.

Those back straps were close to 30 lbs. I was livid but realized its a huge mistake to take prime cuts to a butcher, no doubt they are taking some for personal use or just ground instead of trimmed my steaks.

Best part is my wife is now on board for a new grinder and chamber sealer after the $250 processing bill.